Sbounds...leathers

[greatgt]

Tough ski yesterday with two inches of "soft" hardpack. Not much of a base but did get a few turns in and manipulated mud leaves lichen and branches. Few rocks reared their ugly heads also but were dampened by serious moss. Got out to Dead Moose Pond and it was silent and still holding in grey ice. My Merrill boots got wet slimed as did the skis. Will seek out some old logging roads and see if they have anything on them. A seriously white world, barely. Still after all this warm melting horror there is enough to, uh, slide. Two inches on the third of January. Gonna have to fire up a hollow tree and dance to the Snow Gods and pray for help. TM

[greatgt]

Two days ago, there was 2 inches of hardpack with a soft top that could be skied. Now! After two days of rain there probably isn't anything up in the highlands. Time to look for new skis! TM

[greatgt]

Been skiing up in the highland's since Telewheels showed the area for me back in the 70's. Figured the snow was gone but was surprised to find 2-4 inches on a favorite knob. Had my skis, and so on but was in hiking boots. Woe is me! Will get my skis on and ski low angle until we get some decent snow. Saw the largest Moose tracks in my life. Gawd! .

[greatgt]

Was behind before I went in with the Boys as witnesses. Following their tracks onto Dead Moose Pond wasn't thinking about much and enjoying the ski when i heard and felt the first tremors from the ice. Tried to elongate and engage the double camber but cracking disappeared and in i went. lucky it was about waist deep in the slime and constantly sinking of long skis into the silt of black nothingness. reached over to the brush and stopped the sinking and yelled to the watching boys that they would be needed to extricate as the skis were under the ice. They got the pin unclicked on both and they hauled me in. They thought we should head back but dressed in wool and not feeling cold off we went to Telecamp. Fire in the fireplace and the beater stove and camp was warm and good for drying out. Telekid, Telewood, and Teleking headed out to get more dead standing and I kept the fires going. We did chuckle a bit had some decent, er, way more than decent Bacon Cheeseburger. Skiing is "tough" with 2-4 inches of base and one inch of powder. Whips abound and the ever-present stones hiding under moss made for "tip toe" skiing. lots of one turn and stop kind of thing. Need snow and probably need to do the snow dance! If that isn't enough.... backed over my chain saw Saturday. bummer. Did I mention we NEED snow! TM

[fisheater]

That’s pretty hardcore Teleman. I’m glad the cheeseburgers were tasty!

[greatgt]

Heading up into the Highlands again. Take a different ski today, one without ponds, swamps, or water of any kind. Ridges are in and there is a place where you can hit a North facing ridge of easy downhill cruising. In Northern Vermont North is usually the lowest angle skiing. Mostly two inches of crust and whatever powder is there in the year of no snow. TM

[greatgt]

Pretty fast and turning was a chore as surface had lots of potential for taking this oldie down. So let the skis run on a big logging road. Those 109's flew and as turns were not in it was a fast ride. Two inches of hard crust with an inch of powder! Supposed to get an inch (!!!!!) today and 1-3 tomorrow. THAT could DOUBLE the snowpack! Need to have a hollow tree fire and get the snow Gods attention. Bend those knees to them! TM

[fisheater]

I wish I had all that snow!

[greatgt]

Tough year here and there! Figure if we get a three-inch difference that could be....uh....amazingly better. AND the rain we get as this is doing will make it better. This is getting into historically strange terriority. TM

[Capercaillie]

Was behind before I went in with the Boys as witnesses. Following their tracks onto Dead Moose Pond wasn't thinking about much and enjoying the ski when i heard and felt the first tremors from the ice. Tried to elongate and engage the double camber but cracking disappeared and in i went. lucky it was about waist deep in the slime and constantly sinking of long skis into the silt of black nothingness. reached over to the brush and stopped the sinking and yelled to the watching boys that they would be needed to extricate as the skis were under the ice. They got the pin unclicked on both and they hauled me in.

This is my biggest skiing fear, and why I think automatic system bindings (anything where you have to press down a button to release the ski) are unsafe for backcountry skiing.