If you’ve never been to the Kootenay Cold Smoke Festival, you’re missing out. Calling powderhounds of every kind, Cold Smoke is a four-day celebration of skiing with a strong focus on the backcountry. From the backcountry gear demos to the rando-race, four days of skills clinics, inbounds events, bountiful Whitewater backcountry (reason enough!), and apres-ski parties, Cold Smoke brings a little something of everything. The good folks behind Cold Smoke just sent over their video wrap-up from 2009’s event, and the dates are set for next year. So if you still haven’t made it out to the Kootenays, marks your calendar for next year’s festival on March 5-7, 2010.
Archive for the ‘Mountain Events’ Category
Kootenay Cold Smoke Festival Video
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009Pedal Powered Skiing
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009Coming off a long weekend with beautiful weather, it’s fun to reflect on taking an adventure at a different pace. Wrapping up the ski season from the East, Brian Mohr sent us a great story on spring biking and skiing in the Green Mountains:
Pedal Powered Skiing
by Brian Mohr
Earlier this spring, with our options for skiing out the back door melting away, we loaded our skis, poles, day packs and boots into our bike trailers. About an hour later, we’d be stashing our bikes in the woods and skinning toward the base of our local Mad River Glen ski area. We’d spend several hours skiing a mix of lift-served and sidecountry terrain, catch up with a few friends, and when the shadows chased us off the mountain, we’d enjoy a bonus off-piste ski descent to our bikes in the woods. Back on the bikes, our soon-to-be-cycling-season legs appreciated the early spring warm up. We’d spot crocuses in the valley blooming along the edge of snow patches, hear our first peepers of the season and watch the sun dip behind the Green Mountain Divide along the final uphill approach to our home. More than anything, it just felt good to spend the afternoon out skiing in the big mountains, without having to drive.
On the bikes, the trip (60-70 minutes) takes approx. 45 minutes longer than it does by car (20 minutes)… no big deal. We once pulled off a 3-day pedal-powered ski trip in the Rockies, biking a little, skiing a lot. Now, with gas prices climbing (finally!), glaciers melting (not cool) and fossil fuel combustion causing all sorts of global problems (oil spills, air/water pollution, war), it’s time for something different…
Imagine… 2 weeks, countless peaks and a great variety of ski descents, pedalling bikes primarily to move to new trailheads and terrain every so often, or to roll into town for some supplies or a lil’ culture. A SKI trip, not a bike trip… starting and ending right here at our home in Vermont. It would be an epic, human-powered skiing adventure.
For now, here are a few images that might inspire you to get out on your own pedal powered skiing adventures…
Think snow!
Brian and Emily
EmberPhoto.com
Moretown, VT
Emily Johnson and Peter Wadsworth cycle through Vermont's Mad River Valley, en route to Mad River Glen.
Grey Day in Japan
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Thursday dawned (or didn’t, actually) with everything a muted grey. Even the rainfall was subdued this morning, as night changed incrementally to day. So it seemed fitting this morning to post Lorenzo Worster’s “Grey Day and Shenanigans” entry from his trip to Japan with Sweetgrass Productions:
Considering the cloudy skies we decided to take Wednesday off and hit the slopes. It was great to ski as a group and get to schralp with the photographers. As Murphy would have it the light was great as soon as we got there but with nary a camera in sight there was nothing to do but ski. Good times.
That night a couple of us went over to Taro’s place for dinner. Little did I know what a treat I was in for. We had Shabu Shabu which is kind of like Japanese Fondue. There is a big pot of seaweed broth with veggies boiling over a portable burner in the middle of the table. You dip thin sliced meat or mochi (pounded rice) into the pot to cook it. It was partially the process of making the food that slows the meal down in addition to the quality of the food that made it such a great meal. There were a bunch of Taro’s friends over and it was nice to get the feel of authentic Japanese culture that is hard to get in the frey of a tourist destination.
Shabu Shabu spread. Photos by Lorenzo Worster.
Mad River Glen/NATO Telemark Festival
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009Last year showed once again the incredible camaraderie and adventure at the NATO Telemark Festival at Mad River Glen (trip report here), so we were sad not to make the trip back to VT again this year. While a couple of us were returning from a backcountry trip to Valhalla Mountain Touring last week (more to come on that), Karhu Ambassador Dave Bouchard sent us this report from the NATO Telemark Festival:
This year’s NATO telemark festival was much the same as last years and the year before and the year before etc… but this is not a bad thing. Everything I’ve come to expect in the many years I’ve been in attendance came to fruition this past weekend. The skiing was a mixed bag – muck on crust, frozen granular and then finally on Sunday “tigger snow” great for bouncing. I was able to ski with old friends and of course I made a bunch of new ones.
Dickie Hall, master of ceremonies – “Willy Wonka” as I affectionately call him – infused the fest with his positive energy. This included leaving me with an advanced group of 30 to instruct. By trying to teach them to link reverse tele-turns I was able to watch the group simultaneously either crash into each other or fall in the slush. Classic silver flasks were tipped and the third floor of the MRG BaseBox rocked Saturday at the telemark dance party – literally. You could feel the floor bowing and recoiling as hundred of sweaty skiers dance in telemark boots. Saturday’s party led to many tired, yet smiling, and somewhat confused looking faces on Sunday.
Daylight savings had snuck up on the festival, but the only thing that could break up the groggy crowd’s mood came out… the sun! The bump contest pumped adrenaline into the crowd at about the same time, and with shorter lines, Sunday’s skiing was spectacular. Groups of skiers formed and reformed on the Chute, moss and ice gave way to late season edges and everyone seemed satisfied, once again, getting what we’ve come to expect. The only thing left was the empty feeling of saying good- bye. Only 362 days until next year’s fest, put it on your calendar.
-Dave Bouchard
Eastern Sierra Avy Center Kick-Off
Wednesday, January 14th, 2009From Karhu friend Nate Greenberg at the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, just after the New Year:
It’s been a few weeks since the Season Kickoff event for the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, and I finally feel like I have caught my breath. The event itself was a great success, raising over $4,000 for the Center and getting folks psyched for another winter of great skiing in the Sierra.
Putting this event on every year takes a tremendous amount of work, and is a constant learning process for us. It is an extremely rewarding process, though, serving as a reminder about why we do what we do. Giving back to our community of supporters – friends & family of years past, and those new ones that just keep getting added – is really what it’s all about for me, and is where I draw most of my energy from. Support from the Industry at large is amazing as well, and without this, our job would be impossible. Many thanks, again, to Charlie & Graham and the entire Karhu staff for their continued support of the Center… we owe you guys. Mammoth Mountain Ski Patroller John Trusdale is now a proud owner of a brand new pair of Storm BCs – courtesy of you guys. He needed them. Badly.
(John Trusdale with his new rides.)
Like the past two Season Kickoffs have done, this one brought the second major storm of the season that really got things going for us. As with most everywhere in the west, this season has been a bit weird. Most people haven’t been skiing for more than three weeks, yet somehow we have managed to rack up 15 avalanche fatalities already in North America. [Since Nate's email, that number has sadly jumped to 23 fatalities in North America.] Call it what you will – early season anxiousness, funky snow-packs due to slow season start, whatever – but we’re in the double digits and just reached 2009. People continue to make decision making errors and put themselves in situations in the backcountry which threaten their life.
What really scares me though, is the wrath of in-bounds accidents that have occurred so far this year. Outside of the deaths and major incidents that have taken place at a number of west-coast resorts in the past couple weeks, Mammoth (and others) has had several moderate size post-control avalanches hospitalize patrollers and friends for broken ribs and internal injuries. Having family and friends on patrol here and at other resorts, I know how much work they put into control measures and trying to make the area safe for skier & riders. I also know that there is only so much they can do, and given the market pressures to get things open quickly, there is always going to be a certain element of uncertainty out there.
I’ve been skiing with a beacon in-bounds on storm/post-storm days for several years now, and just this year started carrying a small pack with a shovel and probe. As skiers & riders, I believe it’s vitally important to know what’s going on with conditions and take responsibility for our decisions and actions whether in-bounds or out. Practicing smart and safe travel and skiing techniques is all a part of having fun and being safe responsible. The resort should be a good place to keep those skills sharp – not a place to just turn your brain off and go. Obviously, neither is the backcountry.
Happy New Year to all of our extended friends in this amazing community. Let’s all work together to make 2009 winter as safe, fun and amazing as possible, while we rip it up on some new Karhu skis!
A Dozen More Turns
Friday, November 7th, 2008It’s especially hard to resist the temptation of a fresh powder slope when you haven’t skied for six months. The anxious excitement from a fall spent ski dreaming has whipped your mind into a frenzy, and the last thing you want to do is turn away from the first untouched line of the winter, the one you’ve waited so long for.
The early season excitement can act like a blinder on your normal backcountry sense. That’s why it’s so important to keep your avalanche knowledge and backcountry protocol in mind at the same time you’re daydreaming about that first run.
If you’re in the Seattle area, kickstart your avy savvy for the season by attending the Northwest Snow and Avalanche Summit (NSAS) on Saturday with Karhu and NWAC. If you live in the Rockies, Wasatch, Sierra or elsewhere, check your calendar for an avalanche seminar in your neighborhood, or take a few minutes to watch Amber Seyler’s A Dozen More Turns.
Take 30 minutes to watch the film, and then send it to another backcountry skier you know. Seattle skiers, I hope to see you at NSAS on Saturday to hear Sam Kavanaugh (from A Dozen More Turns) talk about his experience.
Skiing in Mammoth and the ESAC Fundraiser
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008A great entry came in last night from Karhu friend Nate Greenberg down in Mammoth. Nate brings the news of Mammoth’s opening and the start of the season, as well as a big event coming up next month for the Eastside backcountry community. Nate and his wife Ali work incredibly hard with a group of dedicated backcountry users to lead the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center (ESAC), and it sounds like they’re putting together an incredible celebration and fundraiser for ESAC for Dec 12 & 13. We’re proud to support ESAC and their cause at the Season Opener with some killer new skis for raffle, so mark your calendars now, and don’t miss out!
(The storm clears at Mammoth. Photos courtesy of Nate Greenberg)
When I woke up yesterday, the first major winter storm of the season was rolling in and shrouding the upper elevation peaks. By the time I went to bed, it was raining in town…
It’s funny how it always seems to happen this way, regardless of the year, or the exact time of year. Mentally, I am still transitioning out of summer mode, hanging onto the last pools of warmth – chasing sunlit climbing spots, enjoying some fall weather mountain biking, or getting in some last minute hikes before the preferred mode of travel becomes the ski.
At the same time, it seems that most of the rest of the world surrounding me is jonesing for the flakes to fall. There is an immeasurable, but clearly present excitement, buzz, stoke – call it what you will. People start talking about how big a winter they think it will be. The superstitions come out; ‘Last one was a dry one, so this one’s sure to deliver…’, ‘The pine cones are sure big on this year…’, ‘The squirrels sure seem busy…’
People start asking me what I think too; “What are the models saying?”, “La Nina?”, “El Nino?”, “Cold & Wet or Warm & Dry?” I’ve got my own superstitions though – I try not to look at the weather this time of year… at least not until that first storm has landed and dropped some snow in the hills.
Waking up this morning, I realize that the time has come though. While the first cup of coffee is still brewing in the kitchen, I pull open our blinds to a crystal clear morning and about a foot of new snow blanketing the hills surrounding Mammoth. If you had told me two days ago that I’d be skiing November 3rd, I probably would have scoffed at you. Powder turns on Mammoth Mountain this morning, however, made me a believer. Here we go again! 
Being on the board of the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, this time of year is also particularly funny for me. While everyone else around is getting fired up, waxing up gear, and writing season tick-lists, I’m working with a small group of dedicated souls to get the Center ready for the season. Though we’re coming into our fourth season (third season as an official USFS Avalanche Center), there are still a set of nagging questions and issues out there that face us every year – the largest of which is surely funding.
As I write this, my dedicated wife is making phone calls and trying to flesh out the details for our Season Kickoff Event, scheduled for December 12th & 13th in Mammoth Lakes. Last year (the second year we put the event together), we brought our homegrown adventure photographer friend, Gordon Wiltsie back to the Eastside and drew a crowd of 250 people to Mammoth Mountain on a stormy day in early December. The event raised $5,000 for the avalanche center and got the stoke going throughout the local community. 
This year, we hope to up the ante a bit – growing both the event and the Center – by hosting a two-day Kickoff Event. December 11th will be the local premiere of ‘Harmless’, a Telemark ski film by Stephane Riendeau (Tough Guy Productions) featuring the exploits of Karhu athletes Lorenzo Worster and JT Robinson, among others. December 12th is the main event – beginning with on-hill educational activities sponsored by local guides including beacon searching, companion rescue techniques, terrain evaluation and a seminar by our local avalanche dog program, Eastside K-9. That night, we’re bringing in renowned snowboard mountaineer Stephen Koch from Jackson to talk about being the first person to snowboard the Seven Summits, and his experiences along the way.
The Season Kickoff Event is really our way of giving something back to the community. Of course, it is a fundraiser for us. But more than anything, it’s a way to get the people who love the backcountry as much as we do together to celebrate the beginning of another season. It’s a way to remind people to stay safe while getting it done out there and that the Center is there for their support.
Making the Center a reality is invigorating, and keeping a thriving community of backcountry skiers safe is something that is important to all of us at ESAC. Almost as much as getting out there ourselves, and crossing those items off our own tick-lists…
Have a great season!
Nate Greenberg
Northwest Snow and Avalanche Summit
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008The Northwest Snow and Avalanche Summit is back in Seattle, and Karhu is proud to support this year’s event and great line-up of guest speakers. If you’re a backcountry skier in the Pacific Northwest, NSAS is a great way to support the avalanche forecasting of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC) and to keep the risks in mind and in perspective as we start the backcountry ski season.
Northwest Snow and Avalanche Summit
What: A development seminar for outdoor professionals and an education opportunity for backcountry skiers and snowboarders.
When: Saturday, Nov 8th. Registration runs from 8-9am, and NSAS runs from 9am-4pm.
Where: The Epiphany School, 3710 East Howell, Seattle, WA 98122
Details: The Northwest Snow and Avalanche Summit is a full day of snow- and avalanche-related topics with speakers such as Lowell Skoog, Martin Volkken, and Sam Kavanaugh of the avalanche awareness video “A Dozen More Turns”. Please join us for a unique opportunity to hear some great speakers talk about interesting, relevant, and educational topics. The cost is $25.00, either through online registration ahead of time, or by cash/check at the door. NSAS is limited to the first 250 registered participants only, so please pre-register if you plan to come.
To register go to http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/44301
NSAS Speakers:
Garth Ferber – NWAC forecasts: Scientific call or crystal ball?
Don Sharaf – Stability tests: An explanation of various stability tests and their strengths and weaknesses in application.
Martin Volkken – The interplay between likelihood and consequence and motivation and risk
PANEL – Decision-making in high risk environments – perspectives from guiding, highways, and ski areas. Speakers include Craig Wilbour, Margaret Wheeler, Sky Sjue.
Tom Murphy – Decision-making in high-risk environments
Lowell Skoog – Safety and success on a Cascade high route
Sam Kavanaugh – A Dozen More Turns, a story of lessons learned. The film is online here: http://revver.com/video/310519/a-dozen-more-turns/, and will give you an idea of Sam’s perspective.
SNOWBASH
After attending NSAS, keep your day snow-centric and move on to the Tractor Tavern in Ballard at 8:00pm for SNOWBASH, The Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Fundraiser. With live music, cold beer, and raffle items for participants you will be sure to have a good time supporting a good cause. Must be 21, and donation of $25.00 for NWAC at the door. For information visit avalanchenw.org.
PNW Fun Raiser
Thursday, October 23rd, 2008If you’re a Pacific Northwest backcountry skier, you probably rely quite a bit on the weather and avalanche forecasts of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC) or have heard about the education outreach of the Alpine Safety Awareness Program. Well this weekend offers a great chance to come out and show your appreciation for the fine folks at NWAC and ASAP and all the services that they offer, at their Fun Raiser this Saturday in Bellingham, WA.
What: ASAP & NWAC Fun Raiser
Where: Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, Bellingham WA
When: Saturday, October 25 from 5:30 to 10:00pm
How Much: $10/person or $30/family (all-ages event)
Why: All money raised helps cover the insurance for ASAP to offer their youth and adult avalanche and safety awareness programs with NWAC.
The Goods: All-you-can-eat fish tacos, ASAP/NWAC Ale, music by Bentgrass, and lots of backcountry skiing raffle/auction items.
Karhu is proud to support NWAC and ASAP in their fundraising efforts this season. Come on out for a good cause, and you’ll have a chance to win some new Karhu skis. If you can’t make it to Saturday’s event in Bellingham, mark your calendar for the Northwest Snow and Avalanche Summit in Seattle on November 8th. More info to follow soon…
(Karhu’s Charlie Lozner does some early season powder wallowing last year. Photo by Graham Gephart.)
Mad River Mountain Work Days
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008Want to contribute to get some pre-season hiking, earn a free day of skiing, scout out new lines for the winter and contribute to the stellar skiing at a great local mountain? Come out this Saturday, October 25 for the last Mad River Glen Mountain Work Day of the fall.
From Mad River Glen and Treeskier.com
Purpose: The purpose of Mountain Work Days is maintenance of tree skiing. This involves cutting lines as well as setting aside areas for new trees to grow. Everything is done with hand tools. Work days are organized and led by Jay Appleton in consultation with ski area management. Mountain Work Days are a great chance to get out on the mountain, discover sacred ski terrain, and learn about northeastern mountain forests. It is fun and satisfying to see a ski line take shape, and see how trees can grow with some care.Turn Dividends: Each person who works a full day receives a complimentary day pass voucher for each day he or she works. The voucher is good during the upcoming 2008/09 ski season. You can work as long as you like, but plan on working the entire day to get a day pass.
9am, rain or shine at the MRG base area. Bring a hardy work ethic, warm clothes, lunch and some sharp loppers or trimming tools (no power tools, axes or hatchets).
(Riding up the MRG Single Chair in March 2008. Photo by Graham Gephart.)