skategoat

Bob, when are you going? I'm in S. Cal on Jan. 20-23 and will either go to Mammoth (first choice) or Big Bear (second choice). Depends on the weather. You're welcome to hitch a ride in my rental car.

There was plenty of mountain at Apex for me. Lots of long, rolling cruiser runs. I think it was the closest to Kelowna but fleaman can confirm. I thought Silver Star (back side) was the steepest of the three. Big White had the most snow and most terrain and a lot of open, above-treeline riding. But, Big White is known locally as "Big White-out". Conditions there can be nasty. Sun Peaks gets less snow but more sun. Less snow doesn't mean bad coverage, just less snow than Big White which is probably a good thing. A friend of mine just returned from there and loved it. However, it is a hefty drive from Kelowna. Gavin and Snow Performance has a condo there. He can refer you to the property manager he deals through. Or do a search here for "Sun Peaks" and you'll find the thread. fleaman, we definitely have to meet up this time around. I'll be the one flailing around trying to keep up with Rob Crobar.

I'm going to be in Kelowna Feb. 18-21 with some local carvers. Would be great to have some hard booting company. Last year, we did Apex, Big White and Silver Star using Kelowna as a base. I didn't find the drive to be bad at all. We did luck out and get good weather though. I liked all three resorts for different reasons. All three are carve friendly with wide groomers. Apex is a hidden gem.

I'm riding 50/43 and 45/40 on two different boards. I find the mild angles more comfortable but I find I get more stability when I face forward. I'm wondering if I should steepen the angles. I'm still trying to work things out as I get better at this carving thing. I'm probably using 5 different techniques on a single run.

The horror. By the sounds of it, it was U.S. soldiers who looted the thing. So me thinks it's a Sunfire in some holler in Virginia sportin' those rims.

Why not just get out a can of spray paint? I know guys who spray pink paint all over their brand new mountain bikes to deter theft. Why not paint a stripe right down the middle of your board, across the bindings and all. In some obnoxious colour. I would give high credibility marks to any rider who did that. Post pics.

Ray, where'd you get your Northwaves? Do you still have the source? Cause I'd kill to get a pair in size 27.5.

This is probably a question for Jack. Regarding the "face the nose" stance vs. "face your toes" stance, is that in any way determined by your binding angles? ie. is it possible to ride facing the nose when you are at mild angles like 45 degrees? Also, when reading Chris Klug's site, he suggests a "sitting in a chair" metaphor when executing a heelside carve. My feeling on this is that it would cause you to shift your weight back which I don't think is a good thing. Comments?

If you buy winter tires and actually use them on dry pavement in Southern California, they will wear down very fast. Winter tires are soft compound and meant to be used when temps are under 10 degrees celcius.

Has anyone tried those ice-fisherman crampon thingees?

Great tips guys. I can handle a few bumps. I just want to stay out of mogul fields. I'll be bringing a Prior 174 4WD. I know exactly what you mean about windpack. I had the best run of my entire life at Mt. Tremblant on an empty mountain where the wind was howling up the south face the entire night. It was heaven. If anyone wants to meet up, send me your email addresses and I'll send you my co-ordinates. It would be great to ride with some locals. Just don't send the newbie off a cliff, okay? skategoat25@yahoo.ca

Nokian Hakkapellitas are great snow-biters with a heck of a reputation in the snowbelt. Pirelli Snowsport 210s are a good compromise for ice/snow traction and dry pavement smoothness. Michelin Pilot Alpins are similar to the Snowsports. My experience with Bridgestone Blizzaks are that they are very good for the first two winters then they are just all-season tires - ie. they wear fast.

Nekdut and others: Any advice on cheap lodging? I booked Motel 6 as a backup. I tried to call Ullr but phone just rang and rang. My concern with Ullr is security. I want to make sure the rooms themselves are secure since I've had trouble in ski dorms in the past with break-in and theft. Would love to hear some local advice on where to ride and what runs to avoid. I have to stay away from bumps and super steeps. I'm still an intermediate carver. Love the wide groomers. I thought the Madd was an East Coast, ice board. What's it doing out West? If you want, I can take it back with me so that it is in it's natural environment.

Decision made. I'm going to Mammoth if the driving weather is good. Bear Mtn. remains my backup if a storm is forecast. I hope to see some Bomberites there on Jan. 21-22.

I found these guys using Froogle: http://store.yahoo.com/emiliosskishop/bufi156hd.html They are in NY. They also show that they carry Burton Speed boards. I'd be interested in hearing the price if you talk to them.

I ride mostly in the East where it is all below the treeline. No open bowls or fields. So, a tight turning board is preferable. Also, we get crowds and less skiable terrain. This translates into chopped up, tracked snow within a hour of a good dump. Also, our snow is not the champagne stuff found out West. Our "powder" is usually pretty heavy. I'm thinking Fish is the way to go. I found a place online that sells close-out 2002/03 Fish 156HD for $200. But, it says the weight range tops out at 150lbs. Is this accurate?

Sweeeet photo. What kind of angles do you ride on the Fish?

I'm thinking I might fly up to Tahoe instead. The lengths we go through to get in few turns...

Damn, that means if I take the redeye, I can't even squeeze in a half day before the flight. I'm thinking a more realistic approach is to drive out of Mammoth on the Saturday night and overnight close to L.A. That gives me one day of riding. I wonder is it worth it?

Guys: What would you rather ride in powder? Prior 4WD Burton Fish Prior Pow-stick Swallowtail I'm leaning towards the Fish due to the fact that it is better for riding in the trees. Is the Fish strictly a soft-boot board or can you ride hard boots on it? Anyone know a good source for a 160 Fish? Henry

I'm trying to arrange my return flight from LA on a Sunday. Basically, I have two choices for departure times - 12:25PM or the redeye at 7:00PM. What time would I have to leave Mammoth on a Sunday morning to make a 12:25 flight at LAX? If I decide on the redeye, how bad is the Sunday afternoon traffic out of Mammoth? Thx, Henry

Ethan: Before you get an insert lock (aka Ski Key), make sure your favourite resort has the Ski Key compatible racks. In a normal rack, the Ski Key is useless. You get the keys at most ski shops.

Don't know about its availability in the U.S. but the absolute best system I know of is the Ski Key. http://www.skikey.com/ You buy a $20 lock and key and it fits into a proprietary rack. The lock is very small and you don't even notice it in your pocket. The only way to steal your board from one of these is to remove a binding or drill out the lock. I just don't see removing a binding as feasible. Most thieves want to grab and run. That's why I think even a cheap cable lock is a good deterent.

Come on Chris. The only riding I would do is to de-tune the edges. I wouldn't want Rob to ride on nasty factory-sharp edges.

Rob: Since we're both in Toronto, I can remove the glue for you. Drop it off at my place on Friday night and I'll get it back to you on Monday <G>. Henry