charliechocolate Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 @Gtanner they're sold out of silver extra but they have the silver on sale if you want to opt for that instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cousin of Beagle Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 (edited) The new Silver pass is good for next season. But if you want current season, the Beach pass is the only pass available now. Today's report. Spring conditions. Not many hard booters. Only saw one, and he was wearing them "jibber style" with a different colour boot on each foot. Edited March 2, 2022 by Cousin of Beagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 8 hours ago, Cousin of Beagle said: The new Silver pass is good for next season. But if you want current season, the Beach pass is the only pass available now. Today's report. Spring conditions. Not many hard booters. Only saw one, and he was wearing them "jibber style" with a different colour boot on each foot. Ha, you noticed the fashion statement! Jibber style, +30°/+15°? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 @BlueBare you going to be up this saturday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 54 minutes ago, Jarcode said: @BlueBare you going to be up this saturday? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2022 Typical evening mess, bumps and slush. It started solidifying a bit after 6:30... The stiffer of my 2 Tankers was the weapon. I had both Dalbello boots, this time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 We had the worst grooming, ever, today. Both Jarcode and I dropped our race boards for something wider, after just few runs. Afternoon turned into regular slushy mess... It was so hot that I swapped the jacket for a jersey and I took helmet and gloves off, every time in the lineup. I don't like the low angles on Vertigo with stiff Dalbellos. Cafeteria had a Saturday special, after long time without - fried chicken! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 I actually switched back to my WCRM after you left and found that I was still carving in slush better with it. I think I'm just more comfortable with carving at higher angles, although the Incline surfs a lot better than a ~19cm width race board. I went until 7:00, things really emptied out on Lion's Chair. And yeah, that grooming was absolutely terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2022 Whistler today, absolutely stunning weather... and crowd. Some of the groomers were absolutely hero! Plenty of yummy moguls on steeps, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 8, 2022 Report Share Posted March 8, 2022 I might end up heading up to Sun Peaks to take the CASI level 1 course, just because they're all booked at the local mountains... @BlueB you think they would take issue with the hardboots there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2022 31 minutes ago, Jarcode said: I might end up heading up to Sun Peaks to take the CASI level 1 course, just because they're all booked at the local mountains... @BlueB you think they would take issue with the hardboots there? I do not think so. Their trainer and L4 evaluator is Jaren, I got my L3 from him. Your main task for the course/exam would be to tone down your riding and, of course, just do exactly what evaluator asks. You'll be fine. Another option is to place yourself on waiting lists for the upcoming exams at the local mountains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtanner Posted March 8, 2022 Report Share Posted March 8, 2022 On 3/6/2022 at 8:49 PM, BlueB said: Whistler today, absolutely stunning weather... and crowd. Some of the groomers were absolutely hero! Plenty of yummy moguls on steeps, too. I was skiing with the groms in Sunday in Whistler - it was hero awesomeness. On 3/2/2022 at 10:50 AM, charliechocolate said: @Gtanner they're sold out of silver extra but they have the silver on sale if you want to opt for that instead. We decided to give Cypress next season a year to figure out some kinks in the system. Staffing was challenged, some decisions around when the lodge is open for warm-up access and if/when to open lifts...not to mention "grooming". There is room for improvement and bring Cypress back up to be the premier mountain on the North Shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 9, 2022 Report Share Posted March 9, 2022 18 hours ago, BlueB said: I do not think so. Their trainer and L4 evaluator is Jaren, I got my L3 from him. Your main task for the course/exam would be to tone down your riding and, of course, just do exactly what evaluator asks. You'll be fine. Another option is to place yourself on waiting lists for the upcoming exams at the local mountains. Waiting lists? How would I go about getting on those? Cypress was booked even for the course running early in April... I have my doubts the season will last much longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2022 (edited) Sunny day at Cypress. Lots of exams going on. We also did a mock exam for aspiring candidates. I have new boots. They already AT K2 Mindblower 100. They are a bit taller than my old Heads, but also slightly lighter. They are pretty stiff in locked mode, but supper soft in the walk mode. Enerving part is that they are actually softer backwards, than in forward flex Imagine riding pretty soft softboots but without highbacks. I think I'll have to modify them a bit. On the bright side, they have good heel hold and comfy on the foot. Edited March 10, 2022 by BlueB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2022 Afternoon update: We had a bunch of Level 4 evaluators running L3 exams, today. We managed to convince Melen ( @Cousin of Beagle would know) to stay a bit longer and run a L4 exam prep session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2022 (edited) Evening session: colder than yesterday, hardly any people around. The runs were still messy... I liked the new boots better on the Vertigo, with slightly higher angles. I tried in locked mode too, and it was close to impossible to ride... Edited March 11, 2022 by BlueB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2022 Powwowowowow! 30-40cm of fresh! It got skied out quickly, of course, but I still went non stop, 9am to 2pm. Few laps under Eagle chair first, than all the runs of Raveven (except Benny's), then Lions and Sky. Topgun was open too, but I got there only after it got moguled up. I had a stupid fall, down some hidden rocks and a mini cliff, coming out of Black Fly onto Benny's. As I came out of some small trees and shrubs the last short stretch looked just like shrubs covered in snow... Unfortunately, it was rocks, under very light snow. It just gave in as I hit it and I slid on mu back all the way. Funny enough, both te board and me, mostly undamaged. Weapon: 4807 Lots of liftline comments... all positive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cousin of Beagle Posted March 13, 2022 Report Share Posted March 13, 2022 Pillow run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 14, 2022 Report Share Posted March 14, 2022 I might come up to Cypress for one last day on the 19th, if it doesn't look like it's going to rain. I will be riding from the 25th to the 27th on Sun Peaks, for my CASI L1. For the rest of the season I'm unlikely to head to the north shore mountains. I'm hoping I can just stick with the WCRM for the course without too much pushback. Going to throw burton race plates on a wide freeride board in the event I need something that carves slower, but I really don't want to want to use that. Next season I plan to go hunting for a very stiff pair of softboots for teaching in duck stance that is durable enough for my abuse. Maybe there's some recommendations on a thread somewhere in here that judges stuff from a hardbooting perspective... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2022 16 minutes ago, Jarcode said: I'm hoping I can just stick with the WCRM for the course without too much pushback. Going to throw burton race plates on a wide freeride board in the event I need something that carves slower, but I really don't want to want to use that. Good that you found a spot at a course! I love Sun Peaks. Say hi to Jaren. Do not use the WCRM at the course, though. You'll make your life too hard, unnecessarily. You will NOT carve AT ALL, in the curriculum of the L1 course. You'll need to go very slow, efficiently, and be able to side slip and do falling leaf exercises, all while demonstrating balanced body posture and good technique. Yes, freeride board with those Race Plates is a good idea. Set your angles as low as possible, or even duck, if you were comfortable that way. Keep the boots in walk mode and loosely buckled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 14, 2022 Report Share Posted March 14, 2022 No carving at all? Damn, I hope there's some time to get some turns in around the course at least... I'll try to make it up to Cypress on the 19th to screw around with my board to find something comfortable, then. My few attempts at riding my 700Ts unlocked felt extremely unresponsive. Haven't tried them in duck stance before, and I probably wouldn't like it with such a stiff boot. The other option is just renting some softboots, it's not like I need much performance if I'm only going to be skidding all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, Jarcode said: My few attempts at riding my 700Ts unlocked felt extremely unresponsive. That's good, as the riding needs to be dumbed down. It will also allow for ankle movement, which you'll find important. No need to go duck, if uncomfortable. Edited March 14, 2022 by BlueB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cousin of Beagle Posted March 18, 2022 Report Share Posted March 18, 2022 Thursday morning report. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarcode Posted March 20, 2022 Report Share Posted March 20, 2022 On 3/18/2022 at 11:46 AM, Cousin of Beagle said: Thursday morning report. It was similar on Saturday morning at Cypress too. Snow was coming down fast in the morning and then suddenly stopped as soon as the lifts opened... cleared up into a really nice day. Easiest carving I've had all season after the snow packed out.@BlueB I took your advice and experimented with my freeride board (K2 Turbo Dream). It's been three years since I have used anything other than an alpine snowboard, and it took me a couple runs just for my brain to remember the technique for riding at such low angles. Some things I found out: - This board's "medium" flex with hardboots makes it feel like a noodle. I was playing around with loading my nose on skidded stops and felt like the board was going to break. It's pretty unsettling. - The rocker profile surfs really well on the base on slush, but I couldn't carve a perfect turn until I adjusted my stance to bring my front foot all the way back. I realized the overall distance between inserts on this board are way too far apart for me, my "wide" stance on my WCRM is quite narrow when trying to copy it over to this freeride stick. Also, without completely maxing out the stance setback, my weight was far too forward. - I seem to require my front foot to have a very high angle compared to the rear foot, and ended up settling with a 45 degree angle on the front, and 25 on the rear. I tried to start much lower like you said, but it made heel-side carves extremely unpleasant and caused a bunch of pain in my knees. I find I can drive my front knee on backside turns a lot better with the higher angle. - I went flat on the front foot, which felt good, and went with a burton cant/lift plate for the rear. It actually felt pretty comfortable. I used the same forward lean options as I did on my alpine board, which also felt fine. Changing this led to body position issues, causing me to weight one foot too much. Riding unlocked wasn't possible. Even with the stiff 700Ts, I still prefer them locked on this board. I think springs are the only alternative for me. Once I settled on a stance, I was carving perfect turns again. It's pretty fun, and I think I'm going to keep plates on this and use it as my slush/powder board. Should be good enough for next weekend at the L1 course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueB Posted March 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2022 (edited) @Jarcode, sounds good. Remember, you won't be carving there. You need to be comfortable with side slipping, falling leaf / pendulum, traverse, beginner turn, intermediate sliding turn. I think I might have a spare set of blue BTS, if you wanted to use them, or buy them. I need to look though, when I get back from California... Edited March 21, 2022 by BlueB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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