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Help with Backcountry

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miemiec
Posts: 400 - Karma: 55

I live on the east coast and my goal was to do a little more BC this year.  I was wondering how do you find good BC lines?  I've heard that some people use topo maps and such.  Help would be appreciated, Thanks.

Oct 29 2008 6:58PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
All my friends and I do is hike up the mountain stand at the top and just bomb down and pretty much hit all the stuff on the way down.  What's up with all these newb posts?
Oct 29 2008 7:03PM
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hellomynameisjef
Posts: 5794 - Karma: 167
^stfu n00b

but seriously, you ever heard of tuckermans ravine?
do it
Oct 29 2008 9:13PM
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
i suggest you take a course in avalanche safety first. lots of avalanches went down last season, dangerous and deadly stuff.
Oct 29 2008 9:14PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Are you referring to your own post? Because the way you ski backcountry is REALLY safe.
Oct 29 2008 9:18PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
actually if more people follow his advice, darwinism will work itself out soon enough
Oct 29 2008 9:20PM
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boyd
Posts: 217 - Karma: 256
a level one avalanche course is defs a good idea - you might be able to find one near you here
http://http://www.avalanche.org/
Oct 29 2008 9:24PM
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
yep

please, don't be stupid and just rush out there

Oct 29 2008 9:26PM
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Bob_Gnarley
Posts: 1583 - Karma: 0
you realize he is skiing the EC right? bwahahaha
Oct 29 2008 9:30PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
doesn't take much to treewell yourself. 
Oct 29 2008 9:34PM
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Drail
Posts: 14012 - Karma: 10,011
yea, especially now that the west kootz are like all high def and shit. infact - i may go look at some sweet cliff zones to pass the evening away.

but as far as the original question - find someone who knows, go with that person, be a sponge. venturing into an area blind could get ugly.

and of course the token "go take a course".
Oct 29 2008 9:36PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Avalanche safety? On the east coast? The only thing he's going to get buried in are large heaps of tall tees and kids who say "legit."
Oct 29 2008 9:43PM
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k-rob
Posts: 14217 - Karma: 2,891
sorry, i thought that when he said he wanted to do more backcountry this year, he meant he wanted to go a little further west.
Oct 29 2008 10:13PM
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AndrewZ
Posts: 759 - Karma: 36
Check out the tgr forums. Guaranteed there's gonna be a lot more people who have more backcountry experience and knowledge there.
Oct 29 2008 10:57PM
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juanborlando
Posts: 3598 - Karma: 2,539
i dont know why people like you
Oct 29 2008 11:01PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
ooh don't get your bandana in a wad. I'm only keeeding.
Oct 29 2008 11:05PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
come skiing with me, i've figured out a lot of bc in the southern vt area, haystack for one is great, i skin that a lot
Oct 29 2008 11:13PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
Dude I've never actually skied true backcountry.  We hike the mountains around the resort and I look at all the shit I'm gonna hit on my way up.  I've never gone on a pow day either.  I live in cali and we get that baked snow and it softens up to where you sink 4 or 5 inches in.  The mountain is probably only like 5-600 vertical and it's not steep at all.  There's lots of little fireroads though that get covered up and we'll build lips over them and it's fun.
Oct 29 2008 11:15PM
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thegreyarea
Posts: 3265 - Karma: 34
Slides happen almost anywhere out of bounds and inbounds on the east coast. Wildcat's been known to have on trail slides. Alec Stall died while filming w/Meatheads a few years ago in the notch of Mansfield when he tripped and got pushed over a cliff by his sluff.

Mt Washington is full of slides. Below are some pics from my trip last year on May 12th. At some point in late April, the far right chute in the Gulf of Slides slid. 2' diameter trees were snapped clean on a slope that ran 20 degrees for almost 200 yards. That's an assload of force on a long, low pitch.

Sorry about the image size...not really.

Click for larger image

Click for larger image
Oct 29 2008 11:16PM
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thegreyarea
Posts: 3265 - Karma: 34
I should've clarified. It was 20 degrees for 200 yards above the point we were standing at. The runout ran another 100 yards below us.
Oct 29 2008 11:19PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
oh so the mountians by the resort are not true backcountry? what are they the fake backcountry with fake avalanches?  oh and you only go out when it is warm, so right as the structure of the snow is starting to change, and is in a week state? then? and 500-600 vertical feet is plenty to cause a fatal avalanch, shit 20 vertical feet is enough. and if it is steep enough to ski down it is stiff enough to slide.
Oct 29 2008 11:27PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
Yeah after two weeks of sitting there being baked with no new snow there's not much to change.  because at that point it has mixed in with the layer of snow that it fell on top of.  By real backcountry I meant like a trip where you hike up, camp out, and then ski the next day.  Yeah I do understand that an avalanche can happen but I'm saying that the chances are slimmer.  Where if I went on a light snow pow day and it had fallen on icy snow the conditions for a slide increase greatly.  And don't give me shit about how an avalanche could still happen, I understand that.
Oct 29 2008 11:47PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
You have an icy layer of snow that gets covered with, say 2 feet of fresh snow overnight.  There is less friction and that fresh layer of snow will initiate into a slide much easier.  Whereas if I go a week later and it has all baked together, there's less of a chance for a slide to occur. 
Oct 30 2008 12:03AM
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EClay46
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 69
dont worry he is an idiot, he always tries to say my gear advice is wrong
Oct 30 2008 12:08AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
Plus karma for you.  At least someone is on the same page as me.
Oct 30 2008 12:12AM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
Don't worry, I don't actually hate the east coast. It's MAD legitt
Oct 30 2008 12:16AM
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eurotune2
Posts: 1450 - Karma: 10
That run is called the "Wall" i was skiing HV that day, it was nuts, so weird to think of avalanches happening on resort in western new york of all places.
Oct 30 2008 12:48AM
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huge-go
Posts: 1451 - Karma: 33
I think he was talking about you.

And nomen knows his shit better than the vast majority of this site.
Oct 30 2008 1:00AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
Maybe, but AI never remember bashing that guys gear or anything.  I don't know I'm really out of it right now.  Having a bad week.
Oct 30 2008 1:18AM
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ko.
Posts: 453 - Karma: 17

when i first started reading this thread i was wondering what everyone was going to say... and i am sooooooooo glad that so many kids have had actual avalanche training and know what they're talking about!  jackfunnel: you kind of dug yourself into a hole on this one.  everyone here is right--avalanches can happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone regardless of experience.  however, having experience greatly increases your chances of not getting hurt in an avy (or altogether just avoiding areas where they could occur).  i highly recommend that you take an avy course sometime soon...

and don't talk about california like it's the lamest state you can ski in, tahoe is bomb :)

Oct 30 2008 1:26AM
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Treestman
Posts: 3049 - Karma: 300
listern avvies happen int he east, at tucks, on slides in the adks, i even started a mini slide and got buried to my waist in a slide in the jay backcountry.

and with backcountry, get some snowshoes and a ski pack, or at/tele and skins.

hike up mountains, and ski down them. search aroudn the internet or backcountry guides to find routes, or just do ur own thing and explore, thats what i have for people
Oct 30 2008 1:33AM
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powderhound100
Posts: 2510 - Karma: 144
I took an avalanche 1 course last year, and I am very happy that I did.

This showed this one video that really had an impact on me. A bunch of guys were in the backcountry having fun, jumping off this rock (like most of us would probably be doing) this one guy went, and he fell and teh whole slope came tumbling down takign him with it. (it could have happened even if he didnt fall)


but ya I was like holy shit.


talking of backcountry, I got some naxo's I got last year hoping my brother would want them, but he didnt. I got them cheap, and will pass them on to you 250 plus ship (their brand new, pm me for details and shit)




but ya go with people, and always have the right equipment.
Oct 30 2008 1:40AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
I agreed that an avalanche could happen anytime, I just said that there were certain times an avalanche was LESS prone to happen.  I didn't bag on California either, I fucking love living here.  Mammoth is great and Squaw is great.  I love California it's an awesome place to live.  Yes there are times where we don't have that great of snow, but we get a lot and have a pretty long season.  I love California.  I have the opportunity for great public schools, great mountains, great coastlines, what is not to like?  Yes I did dig myself into a hole but then people aren't getting what I'm saying.  I NEVER said an avalanche couldn't happen anytime.  Once there was an avalanche in bounds at my resort.  Please no one else tell me I said an avalanche couldn't happen, because I never said that.  I said there were times that there was less of a chance, but I never said there were times when there was no chance.  Please understand and recognize this.
Oct 30 2008 1:48AM
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ko.
Posts: 453 - Karma: 17

understood and recognized.

i still think everyone should take an avy course if they haven't.  i've taken a few and i find them very interesting. the last one i took was last spring and it was EPIC; everyone in it was genuinely interested and involved, plus we were all just stoked to be skinning up on a beautiful bluebird day :)

Oct 30 2008 2:46AM
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Caveman.
Posts: 9067 - Karma: 330
Do you not understand sarcasm?
Oct 30 2008 9:04PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
Has anyone here seen the fine line?
The biggest shocker to me, is when the 2 ski patrollers were standing right along the rope of the area boundaries. And they're like this is what happens in bounds and they threw an explosive in bounds, it blew up and the snow just kind of had a little poof. No slide or sluff.
Then they're like, this is what happens out of bounds. Throw an explosive about 15 feet past the rope, and the whole face slides.
Scary.
Oct 30 2008 9:10PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153

i find it strange that the snowpack really knows where the ski area boundary line is.

(something else is going on that they didnt tell you or youre not posting here)

id like to see this, because i call bullshit given your current description.
Oct 30 2008 9:22PM
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Capurnicus
Posts: 9947 - Karma: 1,886
...wtf man?? must you hate on skiing so much??
Oct 30 2008 9:29PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7816 - Karma: 1,534
They were probably proving how they had already done avalanche control and made it safe.  That or they had already done avalanche control without telling you.
Oct 30 2008 9:30PM
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huge-go
Posts: 1451 - Karma: 33
It's because they did control all year inbounds and it was groomed by skiers and machines. Out of bounds unstable layers were simply allowed to build up and never really bonded.
Oct 30 2008 9:38PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153

well helloooooooooo shirley.

i said, based on the given description, it is bullshit.  the description made it sound like the trollers thru bombs on identical slopes with the side of the ropeline being the only difference. 

the description given made it sound like the trollers were attempting to demonstrate that an avalanche is impossible inbounds.  which is what i called bullshit on.  and asked what information on the movie clip was being withheld from the description.

huge-go: have you see the clip?  what would a demonstration of throwing a bomb on groomed cordoury versus a slope completely untouched all year even attempt to prove?  thats just worthless to suggest.  unless you have seen the clip and thats honestly what they did.

jackfunnell: see there's a more plausible reason, demonstrating than a slope where avalanche control was recently performed on, it has a reasonably lesser chance of an avalanche event occuring compared to a slope where no control has been preformed.  is this what the clip was supposed to demonstrate?

Oct 31 2008 1:04AM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
Ya that's what they said. They said this is what happens on a slope that we've worked on all year, and this is what happens on an un touched slope.
Oct 31 2008 1:07AM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
All I want is to not have to be digging ANYONE out of holes.

Take a class. Get the essential gear, and know how to use it. Go with people who have more experience than you do. Read avie reports, dig pits, and pay attention. And know that even if you do all these things, you can still die out there.

Oct 31 2008 2:17AM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
is it regulated by ski patrol? no? then its BC and therefore you should have your stuff and know your shit. and it doesnt have to be a pow day. shit when it gets hot shit slides all the time
Oct 31 2008 2:24AM
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