Category: Gear

Pemberton Down Days and Thoughts On Snowmobile Skiing

Posted by Frank – March 24, 2011

By the end of February, ski conditions in Pemberton, BC had taken a bit of a turn for the worse and I briefly contemplated pulling the plug and heading back to Colorado. Sustained winds, cold temperatures, and no new snow had conspired to create poor conditions, especially in the alpine which is where I really wanted to be. Still, if there is one thing I know about the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, it’s that they can go from “zero to hero” faster than just about anywhere else I know. So I stuck it out.

Susan and I tried to find some good snow in a heavily trafficked area that we hoped was sheltered enough. The views were nice. It’s hard to see, but there were some really rowdy and exposed spines in the alpine above Susan.
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We found a mixed bag of conditions on our ski descent. I’ll include this photo, since it speaks volumes. Susan loves to ski, and with an infant at home, skiing is no longer an everyday event like it once was. So despite the non-perfect terrain or conditions, she was still pretty darn stoked just to be out there, making some turns. I should probably try to remember that the next time I’m out on a mediocre day.
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In any case, I found myself at Blackcomb a lot over the next few days, since skiing hardpack is better than not skiing at all. One fine day, the winds hit nearly 150km/hr and shut down most of the mountain. Regardless, one day I met up with my friend Gavin, who had shown me around Whitewater last year. He and his new bride Veronica asked me about the snowmobile skiing I had been doing and whether they should get into it or not. I’ve thought a lot about that lately, so here are my thoughts.

Here in Crested Butte, I consider it a no-brainer. $1,000 gets you something that can get you up a groomed road and a lot more options in areas that get a lot more snow. A little more money will get you an older-style mountain sled that can access most everything else. Most of the trailheads are pretty simple, so just about any trailer and vehicle will take care of things.

Up in Pemberton, things are bigger, harder, and ultimately, better. But the costs are way bigger. First off, the trailheads are tough to get to without a big truck and a sled bed, so that’s the first cost my friend Gavin needs to consider. A cheap sled won’t cut it, so I think at least a few grand per snowmobile is a place to start. We’re already off to a big investment here, but there’s more: the time investment learning how to ride. Sure, the really popular areas like Brandywine or the Pemberton Icecap might get enough tracks to simply follow, but what’s the fun in that? I’ve been riding snowmobiles for a while, but I still felt pretty helpless at times up there without a better rider (usually Jon) with me. So add in a lot of miles dedicated to snowmobiling, not skiing, to the investment. Meanwhile, the Whistler area has a lot of good skiing available from the lifts as well as on the Duffey road. No snowmobile is required for classics like Joffre and Fissile. So in the end, my advice to Gavin is to ski everything he can without a snowmobile first, and then consider getting one down the road. What do you guys think? good advice or bad?

More Road Trip 2011 Posts:
Stevens Pass
No Sleep Spines
O Face
Pemby BC
Luna Creek
Trandem Trees
Whistler/Vancouver
Down Days and thoughts on snomo skiing
Dope Creek 1
Dope Creek 2

Gear Review: Osprey Kode 38

Posted by Brittany – February 21, 2011

It’s not very often that I give negative gear reviews. But, I must give a negative gear review to the Osprey Kode 38.

I purchased this pack in early December to use as a backcountry skiing pack. I had loved my Osprey Switch 36, but it was falling apart after a few years of harsh use. The Osprey Kode 38 seemed like the logical choice, as it has a lot of the same features as the Switch 36- some being the helmet pocket, big hip pockets (good for a camera and lots of food), and an insulated sleeve and pocket for a hydration bladder and hose. I spent a lot of time looking at different packs and had difficulty finding many that had these features that I liked. Most European packs are very minimalist and don’t have hip pockets or infrastructure for a hydration bladder. My choices quickly narrowed down to the BCA Stash, Dakine Blade, and Osprey Kode 38. Having already owned several Osprey packs and wanting to endorse a Colorado company, I chose the Kode 38.


Image from bivouac

However, after using this pack about 5 times in the backcountry, I have come to really dislike it. First and foremost, the pack simply does not fit correctly. The hips are far too narrow. In fact, they are narrower than the shoulders. This is great if you are some skinny guy. But, I’m a woman. I have hips. While I’m not the skinniest girl in the world, at 5’3″ and 125 pounds I’m not exactly oversized. This pack is simply undersized. The hip pockets are useless on this pack as the basically sit on my ass. I can’t reach into them because they are so far back. Additionally, the pack rubs uncomfortably on the center of my lower back because the pack is so narrow in the hip area. If Osprey is going to design their packs this way, then they need to have a women’s model for a woman’s hips.

After having trouble with the hip size on the small sized Kode 38 pack, I went to the Alpineer and tried on the medium. The pockets were still too far back for me to reach. The medium’s torso length was far too tall for me. Yet, the medium Switch couldn’t have fit more perfectly.

Photo showing how it was difficult for me to reach (and see what I was reaching for) into the hip pockets on the Osprey Kode 38 pack.
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Second, getting to the avy gear is more of a process than I would like. In order to get to the avy gear, two small buckles and a toggle string needs to be undone. The Switch required one zipper to access the avy gear. If your friend is buried and you are frantic, two small buckles and a toggle seems like more than I want to deal with and can cost precious seconds.

Third, there are too many gizmos, straps, and zippers. I tend to like packs with a lot of gizmos. But, the Kode has too many for me. As I unbuckled straps I was constantly searching for where to re-buckle. I can’t tell you how many times I tried using the wrong zipper for the helmet pocked (there are two- one for the pocket, and one used for expansion purposes). I had trouble with all of these straps getting caught on things a lot- skis, snowmobile, trees.

Fourth, the main pocket is too small. I like the fact that there is an avy gear pocket on the Kode that is separate from the main pocket, but the proportions are wrong. The avy gear pocket is too large and the main gear pocket is too small. This would cause most people to start storing non-avy gear in the avy gear pocket. Bad idea!

There are a few things I do like about the Osprey Kode 38. I like how the hydration system as structured. The bladder fits on the pack along the back. They were thoughtful in putting an expandable neoprene layer near where the nozzle to the hose would be located so zipping around the nozzle would be easier. I also like their oversized hip pockets (the fact that they are oversized, not their placement) and the helmet pocket (the fact that there is one, but the double zipper always threw me for a loop). One improvement of the Kode from the Switch is that there is a back panel access into the main pocket. The Switch did not have this.

Still, the negatives of this pack for me far outweigh the positives. I am disappointed with Osprey for their overall poor design of this pack. I have several other Osprey packs and I like them all. I purchased this Kode pack from backcountry.com and I’ll be trying to return it there. I purchased the Dakine Blade instead and have been liking this pack so far. Gear review on this pack later.

Gear Review: Columbia Black Diamond Dash Parka

Posted by Brittany – February 19, 2011

Earlier this season, I was contacted by the Columbia Marketing Team and asked to test out a new Omni-Heat jacket. Of course, I accepted the offer. My Columbia Black Diamond Dash Parka arrived in December, and I liked it instantly.

The Black Diamond Dash Parka comes with the classic 3-jackets-in-1 system: an outer shell with a removable insulated jacket. Automatically, this is a huge plus and you do get a number of layering options in one system.

What Struck Me Out of the Box
Out of the box, a few things struck me. The fit was perfect. I received a size small and I think that their sizing is true to their sizing charts. The cut is feminine, yet functional- perfect for skiers like me. I liked the practical placement of the pockets, with a small one even in the cuff of one arm which is perfect for a credit card, key, or chapstick (or all 3 for that matter!). I also liked the high collar. The collar zips tall, which is great for those cold or windy ski days. And to add further to the functionality, the collar had a second zipper which you could unzip to allow the collar to expand, creating more space so the it didn’t feel like the jacket was constantly choking you. For someone like me, who hates having things tight against her neck (especially after having thyroid surgery), this was a huge plus.

Things I Questioned
I also noticed that the collar/neck area of the jacket had a lot of “bulk”. A lot of this bulk comes from the “fur” placed on the inside of the collar. This is intended to be plush and make the jacket comfortable. But, I was worried that on snowy days, ice would collect on this fur. I also questioned if this jacket could hold up to those really wet-snow days. How water-proof was it?

Putting it to the Test
After wearing the Black Diamond Dash Parka in some very wet snow conditions several times, several powder days, and several frigid days, I’d say this jacket passes the test. The Black Diamond Dash Parka is adequately warm and stands up great to wet snow. Even after just wearing the shell (not the inner layer) skiing on a day with some of the wettest snow I have ever seen and another day with rain, my body stayed perfectly dry. I can’t say the same for my hands or legs :) After several powder days, the jacket hasn’t had any icing-up issues on the furry collar either.

I also tested the Black Diamond Dash Parka in the backcountry. I found that this jacket had a lot of “extra stuff” that just kind of got in the way. Something was always rubbing me wrong inside the jacket when I had a backpack on my back. The jacket is breathable, but not as good as Gore-Tex- which I felt on a frigid backcountry day.

Also, just this past weekend, I tried out the pit-zips for the first time. They unzipped easily, but I could not, for the life of me, zip them back up on my own. I found out that the zippers kept getting snagged on a mesh layer that was built in to the pit-zips. I had to have Frank help me close-up the pit-zips when the temperature began to drop in the afternoon.

I like the 3-in-1 Columbia system. But, the included insulating inner jacket I found to be a bit bulky. If I can have it, I prefer less bulk. I don’t need to feel like the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man. Lately, I have been removing the inner layer and replacing it with my own down sweater. It provides less bulk, but just as much warmth.

Last, I have noticed lately that the collar has acquired an odor. It seems to be holding some of the stench of my sweat and even my breath. I have never noticed this with any other jacket I have not washed in less than a year.

In Conclusion
While I like my new jacket, there are a couple of changes I would recommend to Columbia for future generations of the Black Diamond Dash Parka. First, get rid of the mesh in the pit-zips. The mesh doesn’t do anything functional and it gets in the way when zipping up the pit-zips. Second, make the powder skirt removable. Most women don’t really like them anyway- they tend to ride up on a woman’s hips. Because I don’t use it, the powder skirt sometimes gets in the way, or rubs wrong when I have a pack on my back.

The Black Diamond Dash Parka makes a great resort skiing jacket. For the backcountry, it’s too bulky and has too much excess. But, this jacket has a lot of functionality. It is highly waterproof and plenty warm. The pockets are perfectly placed. The removable hood provides options. The high collar is a huge plus. It thrives at the ski area.

The Black Diamond Dash Parka is an impressive jacket. I’ll be honest when I say that testing this jacket has made me re-evaluate this company’s products as a whole. I’d definitely consider buying Columbia products in the future, based on the performance of this jacket.

Get your Black Diamond Dash Parka at altrec.com

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Gear Review: Wizbang Hat

Posted by Brittany – December 23, 2010

Last February, Frank and I went road-tripping to Montana and interior BC. During a quick stop in Big Sky, we met up with a few of Frank’s old friends, including Liz McRae. Liz has fashioned herself into an entrepreneur of sorts, developing a line of women’s hats that are both functional and fashionable- Wizbang Hats. They are meant for mountain girls!

Wizbang makes two style of hats: 1) fleece- for those colder days and 2) lightweight- for those warmer days or for higher levels of aerobic activity. Liz gave me one of her lightweight hats to check out. I was surprisingly impressed.

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First of all, I love the bright colors of this hat. Second, I love the function of this hat. It is perfect for backcountry skiers. The hat is a stretchy sort of nylon material that keeps your ears warm, but at the same time, helps ventilate while you are skinning. It also fits easily under any ski helmet for dual performance. For someone like me, this Wizbang hat is perfect because I typically bring one had for skinning and another skull-cap to wear under my helmet. Now, I can bring one had for both purposes!

The lightweight hat is just that though- “lightweight”. This hat will not keep you warm on cold days without aerobic activity. However, for backcountry skiers, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers, this hat is a great choice.

For the reasonable price of $28, Wizbang hats are a good bang for your buck. Several different designs are available, both in the lightweight and the fleece. Consider supporting a small, Montana-local business. And, enjoy something that is both functional and fashionable!

Last Minute Gift Ideas For Backcountry Skiers

Posted by Frank – December 15, 2010

I know it’s hard to believe, but there are just 10 days left before Christmas. So, with that in mind, here are 10 last-minute gift ideas for those of you still scratching your head, wondering what to get the backcountry skier in your life.

1: Voile Ski Straps. This is a great stocking stuffer with tons of uses. I always get the 24″ ones, as the longer ones have the most uses of all at a tiny weight penalty. We recently used one to strap a boot down onto a shattered binding to get us home.

2: Petzl E-Lite. This tiny light packs a punch and weighs far less than a spare set of batteries for your regular light. In fact, I sometimes wonder why I don’t just use this tiny marvel all the time, it’s so good.

3: Rub-on wax. It’s amazing how sticky snow can get, especially in the spring, or, if you’re like me you don’t wax your skis as often as you should. A good rub-on wax is a great thing to have in your pack.

4: A Good Thermos. Few things in backcountry skiing are as enjoyable as a good hot drink at the top of a skintrack.

5: Approach Gloves. Most backcountry skiers use a light pair of gloves for the skin up, saving their bulkier, warmer gloves for the descent. Brittany has had great luck with these gloves, strong enough to deal with sleds and trailers, too.

6: A good multi-tool. For the knife, pliers, and screwdriver alone, a multi-tool is indispensable for any backcountry pack. This one seems like a nice light choice.

7: A backpack. The Dakine Poacher has been my go-to pack for years. There may be lighter packs out there, but I love this pack for the way it carries and its versatility.

8: The gift of sight. Zeal’s Link goggles are the best helmet compatible goggle out there. They haven’t changed the design for years, with good reason- they simply work. The SPPX lens changes based on the amount of light you’ve got to work with.

9: A brand new pair of skins. There may be other skin choices out there, but these are the gold standard upon which all others are judged.

10: Still Stumped? Take the easy way out and give them a gift certificate from backcountry.com

Happy shopping!

Santa’s Chimney 11.20.10

Posted by Frank – November 22, 2010

After our last visit to North Pole Basin, the big couloir dropping from near the summit of Galena Peak was at the top of our wish list. With Gothic Road still open and another storm approaching, we knew our chance to ski this line was now or never. Besides, it was my birthday, and I like skiing good lines on my birthday. Pete Sowar and John Jasper joined Brittany and I, and they came up with the supremely appropriate “Santa’s Chimney” name for this line:
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What would Santa leave in our stockings this year? I must have been naughty this year, because Santa gave me a lump of coal…

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Alaska 2005: Avalanches, Heli Crashes, and Boards To The Face, Oh My!

Posted by Frank – October 6, 2010

My Alaska stories occasionally come up, and I thought they were worth sharing for those of you who haven’t seen or heard them. All photos by Dev Finley…

In spring of ’05, a group of us convened in Valdez, pilgrims to Mecca, the “North Shore” of skiing. It was a strong group, one which would allow us to fulfill our dreams of Alaska Heliskiing, without being held back in any way. We had enough people for a fully private heli, meaning that we were calling the shots as much as the guides were. Things were looking good. But it was not to be…

We arrived at the heli-op headquarters with $1,200 worth of food and booze from the Anchorage Costco packed into the RV for the 10 of us. We were the first group of the year, and the heli had not yet arrived. The ATCO trailers were just beginning to thaw out, and smelled heavily of diesel and dampness. The first day was gray, so we decided to make some laps off Thompson pass. This was entertaining, but certainly not why we were there. Thankfully we got a good workout pushing the rear-wheel drive van around:
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The following day was partially cloudy. Sadly, this meant that our heli would still not be making the trip up-valley to us. So we decided to skin up across the valley for a much bigger run than the pass shuttles were offering. Plus, we knew the snow would be better up high. Being a large group, we split up into 2 groups for the skin. My group of 5 headed climber’s right, eventually skinning our way up a large gully. Jay, Adam and I all voiced our concerns about the skintrack location, thinking it would be safer on a nearby ridge. Quite stupidly, we continued up the same way, rationalizing that we were in a nice safe coastal snowpack, and it wasn’t anything to worry about. About that time, a cornice failed above us and sent a huge natural avalanche barreling towards us. Jay, Adam, Rob and I were all able to move to our right, where a terrain feature provided safety. Spencer, on the other hand, was behind us and unable to reach safety. He was caught in the avalanche and took a ride for a few hundred vertical feet, eventually stopping unharmed and buried up to his chest. We were able to quickly dig him out, although one ski was never recovered.

A couple of observations: We were all using Alpine Trekkers, since our main goal was heli-skiing, not touring. We were not caught, but we were left in an awkward position since we needed to deal with the Trekkers before we could even begin looking for the skier caught in the slide. Trekkers have their place for side-country and the like, but it sucks when you know that the first couple minutes of your search will be wasted dealing with trekkers. 2- The older style Tracker beacons were attached with plastic D-rings. These all shattered in the force of the avalanche, so the skier caught was wearing his beacon by literally a thread down by his boot. If the skier had been buried and the beacon had been totally ripped off, we wouldn’t have found him, just the beacon. The new Tracker beacons have a sweet harness, and the old ones can have the plastic D-rings easily replaced by key rings. Most new beacons have a good harness system, but it’s a point to consider when shopping for avalanche beacons.

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Q & A With 2-Time CTR Winner Ethan Passant

Posted by Frank – September 14, 2010

The Colorado Trail Race (CTR) is an annual bike race from Denver to Durango along the Colorado Trail, covering 470 miles and and an amazing 65,000′ of elevation gain, with a high point of 13,200′. For the most part, the race is on singletrack, although there are a number of detours around Wilderness areas that are on dirt or paved roads. Course Map:

The rules are fairly simple, you can do anything that anyone else can do. You can mail yourself some things to a post office, and you can buy groceries or a room or anything else- but you can’t eat and sleep at a friend’s house since the other competitors don’t have the same option. You can treat it like a race and forgo sleep, or you can take it a bit more relaxed and sleep every night.

My friend and fellow Crested Butte resident Ethan Passant has completed all four CTR’s, and has won on two of those occasions, including this year. Part of me is masochistic enough to consider attempting this race one of these years, while the other part of me would really like to do the Colorado Trail in semi-luxury, with a support vehicle stocked with plenty of fresh clothing and most importantly, beer. Regardless, I thought I’d give Ethan a call and ask a few questions…

Let’s start off with the bike and gear list… What do you bring? My bike is a Specialized 29er hardtail. I bring all the standard stuff anyone would bring on a longer ride: 2 tubes, a multi-tool, a few chain links, lube and a rag, stuff like that, plus an extra shifter cable. I use a minimalist 3/4 length thermarest and a 35degree down sleeping bag. I carry an emergency foil bivy sack, although I never used it. I don’t want to be too comfortable sleeping, otherwise I’ll just sleep. For water I use a SteriPEN. I use a
Black Diamond Icon Headlamp for most of my lighting needs, plus a handlebar mounted light. It’s not the kind of lighting that lets you ride full speed, but it lets you keep moving. Top and bottom rain gear, a second pair of shorts that I put on halfway through (Last year I tried to go with one pair: saddlesores were an issue), plenty of chamois butter. I should have carried brake pads- I was lucky to find some in Leadville. A lot of the course is hike-a-bike but I still used Sidi’s, and I would again.

How did you carry all this gear? I used a really minimalist pack from CAMP. It has mesh pockets on the side and I was able to carry a lot of trail food there so I could keep riding on the easy terrain. My sleeping bag goes on the handlebars along with another small bag, while the thermarest goes on a seatpost rack. The tubes and a few other things go in a saddle bag.

What did all that weigh? The bike and all the gear was probably around 32lbs. My pack was probably another 15-20lbs when I rolled out of Buena Vista. [The longest stretch between towns is Buena Vista all the way to Silverton, so racers have to really stock up on food in Buena Vista]

How much money do you spend from start to finish? Well, besides all the specialized gear that I bought before the race, I’d say I spent about $300. I spent $87 at the City Market in Buena Vista alone.

The weather was pretty bad this year. What’s it like to keep riding through that? The margin of safety is pretty minimal when it’s like that. You get cold and wet and you need to just keep going or else you’ll just get really really cold. Having a big mechanical or crash when you’re on the edge like that would be disastrous.

What are some of the secrets of your success? I don’t even need a map anymore- that familiarity with route finding is huge. It’s tough to keep your concentration the whole time on what you’re doing- which is riding your bike. Crashing or breaking something when you’ve stopped paying attention can cost the race in a hurry.

What’s your favorite stretch of trail? Probably the stuff around Decker and Buffalo Creek- It’s really good trail that’s all bermed up and flowy, but it’s also near the start so you’re still pretty fresh. Molas Pass all the way to Durango is really good too, but I’m usually so tired by then I’m just trying to finish.

Worst? Sargeants Mesa. [Roughly between Marshall Pass and North Pass CO 114] It feels like you’re going nowhere fast. It’s all grapefruit and baseball sized rocks and you end up walking a lot.

Why do it? The personal challenge. It’s just you and the trail. I think that without the date written down on the calendar, I might not do it- it’s easy to procrastinate otherwise. With the race, you’ve got to just show up and do it. It’s nice to know that there are other people out there, too, so there’s some safety if you knock yourself out or something. Plus the hikers are fun to talk to- they’ll say things like “There are 2 guys ahead of you but you’re looking good, go get ‘em!”

Ever thought about doing the Colorado Trail like a normal person? Well, I took 3 months and hiked it years ago. Next year, I might do the race with Dawn [his wife]. You’re supposed to be solo, but I figure if neither of us are competing for the win, it’s not that big a deal.

That’s about it, anyone inspired to do this race next year? The more I think about, the more I realize what an incredible trail the CT is. I’ve ridden sections near Waterton canyon, Buffalo Creek, Kenosha Pass, Summit County, the Arkansas River valley, Monarch Pass, and a lot of the trail from the La Garita wilderness boundary all the way to Junction Creek in Durango, and the only section I don’t like is a few miles just North of Highway 50. It’s amazing how uniformly good the CT is. My favorite section is Cataract Ridge, though it’s kind of hard to choose. Anyone like a different section more?

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Trusting Your Gear

Posted by Frank – April 22, 2010

I’ve been thinking a lot about how much we, as ski mountaineers, rely on our gear to perform flawlessly and get us home safely. The potential failure of an AT boot, and the injuries caused by that failure, really drives the point home- if your gear fails, you’ll get hurt, or even killed. Granted, your ski gear isn’t the only thing you rely on, your car is another obvious one, but your bindings better keep you attached when you’re skiing something exposed, and your beacon better work if you get buried.

I have already experienced one injury caused by equipment malfunction. In the 2004 Crested Butte Freeskiing contest, my binding pre-released in my Superfinals run. My buddy Ian took this photo on my first run, and I prereleased in about the same area, going REALLY fast.

Pre-releases happen, especially when you’re really pushing it, so I don’t begrudge my Salomon bindings at all for failing me. I broke a bunch of branches with my back, one of which was 4″ in diameter. I was wearing a spine protector at the time, which really saved me, but I still missed about a month while doing PT.

You’re less likely to push the limits in the same way out in the backcountry versus at a freeskiing comp. But of course some of the other hazards are greater. I’ve been out with people who were using the old Ortovox m1 beacon, which was a horrible beacon which only occasionally worked, even after Ortovox “fixed” the battery issues with them. Since I couldn’t get a signal, and my buddy couldn’t reliably search for me either, we turned around and called it a day.

Just the other day on Little Bear, Pam lost a ski and almost lost her ski over some pretty big exposure, but thankfully Brittany was able to grab it. Dynafits are fickle bindings, and she thought she was in them properly. She wasn’t. Locking the toepiece in a situation like that will help ensure that you’re really in the binding, in my opinion.

So what can you do? Well, beacon checks are always a good idea. Check your gear for excess wear and tear, micro-cracks, that sort of thing. Check the screws in your bindings for tightness. Lube and clean your bindings. Sometimes, you’ve just got to bite the bullet and replace gear, too, even if it seems fine. In the end, though, there’s still a lot of trust in your gear. Anyone have some good maintenance tips?

Skin Glopping: Helpful Tips and Techniques

Posted by Frank – April 2, 2010

We’ve entered that time of year when the dreaded “skin glop” begins to make its appearance. Frozen snow sticking to your skins can make for an incredibly tiring and frustrating day. For the past couple of seasons, I’ve been able to largely avoid skin glopping, even when my partners have been having trouble, which I can partly attribute to some hard work refining my skin technique. (Having said that, Murphy’s Law states that I’ll be suffering through glopping of epic proportions the next time I head out.) For those of you who have never experienced the joys of glopped up skins, it looks something like this (photo found off the internet):

Glopping occurs when skins go from a warmer, moist environment to a colder and drier one. Glopping is often a problem in the springtime because a skintrack may go from a sunny slushy slope to a shaded powdery slope (such as in the shade of a tree or on a more northerly aspect). Other ways glopping may become a problem include getting skins wet while crossing a creek, which is easy to avoid, and downhill skinning, which may warm the skins enough due to friction to cause glopping as well. To avoid glopping after a downhill skin section, simply keep moving, which will let your skins gradually readjust to a colder temperature and thereby avoid glopping.

Avoiding glopping in the sunny/shady springtime snowpack is the hardest glop scenario to avoid, but there are still a few things to do that make it less likely.

1- Stride and Glide. Like many skiers, I learned how to skin using Alpine Trekkers. Trekkers are both heavy and awkward, and they promote poor skinning technique more suited to snowshoeing than skinning. The correct skin technique leaves the skis on the snow surface, shuffling your way up the hill. Bad skin technique involves picking the ski up every step, more like walking than skinning. Leaving the ski on the snow not only takes much less energy because you don’t pick up the weight of your skis/boots/bindings/skins with every step, but it also helps avoid glopping. Every stride on the snow surface acts like a squeegee- the snow tries to stick to your skins, but it gets wiped off with every stride. Like I said, proper skin technique takes a lot less energy anyway, so it’s not a bad thing to constantly work on.

2- Don’t. Stop. Until you reach the top. [Sing it Fleetwood Mac style] This is similar to the first tip, Stride and Glide. Stopping allows time for cold snow to bond to your skins and glop up. If you continue moving, the snow simply may not have time to freeze up on your skins. If you want to talk to your partner or eat something, consider slowing to a crawl rather than coming to a complete stop. If you must take a break, choose your spot carefully- stopping right after a sunny slope enters a shady one is a near guarantee of major gloppage. Think of it as nature’s cruel personal trainer, much like the flies and mosquitos of summertime hiking and biking.

3- Choose your skintrack wisely. As I mentioned before, glopping occurs when you skin from warm areas to cool ones. If you can stay entirely in either shaded snow or sunny snow, you can avoid glopping problems. Sometimes, there simply isn’t a route choice that doesn’t go from shade to sun to shade again, as in a dense forest. However, in a sparsely treed area you might want to stay on sunny snow the entire time, putting in the occasional extra switchback to avoid the shade of a tree and the powdery snow that may lie in wait there, ready to glop up on your skins. Of course, other considerations, like choosing an avalanche-safe route, take precedence over choosing a glop-friendly route, but it’s still something to keep in mind while skinning in the springtime.

4- Use Glop Stopper. This product from Black Diamond will help stop glopping from starting, just as the name implies. It is best applied at the start of the day, rather than after glopping has started, although it is still beneficial even after glopping has started. It’s basically just wax for your skins. This product stays in my pack year-round, you never know when you’ll need it, and it also increases the glide of your skins. Weight weenies split the block in half in order to save a few grams. Here it is:

Finally, it may be time for new skins. We recommend Black Diamond skins, and would also recommend staying away from G3 skins which have been problem-prone over the years. They’re on sale right now, so springtime might be a good time to buy a new set.


Climbing skins from backcountry.com, on sale now. Free Shipping over $50.00

Anyone else have some helpful hints to avoid glopping up in the springtime? Let’s hear them…