modifiede30

Thanks Derf, took a while to get through everything but that about made my decicision for me. Given where I ride, styles, etc, looks like the Donek Axxess might be a good option to look into. If you go to the ECES, find me, I definitely owe you one. Daniel - we need the "cheers" smiley on this forum.

Anyone have plans to go to wawa this weekend? I'm contemplating the best day for first tracks at 7:30am. Looks like either Saturday or Sunday could be either rain or snow in the am. Anyone have any definitive plans?

Anyone going up this weekend? I'll be up on Saturday or Sunday morning, whichever seems to have the best snow available after the rain. I'll also likely go up next week during the evening if anyone else will be around.

Thanks. Sounds sorta like Wachusett, my home mountain. It'll be fun to take my daughter to some other location for once - maybe we'll hit Sunday River too.

Anyone know anything about Mt Abrams. It appears to be a small family mountain - we're going to be there for a couple days with the kids.

Wow, after my last injury I feel pretty lucky after reading through this. Hope you feel better and I'm glad you're taking it so well. I was lucky enough that I was moving pretty slow when my nose dug into slush and the board threw me for quite a ride. I only landed on my back and bruised the sacroilliac/spine joint and a few nerves. It's healing well although I still have a little numb spot on my back from the fall. I'm curious about how different boots might have reacted differently. I'm just starting to get used to UPZ's and never run with them locked into ride mode since they're so stiff. After reading this I might lock them down from now on. Anyone know if the UPZ walk mode is stiff enough to prevent this?

Just one comment - the local ski hill here (Wachusett) has been known to issue a credit if you have a season ending injury and a MD's note that confirms you won't be back for the season - prorated by month. I don't know how hard my friend had to push, but he ended up with a fair amount of credits that he's been using all season this year after a really bad accident last year - and it wasn't even on the slopes.

Yeah, the date definitely helps me start to battle over this with my wife - I'm going to need the whole year - hopefully when you see me I won't look like .

This is a good thread. For my family, we decided for this year that we'd get season passes for myself and my daughter (and my wife just goes occasionally). Here's how things broke down for me: $369 for a weekend/holiday/school break only at Wachusett in MA. I know this is the most crowded time to be there, but if you can get there at 7:30am, you'll have fresh tracks every morning and its not that bad until 11 or so. This is also the only time I can ever get to the mountain unless I take time off at work which is very difficult. $49/lift ticket at the same mountain. If I go 8 times, I've paid for the pass so its a nobrainer. I have no lodging (30 minute drive away), and usually only go up from 7:30-12, and eat at home. If my daughter comes, we usually go later and stay through lunch. Next year, my daughter is too old to get the cheap season pass though, but I can't imagine its still won't be worthwhile. Its a small mountain but it has some nice runs. We often take a weekend trip up north into VT/NH/ME, or maybe 2, but we can often find deals that really only cost us $400, maybe $500 for the whole weekend. Overall, I'd probably say we only spend about $1000-$1500 for the whole season on lift tickets. Its the equipment that really hurts, and this year we completely re-outfitted the whole family with skis, boots, bindings, 2 boards (both going back up for sale since I didn't like them), UPZ boots, and Catek's. The equipment is where we spent a lot of money this year - so as I see it - next year will be really cheap for us unless I buy another board :D .

This was ok'd by the moderators. Here's a description of the boots. $85+shipping. They're on ebay. NEW 2005 Rossignol Soft 3 Premium Ultra Mens. The ones I'm selling are black with a snake skin texture and metallic silver color. Supposed to be very comfotable. They're more flexible than normal ski boots but they aren't soft enough to use for hardbooting - which is what I wanted to do. These are a mondo size 27.5 and fit u.s. mens size 9. I have tried these on for fit and they are very comfortable - like a glove. They also have Thermo Moldable Liner. <!-- End Description -->

So you don't want to buy it? I have someone else interested so if you don't want it, I'll let her go - I think I'm going to stick to something that has a smaller sidecut - I like the snappiness of my 8.5m Nitro. Back was fine - although I was surprised that my shoulders and upper body were so sore when I got home. Aside from the continuous numbness, it seems fine - I guess it won't hurt when I next bail.

I wish I could get out on weekdays - just too late usually for me to get out after work and with 2 little ones at home I'd have a pretty unhappy wife .

Great conditions on Sunday. Had a good day carving it up with Ed. Hopefully more will come out this coming weekend - I'll likely be there as long as we have snow left after the rain on Friday.

Height is 5'8", around 165lbs, size 27.5, and I really don't have any idea what my angles are - I just set them to what's comfortable - would probably say around 65f/60r - but that's just guessing. I'm also running about 5 degree toe lift in the front, and 3-4 heel lift in the rear.

Probably around 19 - 19.5. It was compared to a Volkl SL today and they are very similar in most respects - although the Lizard was a bit stiffer.

I'm looking for a replacement for my current Nitro Range 157. The specs for this board are: 157 Length 1340 Edge Contact 272/272/221 Nose/tail/waist 8.5 Sidecut I'm thinking of the following as replacements: Prior FWD - 159 Nidecker SL - 158 Donek Pilot - 157 Donek-Smcha SL - 157 Donek Axxess - 162 Height is 5'8" 165lbs Boot size 27.5 Binding angles are current set to around 65f/60r - but that's just guessing 5 degree toe lift in the front, and 3-4 heel lift in the rear <!-- / message --><!-- sig --> They're all pretty close in terms of sidecut and length - stiffness is a big question though. I'm still pretty green in terms of ability. I can lock into a carve, and link several together, but am often finding myself off center, and still slide around a bit. My heelside is much more advanced than toeside - and I'm goofy if that makes any difference. I don't really have much technical info on my style or ability since I'm much more about how it feels than how I'm actually doing things. Any help or suggestions would be helpful. I recently rode an older Burton Alp69 and found it a bit clumsy for the narrower slopes I'm often on, and a Heavy Metals Lizard seems to have too much sidecut for me and too stiff - I prefer shorter radii. Oddly enough, my current Nitro is pretty stiff - less so than the Lizard, but still stiff in comparison to a fellow carvers Volkl.

I have an older Heavy Metals 163 Lizard, pretty much brand new. I rode it one day and it was too stiff. I purchased it from a shop that really didnt' know what it was and they had been sitting on it for years. Its narrow with about 9.3 or so sidecut, pretty stiff board. A fellow carver has it to see if he's interested. Let me think about pricing - if you're interested given the above info, let me know.

I might have something for you, although I'm not sure what you mean by cheap. How much are you looking to spend.

Anyone going to be there tomorrow? If so, hopefully we can meet up. I'll be there first thing - probably shoot for 7:45 to see if I can get up before they officially open.

I grew up around DC and recall the names people gave the place - all pretty fitting from what I recall. Never carved there though, and don't really remember much about it other than it being small. I was hoping things had changed a bit but I guess not. Oh well...

Did anyone get there today? Seemed like it would have been a great morning - heaving snow though. I'll be there bright and early tomorrow now that I'm done digging myself out of the stuff - man that was heavy with the ice layer on top.

I chose Waterville/Loon only because I can get there in 2.5 hours and I know the terrain. Never really been that impressed with Killington - over-rated in my opinion and too crowded. The place I loved going to recently wasn't listed but it has some of the nicest and longest runs I've been on and its never really all that crowded on the good slopes - Attitash. But that's not listed so I won't go there. I'll likely go to whatever venue is finalized, it'll be a first so I'm hoping by then I'll be able to actually carve a turn or two.

Any of these boards still available?

I think I'm likely going to be in the same boat as you Ed. I should have started to dig out last night when I got home.... I'll try tomorrow morning again but it will depend on schedules with my wife/daughter.

Anyone been carving at Massanutten? My family has a place there and we're spending Xmas there next year for the week. Hoping to get some carving in if the place is open. If it was anything like this year, I doubt we'll have anything to ride on, but I'm hopeful. If anyone has tips on best times/runs, please post them.