SierraDescents | Page 22
June 8, 2013
The Winter Wrap
Well it looks like I'm finally hanging up the skins on this unfinished-business of a 2012-2013 ski season. I'd hoped to add a volcano trip here in the waning weeks, but even that (more)
June 3, 2013
OR Cirque Pant
At some point I realized my backcountry ensemble was starting to enter a Mao phase. To combat the trend, I've begun seeking cheerier gear and clothing choices. So I was drawn to (more)
May 27, 2013
Wahoo Gullies Are Burnt
Here's a view that so struck me I had to jam on my brakes to pull over and take a picture of it: Mount Locke and the Wahoo Gullies, a favorite Bishop-area spring ski descent, (more)
May 13, 2013
White Mountain Is White
Passing Olancha and entering the outskirts of Lone Pine on Highway 395, what should my wondering eyes see but snow—and lots of it—dusting the high peaks. Apparently (more)
May 9, 2013
Principles of Steep Skiing: Revised
I don't how, exactly, my obsession with steep skiing began, but even as a kid, I remember arriving at ski areas and immediately wanting to find the steepest run on the hill to see (more)
May 4, 2013
Mammoth: Electrifying!
It was such a beautiful sunny morning here at Mammoth Mountain California, I was beginning to hope the forecast T-storms would fail to show. Nope: right around 11 a.m. things (more)
April 24, 2013
GoPro Hero3 Black
GoPro's Hero3 Black Edition is easily one of the most interesting video cameras of the year—and not only within the helmet-cam category. If you were hoping for big advances in (more)
April 21, 2013
El Gringo Eskiador
In 1979, Patrick Vallencant skied the west face of Peru's 21,768' Yerupaja. Lou Dawson describes the route as "Possibly the continuously steepest mountain ski descent ever done." (more)
April 17, 2013
Blizzard Magnum 8.0 Ti
Blizzard's Magnum 8.0 Ti has been a darling of the ski media, consistently scoring near the top of the performance-carver class. The Magnum 8.0 Ti is somewhat oddly categorized (more)
April 16, 2013
Steep Technique: I Was Wrong!
In my never-ending quest to master steep skiing technique, there have certainly been highs and lows, but I have to confess I've been stuck for a long time battling what I think of (more)
April 15, 2013
Mammoth
Thank goodness we have Mammoth! Your Southern Sierra looks an awful lot like summer right now, but atop Mammoth Mountain there's got to be a solid 12 feet or so of snow. With (more)
April 11, 2013
Salomon X-Race
Not one ski but several, Salomon's X-Race varies its sidecut radius by length, allowing skiers to match the ski to their preferred turn shape. So for example if you pick the (more)
April 5, 2013
Volkl Code L
New for the 2013-2014 season, Volkl's Code Speedwall L offers performance skiers a fun and lively alternative to both the RTM and RaceTiger lines. I'm not big on the RTM skis (more)
April 1, 2013
Tecnica Cochise Pro Light
Yes, those are indeed tech fittings you see at the heel and toe of Tecnica's new Cochise Pro Light ski boot, and believe me, they're not just for decoration. The Cochise Pro (more)
April 1, 2013
Snow Valley: Done
Given what a rotten winter it's been in the backcountry, it was sure a solid season for me and my kids at Snow Valley...at least until today. The kids and I skied Easter 2012 at (more)
