backcountry skiing Dynafit Trip Reports resort Louie Misc Gear Reviews weather Black Diamond safety Binding Reviews skins backpack climbing skins avalanches video snowmobile snowboard food clothing Fourteeners camera Boot Reviews huts Fritschi alpinism Utah photography avalanche safety alpinist guidebook Cloudveil Silvretta Europe Technique kids Gear Mods Rando Racing Elk Mountains Guest Blogs training Aspen automotive Wyoming computer Chris Davenport music backcountry skier Christmas 10th Mountain Enviro Rants bicycle North America Avalung TGR GPS Austria Mountain Culture north face Everest Movie Reviews Canada gloves Aspen Mountain batteries Book Reviews lightweight gear History News Backcountry Alps Andrew McLean Salewa Alaska Carbondale Maps Dave Downing first aid helmets Bob Perlmutter pastry Denver Google Aspen Highlands Montana Forest Service Sean Crossen Televangelism snowboarding Eulogies rock climbing Mount Sopris hunting Diamir Greg Hill Craig Dostie Salt Lake City Mike Marolt thermo liner Aspen Skiing Company New Zealand Ortovox

EU Day 7 — In The Tracks of the Master

By Lou

Is zero avalanche danger worth two feet of fresh? If you’ve been through the lifetime of backcountry skiing I have, you might answer yes. Knowing too many fine people who’s lives have been snuffed out by cascading snow is sometimes just too much for the grief meter. Ski touring is supposed to be fun. Not a death march. So, if the danger is nil I’ll take it and smile like a waiter realizing they just got a 50% gratuity on an 8 person meal, with wine, at any restaurant in Aspen.

Manfred Barthel on Steinbergstein today.

Today was like that here in Austria. Sure, as a simple tour with just one climb of 3,600 vert and the subsequent descent of a mellow peak (Steinbergstein), we’re not making it into a TGR movie anytime soon. But the weather. The Alps. Companionship of one of the area’s masters. We even saw some wildlife — and did eat pastries.

Your blogger on the way up. It's been cold here. About 8 degrees F when we started up this morning, so hitting the sun was a joy. That and the fact that nearly every day I've had touring in the Alps over the past several years has been a storm day. So I was singing hallelujah when not a cloud grew in the sky, and thinking I was finally experiencing something like those Euro skiing posters and calendars that make it look as perfect as Vail (just kidding, as I like keeping my pants on when it's this cold).

Ok, here is the man. If I can climb and ski at seven decades even close to like Manfred Barthel does, that'll be fine and I will not whine. Why is he so good? Growing up without a car has something to do with it. You wouldn't believe the stories of how back in their day these guys had to walk an extra day just to get to the skiing. (If you're really really green, perhaps you should try that. Leave your crib a day early for a few turns at your local backcountry haunt, then take an extra day to get back? Talk about a low carbon footprint! If you do this, you're allowed to laugh at my truck.)

Near the Steinbergstein summit, we worked easterly along a ridge to drop some lines that hadn't been carved into bump runs yet. No lie, they get so many ski tourers up here that the more accessible slopes look like Highland Bowl three days after a storm. But like anywhere in the world, if you just take some time to think different you can avoid the teeming unwashed masses.

This is cool. We're gliding along and come across of herd of chamois. I've always wanted to encounter these creatures. They're flighty as heck, you can tell they get hunted quite a bit. They look like a cross between a goat and deer -- proof that backcountry skiers once mated with elk?

Manfred heading down...

...and me. More boot top powder, zilch avy danger, bluebird, good gear and the master as a companion. Yep, it was like two feet of fresh.

View Larger Map

Posted by Lou on January 8, 2009 | Filed Under Trip Reports

Comments

20 Responses to “EU Day 7 — In The Tracks of the Master”

Randonnee January 8th, 2009 11:26 am

Thank you for the inspiration! What a life there! Manfred’s ski form reminds me of my 71 year-old Bavarian ski tour buddy Ludwig- precise and efficient. Cool, another inspiration.

There is a hope of possibly skiing here in central WA on a sunny tour tomorrow on refrozen snow with a skiff of new snow. Rain has finally stopped in the Cascades so now we wait for the flood crest to pass and the snow to refreeze with some new snow. At least the troublesome deeply buried weak layers have been eliminated except at some high elevations and to the north.
Scott January 8th, 2009 12:09 pm

That is great to see and is truly an inspiration to those of us having minor panics at hitting much smaller milestone birthdays.

Locally (front Range), I have often run into a gentleman from Longmont who is in his 70s touring for turns in the old Hidden Valley area in RMNP. I don’t remember his name, but he does have a pronounced Austrian accent.
Bill Porter January 8th, 2009 12:43 pm

There is something to be said about skiing in a zero avy conditions. In my short 25 years of b.c. touring, especially the Alps where one wrong turn could be fatal. European ski/mountain culture is something that every aficionado needs to experience. The terrain is so vast and complex and huge that jumping over a ridge from one village to another often requires astute navigational skills, route finding and a little luck. When you can relax and enjoy the experience without avy danger pooling in the back of your brain, you are free to experience heaven here on earth….
Barry January 8th, 2009 1:45 pm

This is off subject, but Lou suggested I might get some advice from any midwestern states’ randonee skiers out there. I’m looking for anywhere in Wisconsin or Michigan’s U.P. where I can do some decent randonee skiing. I know about Porcupine Mountains ski area backside, and Copper Harbor’s sort-of backountry ski area, but does anyone out there know about any backcountry where I can skin up and ski down some decent vertical? I’ve been tossed out of a few ski areas trying this, so that doesn’t work. I promise to rarely use the area. Much obliged.
Shane January 8th, 2009 2:41 pm

Lou, I was wondering what your experience has been with various avy probes. I just retired a nice 3.2 m probe after one year of use (fortunately no rescue situations). The probe would either not deploy due to the nut not threading onto the bolt at the end of the cable or due to the coated steel wire freezing within a section and preventing deployment. I thought I’d contact the manufacturer (G3) and figured I’d end up with a replacement or some satisfactory resolution. I was told to pay the shipping and they’d repair the probe, estimated turn-around time was one month, I found this unacceptable and figured other people should know this before buying any G3 products. I know there are any number of other manufacturers who will stand by their product in a more appropriate and timely fashion. The probe was always stored extended and dried after each day of touring. I thought that buying from a reputable company that designs such bomber and innovative equipment would be sufficient. I’ve seen other rants and raves on warranty issues from other people, so any thoughts??Thanks, Shane.
Lou January 8th, 2009 4:03 pm

Shane, as many folks know about me I don’t always carry an avy probe. We won’t get into that debate here (or at least I hope not), but I can say that when I do carry them, I just don’t deploy enough to have ever experienced any problems.

Thus, it seems like your issue is more of warranty turnaround. My opinion on that? A month does seem overly long for something still on warranty.
Lou January 8th, 2009 4:16 pm

Can anyone help out Barry?
ScottN January 8th, 2009 5:15 pm

Barry – Sort of saying this tongue in cheek, but get out of Dodge and move to Carbondale, CO (grin). Have you tried skinning up at night or early in the AM ? Another benefit of being near 5 ski areas (like in Carbondale), is the ability to skin at almost any time and that doesn’t include the plethora of backcountry terrain available either. I haven’t been blessed with a money tree in my yard, but we manage to get by here, with what some would consider (at least by Aspen’s standards) near poverty level living. It can be done if you want to do it.
ScottN January 8th, 2009 5:18 pm

Oh yeah, Lou, what camera are you using these days for your travels and tours? Nice shots, looks beautiful over there.
pete anzalone January 8th, 2009 8:27 pm

Barry,

I was in the UP two or three summers ago, near Marquette. Seems there are some hills there, lots of trails and sparse woods (glades?). I vaguely recall that some folks actually do a bit of BC skiing in this area.

I’d love to know what you find.

-Pete
Kevin January 8th, 2009 9:16 pm

Barry

I was around Marquette over the New Year weekend and can attest to some rolly-polly terrain. There’s a good shop – Downwind Sports – that carries the appropriate gear and seems to employ folks who should know about such things. Maybe you can befriend one or two of them… they also have a location in Houghton, closer to the goods you seem to already know about.

Kevin
Andrew January 8th, 2009 9:24 pm

“Zero avalanche danger”?? Sounds like you are setting yourself up there Lou. :)
David Hemphill January 8th, 2009 9:38 pm

Thanks for the inspiration, Lou. Ironically, read post while at work waiting tables in Alabama, dreaming. haven’t seen CO since ‘97- just replaced old stix w BD Ethics on sale. hope to switch over the Silvretta 400’s and score some AT boots and see you in April. Finally ordered WILD SNOW. Southern climbers can dream ?
andyw January 8th, 2009 11:56 pm

good advice, nice shots…ta.
Lou January 9th, 2009 12:16 am

Thanks guys, glad you’re enjoying the reports. We’re all using Canon A series point-and-shoots. Both Manfred and I have A720, Fritz has an A640.
Lou January 9th, 2009 12:18 am

Yeah Andrew, I should say something like “super low” rather than “zero.” Just fun to be at such low risk after all the recent rockin and rollin in the Western US. It’s been more than a week without a face shot, however, so…
Lou January 9th, 2009 1:19 am

Everyone, we’re getting quite a few comments, which is fantastic and appreciated. So keep ‘em coming!

With that in mind, should I increase the number of “recent comments” shown in the right hand column, to perhaps 15 instead of 12?

Let me know.
Frank R January 9th, 2009 4:59 pm

Final TR from Europe needs to be Lou clicked in and strapped to the top of a Porsche while Fritz is doing a buck twenty down the Autobahn…in a snowstorm of course so Lou gets faceshots! That’d prove, once and for all, that Dynafit bindings are beefy. (plus it’d make a great Wildsnow poster)

Don’t worry, soon enough you’ll be home wishing for even tolerable avy conditions…sounds like your having a pretty good trip and boot-top pow is still pow.
Cody January 19th, 2009 7:06 am

Lou,

I couldn’t really find a specific post on this issue, but do you or anyone else have any expericence and or comments on the Dynafit ST 3.0 ski? I’m looking at it for a spring time mountaineering/corn ski and a rando race ski (I’m not competing for the podium, so super light weight is not a concern).

Thanks,
Cody
Lou January 19th, 2009 7:19 am

Cody, I don’t recall ever skiing them. A bit narrow under the foot for my taste, even for springtime, as once the corn softens it’s good to have some platform. As for a rando race ski, anything short and light is good for a starter ski. And it needs to be fairly skinny so the skins glide good and to save weight — I’d say a narrower ski than the 3.0 would be better for racing because of that. That said, among your group of competitors with the same uphill engines, you’ll get your bragging rights by being a bit faster on the downhills and transitions, so how the ski does on the down can make racing a lot more fun.