ultralight backpacking, bicycling, splitboarding
From my Trail Journal, Sunday, 2005-05-08, Sonju Lake
The sun hangs in the sky, lazy. The choir of creatures surrounding me don’t mind me being here and have just struck up a tune. A choir with tens of thousands of players, no composer and no sheet music. A jazz combo of epic proportions. The first few mosquitos of the summer buzz solo parts in my ear. They are huge.
A group of individuals loosely-related via splitboard.com have been getting together atop Wyoming’s Togwotee Pass for the past half-dozen years or so to delve their splitboards into the deep, Wyoming “Cowboy Pow” along the continental divide at the pass as well as on the steep flanks of the impressive Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park. I’ve had the pleasure of joining this crew for the three seasons and each has been a delight not only because of the opportunity to ride exquisite snow in challenging terrain but because of the camaraderie of this fine group of folks as well. In both 2009 and 2010 I shot video and made an edit of those captures. 2011 was no exception and I was able to put together a short barrage of both the toil of skinning uphill as well as the joy of slashing down.
Scrubfest 2011 from samh on Vimeo.
Experiencing the mountains in winter produces perhaps the most awe-inspiring moments for me. To climb to the top of them and look out over the landscape for dozens, if not hundreds of miles provides a view that little else tops.
Wade and Trevor high up in the Tetons
I had the opportunity to demo a splitboard this weekend – a chance that I jumped at. I’ve not had any experience riding a rockered (aka reverse camber) board so when Will from Spark R & D mentioned he had a Jones’ Solution available I grabbed it for a test with little hesitation. The reverse camber both rode downhill and skinned uphill like a dream and I’ll be researching that technology for my future splitboards.
Jones’ Solution splitboard and Spark R & D Blaze binders
The Grand Teton and the Teton Mountain Range
Rio, Trevor, Wade, and Jeramie atop East Angle Mountain
Trevor earning his turns
Wikipedia defines glissading as the
“..voluntary act of descending a steep slope of snow in a controlled manner either for the sheer thrill of the ride or to bypass tedious scree.”
During the summer of 2009 I co-guided a course in ultralight backpacking for the Backpacking Light Wilderness Trekking School alongside Andrew Skurka and Glen Van Peski in the beautiful Wind River Range of Wyoming. One afternoon as we were descending along painfully slow scree fields (I believe off Wind River Peak) we opted to speed things up and glissade some perfectly pitched snowfields.
View the embedded video “Glissading in the Wind River Range” on Vimeo.
Southwest Montana is home to wildlife aplenty. Grizzly bears and black bears have free roam over a landscape that is millions and millions of acres and as such when people opt to cohabitate with these big critters certain precautions must be taken. Above is a photo of Mike beginning the process of preparing a food hang called the PCT Method, described in the article Bear Bag Hanging Techniques at Backpacking Light
For me 2011 is shaping up to be the year of the new bicycle. I think the last new bicycle I owned was a rad litte number made by Diamond Back. It was a freestyle bike with mag wheels, front and rear pegs, and a frame that was purpose-welded for frame-stands. Hell yeah I did some tricks with that bike that I’m sure made my mom cover her eyes rather that watch!
I’m a bit older now and my cycling life centers around bicycle commuting. Rather than being excited about bar hops, cherry pickers, and frame-stands I get jazzed about how hardcore it is to ride to work in -10 deg F. weather. I’ve been looking for the perfect commuter bicycle to handle the task of using everyday to haul my ass to work as well as hauling cardboard and cans to the recycling center. On top of these utilitarian needs I wanted a bicycle that would be ready for a late-Friday afternoon decision to head out for some bike-camping with my #wolfpack from The Bozeman Fix.
Surly Bikes decided to drop their new Troll frame last fall and I pretty much started drooling at first view. At this time I began doing some bank account math regarding what was more important – food on my dinner table or a new rig in my stable and quickly decided my hard-earned pennies were best spent sourcing a parts list that would make most any cycle commuter start a constant drool.  The frame was only the beginning. It represented the foundation for a bicycle built with an 8-speed internal rear hub, a power-generating dynamo front hub, a super-ultra-awesome front and rear light system, and topping it off, a whole host of practical parts like disc brakes, swept-back handlebars, fenders, a big ol’ grocery basket, and the list goes on. If you’re really interested in exactly what went into the build, comment below or contact me and I’ll set you up with a parts list.
In the video below I present the build process of my newly-aquired 2011 Surly Troll frameset as seen from the ground up in timelapse form. The beer-drinking, rock-n-roll-listenin’ mechanics shown are Casey, Mike, and Sam. Thanks also goes to Mason and Bangtail Bikes for their help – even though they don’t appear in the vid. These guys are nerds and proud of it. Show ’em your love in the comments section, folks.
Quality Bicycle Products supplied my favorite local shop, Bangtail Bikes with a couple demo snowbikes recently. Mike and I have taken them out on three separate occasions and put roughly fifteen miles on them.
The first rig is a Surly Pugsley:
The second rig is the newly released Salsa Mukluk:
Both rides are equipped with Surly tires. These tires are inflated to an amazingly low six p.s.i. of pressure and are sized at 3.8 in. (9.65 cm) wide. The flotation from these things is spectacular for riding on snow or sand.
It’s no doubt that a number of the readers of this blog are familiar with the Pugsley snowbike; probably having heard either directly or offhandedly in their use along “The Lost Coast”, Iditabike, or the Arrowhead 135. The Salsa Mukluk frameset is new and doesn’t yet have the same badass reputation as the Pugsley. Cyclists are stoked about it however because it differs from the Pugsley in that the wheels aren’t offset from center making for a slightly smoother turning action. Personally I don’t mind the offset because most of the usage of these bikes are at relatively slow speeds on highly-diverse terrain not making the offset as noticeable as it would be at speed on asphalt.
I first rode a Pugsley in 2009 while visiting family in Minnesota. My brother and I took them out for a trail ride in the popular mountain biking destination, Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. The riding on a packed snow trail is excellent and rivals summertime singletrack riding. That evening after the trail riding we sessioned the bikes for a couple hours jibbing on snowbanks for a few hours.
This past weekend Mike and I took the Pugsley and Mukluk to the Chestnut Mountain trailhead near Bozeman and were able to ride them about 1.5 miles up the trail before the amount of foot traffic had lessened enough to not provide an adequate riding surface. Riding back down the 1.5 miles was exhilarating. There’s little scarier than having both front and rear disc brakes locked up as you and your bike slide left and right along a steep switchback section of trail.
Ketchum, Idaho is a small, swanky town that is home to Sun Valley Ski Resort. Many of the skiers here are rich fashionistas that never leave the smoothness of the groomed runs and comfort of the ski lifts. There are definitely some badasses that live there also however and for those willing to head only a few miles out their own backdoor a nearly endless sea of peaks and ridges awaits.
Ketchum lies comfortably nestled in a pocket formed by the Challis and Sawtooth National Forests of Idaho with State Highway 75 the artery supplying fresh tourist dollars and backcountry dirtbags alike to the town. Mike and I are of the latter category although we did buy some groceries, burgers, and beer while we visited. The highway passes through downtown and heads North into the National Forest. On it’s way it switchbacks up and over Titus Ridge, topping out on what is called the Galena Summit at 8700′ (2652 m). A road that goes to nearly 9,000 feet simply screams, “Come ski me!”
Wikipedia defines Ski Touring as “…a form of backcountry skiing involving traveling over the winter landscape on skis under human power rather than through the use of ski lifts or snow vehicles.
The competitive form of ski touring is often referred to as randonnee racing wherein participants compete in a timed event during which they must move through a course ascending (both skinning and bootpacking) as well as by doing traditional ski descents.
On January 29th, 2011 my local ski hill Bridger Bowl is holding their annual randonnee Race, “Skin to Win”. Two classes are available with the Pro class being required to follow a course with a minimum of 5,000 vertical feet and a Recreational class with a minimum of 2,100 vertical feet.
Competitors are required to carry/use the following equipment:
I’ve been wanting to participate in this race for the past two years since moving to Southwest Montana so I’ve got it on my calendar. I am capable of putting in the vertical required for the Pro competition but I typically would require all day to do it. Since this is a competitive format I’ll be entering the Recreational class.
The end of the year is a time for contemplation. It marks aclear passage of time which we can use to evaluate the state of thingsin our lives. One way of celebrating these activities, things,places, et al is to make a list of that which we liked best in the previousyear. My list isn’t necessarily composed of things that were newin 2010 (although most of them are) but instead focuses on them being “new” tome. I should also note the list is in no particular order. If you make a list, post it to the comments below so I cancheck it out.
| The Top Ten for Twenty-Ten | |
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Retribution GospelChoir – “2” I fell in love with Retribution Gospel Choir while living in Duluth, MN during ’05 and ’06. They played regularly and I have seen them perform dozens of times. The anticipation related to the release of this album was strong in me. I acquired a copy of this on vinyl as well as in mp3 and it was the album I listened to most this year. |
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Spark R & D Blaze splitboard binders The fellows at Spark are some innovative chaps. I have been riding a set of the Ignition II binders since 2008 and decided to upgrade for performance and weight saving reasons. I had the opportunity to do some part-time work at Spark R & D which meant I was able to assemble my own set of these badboys. I’ve only been on one tour with them but am already very pleased. |
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Backpacking Light Stealth NANO backpacking tarp A five ounce cuben fiber tarp that can withstand mega winds, hail, and keep you dry in a blowing rainstorm? Yes, please. Manufactured by top-quality sewers in the good ol’ U S of A and sold by the beloved Backpacking Light this tarp is an absolute winner. |
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Bike Route Toaster I log my bicycle mileage using Green Light Ride and I’ve found the best online map routing service to be Toaster. The ability to map, save, export, and share routes and it’s inherent elevation, speed, and distance measuring is easy, friendly, and practical. |
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Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness Most of my summer backpacking trips in 2010 were in the 900,000+ acre AB Wilderness. Stretching a vast distance barely pockmarked by any roads the Absarokas are home to some of the most pristine and wild landscapes I’ve ever set foot into. |
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EverytrailPRO Android app I recently upgraded my telephone to an HTC Droid Incredible that has built-in GPS capabilities. Running the EveryTrail PRO app allows me to post GPS routes from my phone. I carry the phone while hiking anyway because of the built in camera and for the possible security it may afford me should I need a rescue. Once uploaded Everytrail will sync with the photos (automatically geotagged by the phone) I’ve posted to my Flickr site. |
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Marmot Leadvillesoftshell jacket Splitboarding and high-energy output sports in the winter require highly breathable yet insulating clothing. A softshell is the obvious answer to this dilemna and after researching a dozen different models I settled on a Marmot product for its combination of weight, features, and price. I have been very pleased with it’s balance of warmth and breathability. |
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Wuss –“DEMO” I frequent a music blog called The Shadowkick and some time back a post to the demo release from a band called Wuss was posted. It is a gritty album that fulfills my love of metal and punk. |
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Recycle:cycle Cargo Bike (DIY) Throughout 2009 I contemplated, researched, and began designing a do-it-yourself longtail cargo bike. Sometime in the early months of this year I finalized the build. It is still a work-in-progress but she rides well and hauls some huge loads. I brazed her up from two bike frames, tubing cut from one or two others, and steel I sourced from a discarded grocery store shelf. |
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#wolfpack Every top-ten list needs a bit of an inside joke. So, to my #wolfpack I raise my glass and say SKOL!!!. |
