billyt.

Victor, This is the spot to bring your gear and riding up to date. Step in bindings are the way to go. Get at least three boards. A metal carver, an all mountain and a powder board. Just add snow!

You guys out west really know how to rub it in!! I am glad that you are getting it good, please send some our way with those cool videos. Drooling!!

Steph, Looking forward to riding with others at Stratton during the ECES. Looks like winter is starting to get it's act together. I want to make sure that I don't miss this year's event.

Kemper Agressor!!! I am getting all misty eyed.

One more thing to add for this group of "geassers". On the older lifts, double or triple chair, ride it by yourself. When you get to the top, and if the lift opt isn't totally burnt? Just give him the wave to slow down the lift. I know, I know we are supposed to be cool, but you can put a hand on the seat for a guide too when you dismount one of those widow makers.

Henry, No need to explain. It is an honor to be on the same thread with greatness! Thanks for all the stoke over the decades.

If you are riding detachable chairs, there should not be too much of an issue. The older chairs like the ones here on east coast have an unloading ramp like a ski jump! Pretty much icy and skied off as well. I try and go straight towards a mound of softer snow at the end of ramp where I can sink an edge and come to a stop. Back foot on stomp pad, weight centered. Hope that helps.

My 180 Kemper bullet with plates was a great deep powder board when I lived out west.

Brent I am at Snow usually when conditions are good for carving. This year unfortunately we are off to a slow start. There are plenty of wide trails there that you can practice on. Weekends are crowded, so I try to ride mid week. There is a lot of info here on Bomber, but the best is to practice and get comfortable on your set up. Then isolate each turn doing long traverse, then start linking the two together. I will try to post when I will be up there.

Jack. I've been on and off this site for sometime. I have an original Stat 7. Rode it hard from brand spank'in new from Island Watersports in Vail, CO until it's demise about 6 years ago when carved too hard into a whale and submerged the nose and cracked it. If you can help me with step by step instructions, I will post some pics of this rare bird. Yes it was fast!

If riding the Snurfer at college in VT counts, then then upgrading to these very cool "Back Hill" boards when some early pioneers visited some classmates, that was about 82-83. Still skiing until Stratton allowed it and some other east coast areas started. Went totally over to The Dark Side in 88-89 and moved to Vail, CO. Early snowboard boots lacked the support for me, and I discovered Raichle hard boots. Handful of guys riding plates with boards starting to carve around that time. I moved back east in the mid nineties and started the family, and rode a lot less. I still get to VT to ride and I just got a new Coiler 178.

I'm interested in it all.

Thanks for your input. I saw a thread that stated the Starting Gate ski shop in Stratton had some alpine boards for demo. I will give them a call next time I'm in VT

The board that I rode was a GS 175 with about a 153 edge. It liked wide trails for big carves, but I rode it everywhere. I'm pretty sure that I'm looking for a new board.

Hey Carvers, I'm 6'4, 250lbs riding hardboots and making trenches for sometime now. I been riding my Burton Stat 7 since new(93?), and I just busted it this past weekend in some crud. I'm looking for a new board that will handle northeast conditions and be durable for my size. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. BillyT