The Alberta XCD thread

[Inspiredcapers]

Trying to convince myself that a benefit of a broken leg is theres an opportunity to catch up on reading and planning future adventures…lets say I’m working really, really hard on convincing myself, reality is I’m going Bat-Shit crazy!!!

Having said that, just spent a couple of days chewing through Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies. I forgot how good that book is and how much detail went into it. I’m pretty convinced I’m going to invest in a dedicated backcountry setup next year for exploring Alberta n’ B.C. so I can explore more of what’s out there.

Hoping 24/25 brings us better conditions…

[fisheater]

What’s your idea of a dedicated BC setup @Inspiredcapers ?
Just curious, means different things to different people

[Lhartley]

Trying to convince myself that a benefit of a broken leg is theres an opportunity to catch up on reading and planning future adventures…lets say I’m working really, really hard on convincing myself, reality is I’m going Bat-Shit crazy!!!

Having said that, just spent a couple of days chewing through Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies. I forgot how good that book is and how much detail went into it. I’m pretty convinced I’m going to invest in a dedicated backcountry setup next year for exploring Alberta n’ B.C. so I can explore more of what’s out there.

Hoping 24/25 brings us better conditions…

Sorry to hear you're out with an injury, hope you heal up soon and get back at it!

Yes, there's so many resources for the Rocky's backcountry between Chic Scott's books and Marcus Baranows "Confessions of a Ski Bum" books, it'd take 2 lifetimes to see it all.

Also curious on your ideal backcountry setup as I've skied a bit of the Fernie BC (tunnel creek)nd it's a bit similar to the stuff I ski normally. Haven't been touching much alpine this year though as just getting competent on tele.

We currently have a snowfall warning. Which would have been great if we had the nice supportive crust i. The foothills we had 2 weeks ago. Pretty well starting over again on everything except the north aspects

[Inspiredcapers]

Just cruised by the Tunnel Creek parkup on my way to get a checkup on the leg, the first few hundred feet of the access rot/trail is pure mud then slush after that. I haven’t seen anyone parked there for almost 3 weeks now.

That more dedicated backcountry ski setup is a puzzler to me at this point. I’ve got Garmont Syner-G 75mm 3 buckle boots that are very comfortable for a plastic boot. They drive my 183cm BC120 wax ski (120-90-114mm) with Switchback X2’s pretty effortlessly. For my height and weight the BC120 is a touch on the small side in deeper snow I think (6’, about 215# right now). I’m kinda contemplating something a little closer to 190cm and roughly 100 underfoot. The Voile V6 at 188 (135-102-115) comes close to ticking off the boxes for me (I don’t think a fat ski with scales would float my boat although I’ve always wanted to try out a 174 Kom for YoYo days).

I’m curious as to Voiles TTS binding in the future but that would be dependent on boot availability. For now I’m happy with my Garmont/Switchback X2 combo.

Edit: The Asnes Fjoro 92 186 is a little shy on what the V6 specs offer and not a heck of a lot bigger than the BC120 but I’d sure like to try it.

[Lhartley]

I think you're on the right track there. I wonder if I could go a little longer on my wide fishscale skis as I think we are about same size.

I really want to try Switchback x2 on my Prior Husume eventually. Have a couple pairs on my marketplace radar

[Lhartley]

This park in NW Calgary is in great condition. No base but 10 to 12 inches pow on grass, 20 turns approx. Don't tell anyone shhhh

[fisheater]

@Inspiredcapers i have an Asnes Tindan 86 at 187 cm. I’m 5’ 9” , 190 lbs + (I don’t have a scale, I always way over 190, usually less than 197)
When skiing in the BC a pack.
Downhill in light, cold, deep, powder it is quite excellent due to the generous rocker. Climbing in Michigan I generally use low angle trails. I only have the Access Skin for this ski. I have had the rocker cause the ski to slide on the uphill before. I’m not sure a full skin would have remedied that. Personally I think the ski would ski downhill just as well with less rocker. I still really like my Tindan and have no plans to replace it. By the way, the Tindan really kicks and glides well.
I compare the Tindan and the Fjoro as they both came out the same year. The Fjoro still has the same graphics. Perhaps the rocker profile is different? I can’t tell from the website.
I mounted a Voile Transit on a Summitcone Pariah for the ski hill this year. I really like it, I never knew I liked active bindings. Now I’m thinking about mounting a Transit on my Tindan. I want the active binding. I think about a Switchback X2 so I can keep using my T4, but the SB X2 weighs almost twice as much, and the T-4 is also heavier than my F-1 Race by quite a bit. The Transit/F-1 combo ski so well too! The only reason I can think of for not switching is an emotional attachment to the T-4 and 75 mm.

[Lhartley]

Went to West Bragg Creek today. Skied east and north aspects of most every skiable slope. Got out of my lowangle comfort zone and onto some steeper slopes, tele is hard as. Amazing coverage for this area currently. And most had already been hit. Lots of peeps getting turns in the foothills, super stoked, hope it was all freeheelers!

[Inspiredcapers]

Lhartley, have you ever gone to Nose Hill to ski? I think a person could get some long stretches to drop a knee (its been at least 20 years since I last run/rode there, never did ski it).

[Lhartley]

I have looked at it many times passing by and I would say it's generally got as much snow cover on it as the horse pastures on our acreage that I ski. Wild grasses are typically a lot harder to gain adequate coverage on than the manicured cultivated grasses on golf courses and municipal parks imo. I've never personally skied it but there was an avalanche MIN submitted on it this year (not sure if those are supposed to be made a parody of lol)so it's definitely been done. The east slopes look like interesting terrain.

As a side thought, today there is a skimo race race at West Bragg Creek on Mountain Road. Interesting times for skiing in the foothills. Headed out there to check it out and see if I can get around to the slopes I failed on the other day and see if fresh snow and wider, shorter skis help my cause or maybe I just flail about again