Terryw

Jan 31 works for me. I am tied up with the patrol every other weekend, so the Jan 24 and Feb 7 days are out for me. Seems like we are having a tough time finding a good weekend for all of us.

Glad to see another carver! You must come up during the day. Very few of us are willing to carve in the dark after everything has been chopped up.

Conditions were surprisingly pretty good today. Didn't get too bad until after 2:00. I was late to get up there today (10:00), but it was good from the start. Should be the same for the weekend, or better. As we were leaving, clouds were moving in, and the temps started to drop a little.

I will be up, but I will be hanging with Patrol. I'll waive at you guys when I see you!

Looks like I will come up on Friday. Wife is off, and that is the day she requested.

Hope to be up Thur or Fri. I will post if we make it.

Add me to the list of impressed and surprised testers. Chad from CODA was gracious enough to once again bring his boards to Snow Summit here in sunny southern Ca. It was another typical hard pack day. It is the kind of day where if you were not careful, you could easily wash out your turns. However, the V-O performed amazingly well. Very predictable and stable. The harder I pushed it the better if responded. Now I typically ride a metal coiler all mountain and I am pretty happy with it . I was able to ride the coda for a few hours and then put my bindings back on my coiler at the exact same angles (58 front , 55 rear) and compare the ride. I was surprised to find that the coda performed just as well as the coiler did today! Actually, I had to work a little harder on the coiler to get the same kind of ride. Specs on both: Coiler all mountain metal - 177 12m sidecut 20cm waist V-O Metal - 170 10m sidecut 19.5cm waist Now in all fairness the coiler was constructed for me at a higher weight, around 200. I now weigh in at around 175. So I would expect it to be a little harder to flex for me. I also usually have a stance width of 20.5 inches on my all mountain, but the largest width I could achieve on the coda was 18.5 inches. Not quite what I like, but I was able to adjust pretty quickly. I noticed that there was not a lot of forward and rear weight shifting on the coda, just stay centered and roll your knees for railed turns. I was able to spin the coda easily both directions and ride switch a little. I really enjoyed the ability to carve smaller turns on the coda. A real plus on crowded slopes like we usually deal with here at Summit. It also felt a lot lighter than my coiler. Over all, I would have to say that today, in these conditions, the coda was surprisingly more fun for me than my beloved coiler. It might just be time for me to expand my quiver .....

I am training at Summit in Big Bear. You know, so cals favorite resort! I don't think that they are trying to make it more difficult for the snowboarders to train, I just don't think they get it. They don't really understand the nuances of out style. Then you add a carver to the mix and they really don't know what to think. My saving grace is that one of the co-directors of our patrol is a hard booter too! Over all the people in my patrol are very good people. Some of them just need to be "educated" a bit more . I am working on it.

I also think it is unfair. While the skiers are resting, we are forced to brace ourselves as best we can with poles. That takes energy and muscle tension in our lower bodies. So we end up using way more energy and not getting the rest the skiers get. Just makes us tougher . Some time they will allow us to unclip if we are getting a longer lecture, but it can be tricky to clip back in on the steeper slopes. Oh well, it is still fun and interesting. Any day on the slopes is a good day!

I be there! Got to make at least one of these gatherings.

I have some poles you could use. I have been carrying them lately as the patrol training requires us to have them so the snowboarders can stand just like the skiers when we are on the side of the slopes. Pain in the a$$ if you ask me.

That looks so wild. Now if we could only carve the Pipeline .........

I am talking about flat 360's and not tricks in the air. I get nervous if I am more than a foot off the snow! They are not asking us to do any other freestyle type tricks to be on ski patrol. The ability to be comfortable switch and spinning has to do with controlling the sled in less than ideal positions. As the lone carver in the group, I am judged by what the instructors know, which is freestyle. But what they call carving and what I call carving are worlds apart. Being asked to do what everyone else does on their short boards is making me a better snow boarder, so I can't complain. It has actually been fun to learn some of these skills I thought were unnecessary. It just means that I have to be more versatile than they are. Should be cake for a decent carver . But getting back to my original question, the level ratings seemed so subjective, I wondered just how snow boarders are rated in general, and what specific skill sets if any are necessary at each level. And of course, is there any difference recognized for the carvers in any of the official or semi-official standards?

This year I am working with the ski patrol for the first time. Having a great time. One of the requirements to train with the toboggan is an evaluation from the ski school that you are a level 3 or better snow boarder. Now I passed my level 3 evaluation, but just barely. My not being a solid 3 was my weakness ridding switch, and spinning 360's both directions on my carving setup. I am working on my switch ridding, and I can spin all day both directions now, but it got me wondering, is there a different standard for a level 3 regular snow boarder versus a level 3 carver? And what skills do I have to master to be considered a level 4 carver? I hoped that some of you instructor types might be able to shed a little light on my question.

Woohoo!! No commitments for me on that Sunday! I will be there.

Hey Chad, it was good to meet you. Wish I could have had some time on your boards! I was able to see you guys from the chair lift a few times, and you were tearing it up! I am dying to try that v-o xl. You just have to come back on a weekend when I am not training with the patrol. By the way several of my patrol friends were very curious about your boards. Keep up the good work, and come back soon!

I will be up both weekend days, so Monday is right out. Tuesday now ........ hmmmmm

I will be up Saturday and Sunday. Same helmet, but wearing a green jacket working with the patrol. We start toboggan training this weekend. Should be fun! Stop and say hi, if you are up there.

Any one else for some mid week carving? Heading up tomorrow with my wife to celebrate 20 years of marriage . It goes so fast ............

Yep, Larry is a great guy. Had a lot of fun training with him for OEC this summer. And yeah, the lines were minimal at Summit this week .

Conditions were quite good today. Chair 7 is in good shape as well as log chute. The hill should be good for this weekend if it does not rain! Lets hope these storms bring snow only!

I have strong intentions ..... No ski patrol training for a few weeks! Really missed being able to ride with you guys this last Sunday. I watched you for a few minutes. Was wishing I could be carving it up with you. I might also go up this Thursday. Hopster and Rick will be up on that day.

Albert, don't make me come get you! Be careful. I have a back board and I am not afraid to use it.

Hey Ed, just letting you know that a few of us will be up at Summit this Thursday, and this Sunday.

Also Rick and the hopster will be up on Thursday from the San Diego area.