4 Search Results for ""snow circles""

• Go: Irwin Cat Skiing Go: Irwin Cat Skiing

  • From: TetonGravityResearch
  • Description:

     

    Words: Pip Hunt

    Photos: Re Wikstrom

    A gloved finger etches a penis on a foggy window, then hastily circles it and slashes a line through the center. It’s almost as if our Tucker snow cat is filled with sixteen year-old boys. Rather than baseball, Alfalfa, and a “no girls allowed” sign, this moving clubhouse is filled tutus, sparkles and a pink wig. Pop music blares through the speakers and an old school ski film skitters across the big screen in front of us—though no one pays attention. Hannah Whitney, Utah Regional Director for SheJumps, gets down in the middle of the spacious cat. Before long, the entire snowcat bounces as seven women dance to “Call Me Maybe”. I’m not even through my first cup of coffee yet. 

    We’re heading up a snowy Kebler Pass, the unpaved summer road that connects Crested Butte to the rest of the Western Slope. Ten miles outside the funky, prayer-flag-draped ski town lies the Movie Cabin, the base for all of Irwin Catskiing’s daily adventures.

    While Crested Butte is known for its low snow pack, steep pitches and rocky terrain, locals have always known that the “donut hole” weather pattern leaves only the Butte bare. Irwin regularly receives two to three times more snow than Mt. Crested Butte every storm. It receives more than 600 inches annually, making it a leader for Colorado ski area snow totals.

    I slurp the dregs of my coffee before stepping out of the cat, taking in the panoramic view of the Elk Mountains and the minuscule movie cabin. We crowd inside the former Hollywood Western film prop and spread out around the fire to boot up for a day of skiing. 

    

    Guides can make or break the catskiing experience; but Megan Poden, CB local, mom, ski patroller, and guide extraordinaire greets us with more flair than we arrived with. Her hot pink wig, black tutu, and sassy ways set the precedent—things are about to get ridiculous. 

    Luckily, these ladies at SheJumps, a 501-c3 non-profit organization aren’t afraid of having fun. SheJumps challenges women to reach their fullest potential through outdoor adventures. This trip wasn’t about luxury lodging, and delicious food though; it was about the terrain and initiating a new SheJumps chapter in the Gunnison Valley. It was about introducing more women to a safe backcountry skiing environment, skiing pow, and challenging each other to break free of our comfort zones. 

    Six inches of fresh waited us at the top, and the cat was stacked with snacks and beverages. Our guides cranked the tunes up between each lap. We chased each other through lines of fresh soft snow on “2D or Not 2D,” sent the “Outer Limits,” and played through the endless, rolling terrain of “Long.” 

    

    “The terrain seemed endless,” Hannah gushed afterwards. “I’ve been out here touring before when I lived in the valley, but all of my surroundings seemed so much more accessible with the cat. I’m going to be dreaming about getting back here to ski more!”

    But the real fun started every time the cat door closed. We laughed, and had a really, really, really good time.

    “I think we just set the precedent for fun,” Kyra Martin, Director of Admin for Irwin stated at the end of the day. “Irwin sees a ton of male clients, but we’ve never had a cat full of women. We wanted to bring in SheJumps to show that women need adventure too!” 

    Details: 

    Website: Irwincolorado.com

    Contact: Info@Irwincolorado.com

    Prices: $500 per day

    1000+ Acres of Terrain 

    10,000-15,000 vertical feet of skiing per day 

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  • 1 month ago
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• How Electronics Interfere With How Electronics Interfere With Avalanche Transceivers

  • From: brennanlagasse
  • Description:

    The International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) is held every two years in a major mountain region of the world. It is regarded by snow science professionals as a top conference, bringing researchers and practitioners together to report on experiments, exchange theory and share their experiences in the field to better understand the science of snow.
    
    This past fall, ISSW took place in Anchorage, Alaska, where John Barkhausen, a student at Alaska Pacific University, discussed his findings after organizing a field study to test the theory of electrical interference and avalanche transceivers. The topic has been discussed in many snowcentric circles across the globe for several years. However, a recent YouTube video posted by Stuart Pitches is arguably what has brought the topic into the households of a majority of everyday snow folks.
    
    

    
    
    The video clearly shows that when a GoPro camera is on and in close proximity to a searching avalanche transceiver it can cause interference. The GoPro can facilitate false signal readings, which ultimately may negatively impact the searchers attempt to locate a buried avalanche victim. With so many people using GoPro’s and other helmet cameras while also utilizing avalanche transceivers in the field, it’s obvious there are reasons for concern. The range of interference has been identified as variable depending on model, but the bottom line is that these cameras do influence the working mechanics of avalanche transceivers.
    
    What John Barkhausen discussed at ISSW was not solely related to helmet cameras, but electronics as a whole. Not only are skiers and riders who employ the use of avalanche transceivers increasingly using helmet cameras, they also tend to carry radios, cell phones, GPS devices, other types of cameras or an iPod. Simplistically, the answer to if electronics influence transceiver function is yes. However, the real question is to what degree? Even if helmet cameras were deemed unsafe for use do to the manner that they influence avalanche transceiver function, many backcountry experts support to use of cell phones in the field, as they can provide a necessary point of contact to initiate rescue efforts.
    
    At ISSW Barkhausen placed several electronic devices including a RFID tag (Alyeska lift ticket), Spot emergency locator, cell phone, iPod, radio, digital camera, and GPS unit in the near vicinity of a searching avalanche transceiver to measure the effects. He tested for how the transceiver would be influenced in terms of a searching pattern as well as its receiving range. He used three different transceivers including a Pieps DSP, Barryvox Pulse, and BCA Tracker DTS.
    
    Ultimately, Barkhausen found that none of these electronic devices produced negative impacts on a transmitting beacon. That was big news, as some outfits had initially thought the use of, say, a GoPro or even having a digital camera in ones pack might throw off the ability of a transceiver to function as it’s been designed. He also found that no particular brand of transceiver was more or less affected than the other. 
    
    However, Barkhausen did find that within a range of 17 inches, electronic devices will alter the ability for a transceiver to search for a signal properly. Above 17 inches, interference is minimal, but within that distance, problems are persistent. This is also evident in the video shared by Pitches. The safest way to insure you will not alter your transceiver’s ability to function properly when in search mode is to do what you are taught in an Avi I course — keep your transceiver at arm’s length when in search mode. That way, you should be at least 17 inches away from any electronic interference. The International Commission on Alpine Rescue is reportedly considering that the 17 inches be replaced by about 2 feet (24 inches) for all electronics to ensure a safe distance is met by all users. It’s also important to think about turning your electronic devices off entirely when in avalanche terrain.
    
    As you can see in Picthes video, when your avalanche transceiver is being altered by electrical interference, you will either see erratic numbers or false triggers on your display window and/or overall range will be lost. You might also get false distance readings as well as wrong directions to follow when attempting to search. Even if you don’t have a purely analog transceiver, you will still get so much interference that instead of improper numbers and directions the beeps you are supposed to listen to and follow while searching will be filled with static and thus rendered inaudible.
    
    Clearly, more study is needed to be able to provide full conclusive data regarding different brands and products that represent the most risk for users. According to Barkhausen’s work, iPod’s and GPS units seem to create the most interference of all the electronic devices, although from Picthes video GoPro’s don’t seem to be too far off in terms of potential negative impacts. I’m sure more study and conversation on the subject will be forth coming in the weeks/months ahead so we can all better understand the issue as a whole.
    
    Barkhausen is scheduled to follow up this years presentation at the 2014 ISSW in Banff, Canada, but in the meantime, take home points in the now are to make sure you always perform a transceiver search at arm’s length. If you’re on a snowmobile, get off it to perform a search, so as to not allow any electronics (spark plugs) or noise to influence your search. Also, think about turning your electronic devices off and stowing them away from you transceiver when you are spending time in avalanche terrain.
    
    Read More Here

    Shop for Avalanche beacons while supporting TGR. 10% of each sales goes back to out site from http://backcountry.com

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  • 4 months ago
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• Video: Trip Out Watching Sonja Video: Trip Out Watching Sonja Hinrichsen Create Snow Circles In Steamboat

  • From: media-75233
  • Description:

    A few winters back I took a bunch of mushrooms and decided to wander around the woods on snowshoes. I got so lost and had no idea where I was until I realized I was just walking around in circles in my neighbor's backyard. Kind of like Sonja Hinrichsen as she creates her Snow Drawing in the above video.

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  • 1 year ago
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• Powder Alert! Skiers score Oc Powder Alert! Skiers score October Powder at Allgau Ski Resort in Germany

  • From: media-75233
  • Description:

    October 21st, 2009

    Allgau, Germany

    Germany joins in on the October fever that has taken over the snow industry. Skiers skin and ride Allgau Resort. More storms on the way.
    

    Marius Schwager originally posted some photos of early season riding at Allgau Resort in Europe in the TGR forums a few days ago. At TGR, we have been following one the greatest early ski season in recent history, but had not heard a ton of stuff from the Euros regarding the snow pack.  When I saw Marius' photos I was fired up. Epic October was happening across the pond as well. After some email exchange, Marius sent me some more photos and a great story on his perspective of riding powder in Germany in October.  We hope we nailed the translation, but you will get the point. TJ

    Words:Marius Schwager

    Photo:Marius Schwager and Christian Skala

    In medieval times, October was regarded as a holy month. The european summer time is converted back to standard time. The natural habitat is slowly changing from summer to fall.

    

    Not so this year in Germany. A cold front broke the (again) warmer than average summer trend suddenly. Within less than a week a drop in temperatures around 30 degrees in some places took place and it began snowing in
    the northern Alps intensively down into the valleys. For sure, we can not let pass  this unusual autumn surprise.

    
    
    Germany, Bavaria, Allgaeu, Riedbergpass. Bright red berries stand out as spots of color from the gray soup like the proverbial colorful dog. Many shrubs are still laden with lush green leaves ,as they stand against the sudden onset of winter. A flock of birds circles around us. We are on our first ski tour outing of the season. It is special. Our senses are re-drawn to things that are missing in summer‘s snow-free daily business.

    
    
    Muscles are atrophied over the summer to be charged again unexpectedly.Thousands steps snowy pastures uphill await us. Heavy alpine boots, alpine Touring bindings and fat powder boards make the first ascents of the season exhausting. Within the quiet solitude and away from the hustle and bustleof every day life, devoid of crowds of ski tourists and noisy lifts, every effort is immediately
    forgotten. Move forward. Again, raise your foot, bend, and move forward. Weight shift and bend the other leg, lift and push forward.  The endless loop begins. We will repeat this process many times over throughout the coming winter. We just did not expect to do so in  October.

    
    

       
    
    
    

     

    

    

    

     

    

    Oh, why not one more run. It is October after all.

     

    For more German Powder check out www.powderguide.com
    

  • Blog post
  • 4 years ago
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