Spring Skiing

Richard in our six foot deep test pit

Very wet after just a few hours of skiing

My new Voile Vector Skis!

Technically it's not spring for another two weeks but it is starting to feel like it in the mountains.  This time of year in the Cascades skiing can be really great but it can also be really wet.   Stevens pass where I normally ski is reporting a snow pack of 12 feet at at the top of the mountain (5000ft), and over 35 feet of snowfall thus far this season.  All that snow makes for really different terrain from the early season.  All the smaller cliffs and gulleys are gone and you can basically ski anywhere.

Unfortunately the late season storm systems can also be very wet; last weekend Richard and I headed out only to find the new snow had gotten soggy with rain.  Within a few hours we were thoroughly soaked and ready to head home.

Tomorrow we are headed out again in hopes of skiing new snow from the most recent storm.
Tonight the forecast is calling for four to eight inches of new snow with temperatures around 30 degrees and below, so hopefully we will stay a bit drier.

The other big news in my ski life is that I bought a new pair of skis.  This is the first pair of skis that I have ever purchased new and I am very excited about them.  As a member of Seattle Mountain Rescue I was able to get a pro-deal price and pick out a ski that will be a really good for me.  The new ski is the Voile Vector and is a little bit wider that my other skis with a modern rocker tip design.  Most importantly these skis are very light and will be great for skiing in the back country.  Without bindings the pair weighs only 6lbs 12oz.  For comparison that is the same weight as just one of my other skis with its binding.  To keep the weight to minimum I am going to put light weight dynafit bindings on them. These bindings weigh only one pound each!