@Sharkymark, if you can use all that up this week and leave sun and fresh for me that would be spot on cheers
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
BobinCH wrote:
Sharkymark wrote:
@BobinCH, what damage is today’s front doing your way? It’s been pissing down at sea level here but we were very surprised to find snow falling above 400m. Actually had quite a good ski and quit whilst we were ahead. A lot of soggy folk round here now. Tomorrow is a PROPER storm.
3 degrees and rain. Looks very soggy out there some guys were climbing one of the couloirs below Storgalten but didn’t look like a good idea to me so we sat it out.
Loads of precipitation and temps coming back down Thursday night so refueling day and saving ourselves for Friday / Saturday.
If here’s anything to go by, I reckon there will be some surprise snow higher up. However tomorrow’s a different story!
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Sharkymark wrote:
BobinCH wrote:
Sharkymark wrote:
@BobinCH, what damage is today’s front doing your way? It’s been pissing down at sea level here but we were very surprised to find snow falling above 400m. Actually had quite a good ski and quit whilst we were ahead. A lot of soggy folk round here now. Tomorrow is a PROPER storm.
3 degrees and rain. Looks very soggy out there some guys were climbing one of the couloirs below Storgalten but didn’t look like a good idea to me so we sat it out.
Loads of precipitation and temps coming back down Thursday night so refueling day and saving ourselves for Friday / Saturday.
If here’s anything to go by, I reckon there will be some surprise snow higher up. However tomorrow’s a different story!
More windy precip tomorrow but freezing down to sea level by the evening so Friday should be a (windblown) powder day. Find some nice sheltered couloirs
Meanwhile, back in the French Alps, we had to endure superb conditions today
Parked up at 1,900m and then boot packed for 250m or so; we could have skinned along the road, but boot packing you cut the bends (image below), so steeper but shorter, getting in front of the six or so that left before us.
All credit to my OH, who is game for such stuff.
Circa 2,300m, there was more evidence of fresh snow,w and accumulations as we climbed became better and better, so we had a pleasant and most unexpected 5cms+ for the last 300m or so.
At the summit 2,753m it was very social with a few guys who knew a good friend of mine who I'd been out with last evening, my mate had actually bought his house off the two brothers, both are Serre Che instructors from a very old famille who have been in Le Bez for many generations.
The snow was so much better than expected, and it gradually transformed from cold snow to that sweet creamy snow.
The expanse of the sector is vast and is such great fun to ski.
That ridge is at 2,500m and there's some great terrain we'd already skied above that.
By the time the OH took this vid the snow was lovely and creamy.
And whilst we'd had a great day, I returned to a message from a mate new to ski-touring who I had fixed up with a guide to go out with and instruct him and he sent me this picture, and was over the moon with the conditions they too encountered, and he said they only saw 4 others up there.
And it wasn't just us humans who enjoyed the day, Ullr had a playmate
Who says the season is over
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
For the avoidance of doubt. My ski touring was curtailed due to the 90 day threshold rapidly approaching. We "snuck" under the wire on day 88 much to the amusement of the Dutch customs officer!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Stupidly big day yesterday!
A friend who I do some mild less extreme (steeps) touring with, (she has another team for that), suggested a tour that she's always been keen to do, but it's long with a boot-packing approach from the valley floor up an old glacier to a Col at 3,158m so roughly 1,550 elevation.
Because of the warm (hot) weather she suggested an 06:15 departure, and we arrived at the Villar D'Arene parking along from La Grave at 06:50 and the parking was already rammed, so much for it being end of season!
That said it wasn't too busy as many of the vehicle occupiers were already up at high altitudes staying in the numerous refuges up there, and we saw numerous dudes tooled up for some serious alpinism.
In the image below are circa six refuges, our Col sort of bottom left Le Col du Clot des Cavales
First couple of km we walked in trainers and then put the boots on and hiked up the cold icy path with snow cover coming and going dependent on the aspect, then it was on with the skis and crampons for a very steep hike up to the valley plateau and then on to the Refuge d'Alpe Villar-d’Arêne, where we dropped a bit of a clanger by not taking a lower route, so off with the skins and then a ski down loosing 100m of elevation.
I always knew it was going to be a tough day, as I suspected I would be the weakest (oldest) of the team, the other male was my mate Rolf a stupidly fit Swede, who often does a morning ski-tour, then comes back to do 40km+ cross country or at this time of the year, on the bike.
Josephine is a La Grave Goddess having been married to a LG guide and I've known since 97 and have done a fair few tours with, a mate of hers tagged along, another Amazonian skier, who Jojo described as a strong Alpiniste who telemarks and come to the first ascent she shot off with Rolf in pursuit and that's when I very soon thought I was in for a long day
What I was also paranoid about was the heat, as I go to pieces in hot temps, I was carrying 2 ltrs of liquid, 1.5 in a bladder and a 500 compression bottle on my pack strap. I'd had a good breakfast and was carrying Harribous and Snickers.
It was a long skin up the valley floor and then a fecker of a traverse which was not necessary and then the real climbing started around 2,300m so still 850m of climbing and by then it was getting hot.
The surrounding mountains and glaciers were awesome and where I was a little worried about it been tracked out it was soon obvious where we were heading it was good, Le Col du Clot des Cavales 3,158m.
At around 2,800m Isa started dropping off the back, and we were all suffering but she was not good, every now and again a slight breeze would blow and it was amazing the difference it made to me, but the final 150m above 3,000 showed that we were not use to that altitude with even Jojo and Rolf having to take breaks.
Once at the Col the views were stunning down into Berade valley, Isa came in very tired 30mins after us.
Quick change of headgear and t-shirt at the top.
On the ascent, it was obvious we'd have to choose our lines very carefully as the snow-pack changed tremendously within just a few degrees, and in the end we all went our separate ways with Rolf hoping to chase cold snow over in the shade on the glacier side.
We came together and then watched Rolf arrive over a band of cliffs with no real way out, as he started to backtrack out we could see a possible route to ski out, with Jojo shouting at him the necessary directions, and that was mildly amusing, but he's very strong and not phased.
Once all together, it was a dream to see Isa telemark, at times she skied and looked like she was on alpine skis, and then would put beautiful sweeping turns in.
On the way up we spotted a couple of untracked faces on the side of the moraines and I was first to drop in, setting a wet slide off, so I quickly skied out to the side and let the face go before skiing back down across it, meanwhile a group going up the Refuge Pave were busily filming me, hoping to get some good social media content
We skied down from that notch (col) to the right of the rock peaks.
Once back to the flat of the valley floor the runout was extremely arduous in the sticky snow, luckily we could fill our bottles up.
And then the final pitch on skis was not good, where we climbed up first thing using crampons, was now slush and not helped by the large numbers of people going up to spend the night in the various refuges.
Then it was the 2km hike back to the parking picking up our trainers we'd left, by then I was on auto-pilot walking in a daze, but the thought of potential beers later up at Freds at the Lautaret were what kept me going
Final stats:
Elapsed time 09:16
1650m elevation
25km
Av HR 123
And four buffs
And one slight incident - Rolf face-planted when skinning down a slight descent, which is always tricky, but it was rutted and icy, and when I saw him go, I went very carefully!
Anyway, Jojo kept saying what a great adventure, though I often think an adventure in the mountains is when a plan goes wrong
It was just too damn hot and for me that really saps the energy no matter how much fluid I take, and ironically I've had better skiing all week around here, but it's certainly a day we won't be forgetting.
Last edited by After all it is free on Sun 6-04-25 17:57; edited 2 times in total
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We need a thread edit here @Weathercam, ski Touring for Hardcore!
That's a lovely report on a terrific day out. Interesting, your comments on the heat. It really is extremely debilitating on a hard climb, as you say, regardless of how much liquid you can consume.
But chapeaux to you all.
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What a Disgrace
Here we are, yesterday morning after a leisurely start from the Refuge des Evettes, heading up to the Col de Disgrace - 3300m give or take. We got there and got back again safely. Unlike one french guy who insisted on picking his own way off the Pointe Francesetti, next to us. His three mates had to wait at least 45 minutes as he booted across and then down a 50-60 degree slope.
It was all a bit much for us so we’ve had a day of sorting out. The high mountain experience has always made us nervous since our enforced absence due to Covid but at least we got there and got back.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Well my daughter's journey into the world of off-piste and touring continued this past week.
Rattles have been well and truly thrown out of the pram, but more than made up with smiles on the face, and she's finally sussed why we go touring, and she now says that pistes will never be the same as she knows what there is to be had elsewhere.
For sure Spring skiing is totally different to the depths of winter, and skiing crud/windblown/crust etc will ensure that more rattles are probably thrown out of the pram, and plus, remember we're talking a Millenial daughter and everything from the weather through to the snowpack, if it goes wrong is all my fault
We'd already taken her off the back and she had some great skiing on a beautiful carpets of Spring snow, and then skinning back up and then doing it again.
So the day after my mammoth tour above, a plan was hatched to ski off the back the next day down into the valley, but rather than climb back up, we'd ski out of the valley to where I'd left my van the day before.
So with tired legs on the Sunday I drove round and parked the van and then took the e-mtb out and rode the 90mins & 500m back, and was glad for the electric bike as my legs were still toast
The big question mark was what the freeze/melt would be like, and I was reasonably confident that lower down the West facing aspects would no longer be hard and would have transformed nicely, so if the top was bad I'd make a call and OH and daughter could skin back up while I would carry on and ski to get the van.
The next day, the weather was superb and cold enough overnight for a slight frost, so we took the lifts up and skied off the back. The first couple of pitches were superb, and then route finding took precedent as most of the SE/E aspects I was able to ski the previous times were now rock and grass.
Getting to the better skiing lower down required skiing a tight steep gradient and my daughter managed that, as you'll see without too much angst, then we had more great skiing.
My OH just takes it all in her stride and can always seem to manage to get down anything, which she proved at the end with some great improvisation, for it all went rotten, literally
Where lower down on the final pitch I was concerned about the snow not transforming, (I'd even packed a rope just in case) it was totally the opposite, in that it had not frozen for a good few days, and we encountered 30cm+ of rotten snow where you sunk through it.
The issue was that we could not traverse out as the terrain was made up of a series of steep gulleys where streams ran down and on either side of them the snow had melted.
In the past we've had to bootpack out and cross the streams but first we had to get to where we could manage that!
As you'll see in the vid the OH decided on a better option, after we had crossed a couple of streams, by the end my daughter was not in a good place, but as we explained later, the "run out" is often where you pay your dues for all that glorious skiing up top
I picked up some Atomic Backland 95s with G3 Ion bindings off a fellow snowhead last summer, I'd only done a 2 hour test on them in Verbier, but I've been out for 4 days in Norway and very impressed with how they ski in some difficult snow, and obviously a massive drop in weight from my Whitedots with Shifts. The only snow I've not skied them in is bullet proof at the moment....
Just packing up my kit for the season and have a question about use on some new netting / cheat sheets for long term storage of my Colltex skins. I have not used netting in the past but I see mixed info on the internet.
1. Is netting required for long term storage or should I store glue-to-glue as I have alsways done.
2. The netting does not properly stick to the skins - they remain loose and easily fall off (the skins stick well to skis). Are they meant to be loose or what is it I am not doing properly?
Thanks
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Ozboy, bin the netting, more hassle than they're worth....
10 secs in to this vid you see how to take your skins off fast n'easy without sheets
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@Weathercam, Thanks I’ve never had issue on the mountain without netting and do something similar as in your video. My query is about summer storage as Colltex recommend use of netting which I have not used until now.
@Ozboy, though should honestly add that might OH still uses sheets, as she doesn't have the strength to pull the skins apart, so she says.
And the LG rockstar I sometimes tour with still uses them, takes my ones
Each to their own
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I don’t use the sheets day to day but have just used them to put the skins away for summer
After all it is free
After all it is free
@kitenski, Mine have now been put away without the sheets as could not get the sheets to stick to the skins when folded.
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Great question — and one a lot of people wonder about.
Short answer:
Attach your Pomoca ski skins to themselves, glue-to-glue, rather than storing them on the netting (mesh sheet) they come with — unless you’re storing them long-term.
Here’s the breakdown:
• Glue-to-glue (folded in half):
• Best for daily use and short-term storage.
• Keeps the glue protected and less exposed to air/dirt.
• Easier and quicker in the field.
• Mesh netting (cheat sheet):
• Best for long-term storage (off-season).
• Slightly easier to pull apart if the glue is really sticky.
• Adds a bit of bulk and can be annoying to manage in the wind.
Pro tip:
If you’re using the skins regularly during ski season, ditch the netting and just fold them glue-to-glue. Just make sure the glue isn’t too dirty or degraded — if they start sticking too hard or leave residue, it might be time for a clean or re-glue.
Need tips on folding them neatly or avoiding a sticky mess in your pack?
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@BobinCH, folding tips would be useful please
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
kitenski wrote:
@BobinCH, folding tips would be useful please
Absolutely — clean folds make life so much easier on a windy ridge or in a cramped hut. Here’s how to fold your Pomoca skins efficiently and keep everything tidy:
⸻
Quick-Fold Method (in the field)
1. Tip to Tail Method (standard glue-to-glue fold):
• Lay the skin out sticky side up.
• Fold it in half lengthwise, bringing the tip to the tail.
• Line up the edges and press the glue sides together, smoothing from the middle out to avoid bubbles or wrinkles.
• Fold that in half again if needed, depending on pack size.
Pro tip: Keep the tail clip just slightly offset so you can find it quickly when peeling them apart.
⸻
Accordion Fold (super compact)
• Start by folding the skin end over end, like an accordion.
• Each fold is about 20–30 cm wide.
• Great for saving space, especially with wide skins.
⸻
While Skins Are Still on the Ski (fastest in the cold):
• Peel the skin halfway, fold that half onto itself (glue to glue), then finish peeling and fold the rest.
• That way you’re never holding the whole floppy skin in the wind.
⸻
Storage Tip: Keep them in a skin bag inside your pack when descending. Warm, sweaty skins in the pack can degrade glue faster — especially if you ski with your back panel open.
Want a visual diagram or GIF of the folding process?
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@BobinCH, cheers, has an AI bot taken over your account
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
kitenski wrote:
@BobinCH, cheers, has an AI bot taken over your account
Something like that
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
...it was also wrong about the pomoca skins
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
kitenski wrote:
@BobinCH, folding tips would be useful please
Worth considering these - much easier, particularly when folding in windy conditions
Plus keep them inside your jacket if removing for a short descent, but refixing again soon
Mrs A has come up with her own way of dealing with backing sheets which, I think, has some value. As she removes the skin, she unrolls the backing sheet, sticks it to the skin and rolls up the skin and backing. Yes, it requires full length backing sheets but, in the grand scheme of things, this doesn’t cost much weight. However, it does make transitions much easier.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
How much does pack weight affect touring?I did very shallow tours in Norway, with a Scott Patrol E2 which is 2.7kg empty! Looks like lightweight non airbag bags are a touch over 1kg empty, so quite a bit lighter.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
kitenski wrote:
How much does pack weight affect touring?I did very shallow tours in Norway, with a Scott Patrol E2 which is 2.7kg empty! Looks like lightweight non airbag bags are a touch over 1kg empty, so quite a bit lighter.
The issue with ski touring (I mean general touring not skimo racing/training) is that it's generally done at quite low intensity. So and extra kg or even a few may increase your HR a few beats, but lactate is still low enough that you can continue at the same pace as with a lighter bag. So not necessarily a reduction in performance. If you are unfit and touring with a light bag is already at your limit the extra weight may well tip you over the edge.
My experience is that fitness massively over shadows bag weight in terms of performance. A fit person with a non ridiculous day bag is still going to be way faster than a non fit person with no bag. Perhaps when bags get much heavier i.e. Multi day touring/carrying camping gear its more of an issue.
Only problem is the £430 required by Blue Tomato for one.
I currently use a Golite Jam2 with not many features but an impressively low weight of only 636g.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 23-04-25 10:30; edited 3 times in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Me being really broken old and unfit but still liking to have fun, I get a bit obsessed over pack weight. It makes a difference for me, but fitness would definitely be a bigger impact. Really unlikely to use my airbag for the uphill sufferfest due to weight and risk tolerance - ie don't plan on needing it.
I was given a Jones 32L pack - really well featured, carries great, but heavy AF. My go to is a deuter freerider 32 - weighs about 1100g and carries nicely.
For bigger missions with an overnight base, I use an Aarn pack with the balance pockets, set up for touring with add on ski straps. They are awesome packs.
I then ditch the big pack and use a BD cirque 22 vest for the day - weighs about 700g, can get axe, crampons, skins etc out of it without having to take the pack off, water bottles on the chest pockets. Doesn't really carry a board assembled but will carry skis across the back. It's a nice setup.
How much does pack weight affect touring?I did very shallow tours in Norway, with a Scott Patrol E2 which is 2.7kg empty! Looks like lightweight non airbag bags are a touch over 1kg empty, so quite a bit lighter.
I used a Litric Zero 27 in Lyngen. It’s less than 2kg. Barely notice the weight.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
kitenski wrote:
How much does pack weight affect touring?I did very shallow tours in Norway, with a Scott Patrol E2 which is 2.7kg empty! Looks like lightweight non airbag bags are a touch over 1kg empty, so quite a bit lighter.
Agree with above that you would
barely notice 1kg extra as it’s spread across the your back and also supported by hips if using the belt. I’ve found the Scott 30L pack quite supportive and comfortable to carry. The extra weight would not slow down too much - in cycling terms I have read that an extra kg would slow a rider by only 30 seconds on a 10km 7pct climb. I think the extra weight of an airbag is well worth the time penalty. Weight savings can be made in body weight, carrying lighter/less equipment and also in kit. For example ive just saved 200g by changing from a POC to a Movement Alpi helmet.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Hot take - bag weight is an issue on the way DOWN, not the way up.
Carrying a heavy bag makes a much bigger difference to my snowboarding than it does to my skinning.
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It's not really a question is it, all though was your wife carrying one as well?
Maybe the question should have been, do I need an AirBag for touring in Lyngen with my wife?
My OH loves her Dynafit Womens Radical 30 - it is very light, though that's at the expense of sturdy buckles, and has a plethora of pockets, so much so that so far this season she's lost a transceiver in there, and a set of crampons; admittedly on two separate occasions
And for sure an ABS pack does add to the weight and sometimes we both use one and sometimes we don't, though I suppose if flying you only take one pack, though when I used to go Lyngen (5x) ABS were not really around, can't recall what I did on a few powder touring long-haul trips
But if worried about a couple of kgs there's plenty of other areas to look at, I'm definitely carrying a few more excess winter kgs which are proving hard to shift even with all the nigh on daily stuff I do, but put that down to lack of cross-country skiing this season.
We ski-tour with boots more designed for the descent, so on the heavy side, and 105+ skis, with brakes etc - so we could shift weight by going narrow and softer boots etc
And then when you look at the amount of weight splitboarders seem to carry, saw three young fit looking boarders climbing on Sunday and they looked so awkward stomping along, wasting energy, and I was watching them out of curiosity, lifting their feet and boards and it all looked a shambles, but they were going at a pace, maybe they were just new to it?
And then compare that to the other skiers who were the total opposite to them gliding along uphill.
Should add this was all on the side of the piste, as think people were not chancing elsewhere, good ten to fifteen out on the hill.
Anyway, back on topic and it is this time of year when you can go light, though I still seem to carry too much
And a lovely SAGA* tour yesterday
And ironically, did exactly the same tour on the same day last year.
*Super Active Geezonaire Adventurers
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Weathercam wrote:
It's not really a question is it, all though was your wife carrying one as well?
Maybe the question should have been, do I need an AirBag for touring in Lyngen with my wife?
Yep gave her the heavy one
Pretty delicate conditions up there this March and there’s a lot of wind so the best pow is often on wind loaded slopes under some pretty big cornices on the summit ridges. We weren’t exactly jumping off them but still better to have the additional security in a place you haven’t skied before and we weren’t in any rush.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
some guys were climbing one of the couloirs below Storgalten but didn’t look like a good idea to me so we sat it out.
