icarve

If you are regular foot you will have one heck of an uphill blind spot and need to be carful of running into anyone. If you are goofy foot the blind spot will be more downhill and you can compensate for that more easily by turning your head more. I have a friend who skis with only one eye, but doesn't snowboard because he ran over two people that he couldn't see coming from uphill of him. Your depth perception is going to be off also, although you have probably realized that already :) you will just need to be much more aware of what you don't see and learn to compensate for it.

I am headed there Sunday through thursday too, so if anyone has any recommendations for restaurants etc. that would be great. FTA2R - Have you found anything you would recommend while you are there? Looks like you should be getting some snow this weekend :)

I got out this AM during the snowstorm. The visibility was not good and the snow was OK. One of the ski racers from Brainard put it well- it's kind of grippy under the fluff. 2 people thought that I was Trent. I am sure that it was the way that I was ridding, or maybe it was the bright green pants that I had on. :) Sorry I couldn't make it out last week, work got in the way.

They are making snow like crazy. The only runs that didn't have the snow guns on were on either side of chair 1 and chair 7. Snow was great there, but almost every other run had soft (man made) snow on it that made it a little tricky to carve. I would love to try the Stubby Night, but would not be able to make it on a regular basis. Pick what ever night works best and I will try and be there at least once or twice.

If you are looking for metal like feel in a free ride board look at the carbon construction Doneks. They are damp (and very light) and can be made in wider widths than the metal boards can. I don't know if it would make any difference in a powder board, but it sure works well in the incline 160 that I have. E-mail one of the board builders and ask them if metal or the carbon construction would make any difference in a powder board.

How late is everyone going to be there? I will likely not be there until 2 or so. :(

Sold, thanks Chris.

Sale pending.

Boots in very good shape, Liners have been molded only once. Selling because I got tired of wearing boots that are too big. $115 shipped to US address, e-mail me if need to ship outside of US.

Look who is in the Afton Alps youtube videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK0ZpTD62Fw&list=UUiAWZ0_grKcuJxPaVbJedfw&index=3&feature=plpp_video This was from wed morning while the snow was still good.

I was out today chasing my 4 year old on skis and the snow was really soft and not much of it. the frontside was mostly open- I never made it to the highlands- but there is snow only on the runs and it is really thin on the edges. i hope we get more snow tonight than is predicted.

I got the Union Force MC last year and like them a lot. they are very light- lightest on the market according to Union. the have a carbon high back and a carbon toe ramp. They are not super stiff even with the carbon high back, but they are comfortable and stiffer than most of the other soft bindings out there. They are not easy entry like flows etc. The straps can be run cap style or over the toes.

knobnose: My biggest concern with Alaska is the travel time. How did you get to Valdez? The website says 6 hour drive from Anchorage or fly with additional cost and possibility of delays/ cancellations due to weather. oh, BTW Little Canada is a suburb of St. Paul- 4 mi north of downtown.

Thanks everyone for the info. It is exactly what I was hoping to find out. I knew someone here would have the experience and be able to help. :) Now i just have to decide where and when.

I am looking at going heil-boarding for a week (5 or 7 days) this winter :D and don't really know anything about where or with what company to go. I likely need to stay in the continental US or Canada. I don't really have any constraints as far as what month to go. Does anyone have any experience or recomendations? Thanks

+1 on the K2 T1's. I have an E-EE width foot with high arches and they fit well. Don't go with the double BOA if you have high arches it tightens too much in the wrong places and there is no way to loosen it in only one spot (that I could find anyway) I have the single BOA on the inner liner and it works really well. They come with tongue stiffeners, but i haven't needed them because I am a light weight.

Thanks Trent, I had a great time. It was good to meet everyone. Eric

I will be there also. I don't think that I have met too many people on the list yet. I should be able to get there by 10:00 or so. Eric

PM sent. Bindings SOLD. thanks Rob.

The bindings are 2001 or 2002. I just took the picture wednesday. They have been used less than 40 times, mostly on the hills here in the midwest.

Snowpro Race plates in very good condition with all cant/ lift blocks and hardwear (and really cool leash). :) $80 shipped to US address. OK to pick up if you are in St. Paul area. email me through the board for more info etc.

It was good to meet you guys today. I will hopefully be out more this year, I need to get in better shape before the "meeting" I have in Vail at the end of March. If you see me on the hill feel free to stop me and say hi. I will be the one in the green jacket and pants, black board. Eric

12:00 soft 2:00 really soft 4:00 slush The snow was good this AM, but got really soft by the late afternoon. There appeared to be a reasonable base on the hills by chairs 1,2,3. I am not sure how long it will last at the current temps. It should be ok through the weekend. Eric

If they haven't changed the course in the last few years, it is a bordercross course. There were 2 table top jumps and 2 banked corners. Tryol is not a very big hill so the course is fairly short (no worse than here in the twincites area though). I never participated in the actual race, so I don't know how they run it. The course was kind of fun to run through. They left the course up and anyone could go through at any time when the races were not being run. Maybe some who has been there for the race day could give you more info on the details.

I would look at the K2 T1's for boots. Intuition liners, good footbeds, vibram soles with an air bag in the heel for landings, and an internal BOA system. They can be loosened on the lift with a flip of a switch and tightend at the top of the hill with out undoing the laces. On my feet, they were more comfortable than the Ion's (and cheaper)