Comments on: Backcountry Bomb Is… The Bomb http://www.wildsnow.com/2202/backcountry-skiing-cornice-cutting/ Backcountry Skiing Snowboard Telemark Snowsports Information News Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:03:37 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Lou http://www.wildsnow.com/2202/backcountry-skiing-cornice-cutting/comment-page-1/#comment-21184 Lou Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:55:07 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=2202#comment-21184 Dave, your point about creating repeater situations is a good one. I'd say this tool is like any other backcountry activity or technique, i.e., to be used responsibly. Knocking cornices down for amusement is the same thing as boulder trundling, and should be frowned upon as unethical or downright dangerous. On the other hand, knocking cornices down to test a slope is a super useful technique that everyone who skis corniced terrain should have in their bag of tricks. It's saved my life several times. Dave, your point about creating repeater situations is a good one. I’d say this tool is like any other backcountry activity or technique, i.e., to be used responsibly. Knocking cornices down for amusement is the same thing as boulder trundling, and should be frowned upon as unethical or downright dangerous. On the other hand, knocking cornices down to test a slope is a super useful technique that everyone who skis corniced terrain should have in their bag of tricks. It’s saved my life several times.

]]> By: Dave http://www.wildsnow.com/2202/backcountry-skiing-cornice-cutting/comment-page-1/#comment-21170 Dave Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:59:39 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=2202#comment-21170 Bad idea (with a caveat). Only the most experienced backcountry travelers should use this tool. While great for patrollers (in a 100' length), my comments are directed towards backcountry users. Dropping cornices really screw up the snowpack. Like some kind of party trick, it is done for thrills and giggles more often than for stability assessment. I've been using the same exact design since the nineties, as it sounds like other were, too. Fifty feet works well for small cornices. Larger cornices are pretty dicey. Since you have to stand so far back to be safe (depending on belay), it is easy to cut clean through a big cornice, only to have it stay put due to oblique cutting angle. Then what? You've only accomplished making it more hazardous. After playing it with it a lot, I have put it away. Pretest probability is important. If one thinks a given slope will slide, don't drop a cornice. If it slides, you screwed up the slope. If it doesn't slide, you probably shouldn't ski it anyway. You should only drop cornices if you think it won't slide, to test your hypothesis. Otherwise you create areas with thinner snowpacks that often repeat throughout the season. The caveat is a situation when there are limited descent options and it is necessary for safe travel (or perhaps when in a remote area unlikely to see other skiers). With respect, Dave Bad idea (with a caveat).

Only the most experienced backcountry travelers should use this tool. While great for patrollers (in a 100′ length), my comments are directed towards backcountry users. Dropping cornices really screw up the snowpack. Like some kind of party trick, it is done for thrills and giggles more often than for stability assessment.

I’ve been using the same exact design since the nineties, as it sounds like other were, too. Fifty feet works well for small cornices. Larger cornices are pretty dicey. Since you have to stand so far back to be safe (depending on belay), it is easy to cut clean through a big cornice, only to have it stay put due to oblique cutting angle. Then what? You’ve only accomplished making it more hazardous. After playing it with it a lot, I have put it away.

Pretest probability is important. If one thinks a given slope will slide, don’t drop a cornice. If it slides, you screwed up the slope. If it doesn’t slide, you probably shouldn’t ski it anyway. You should only drop cornices if you think it won’t slide, to test your hypothesis. Otherwise you create areas with thinner snowpacks that often repeat throughout the season.

The caveat is a situation when there are limited descent options and it is necessary for safe travel (or perhaps when in a remote area unlikely to see other skiers).

With respect, Dave

]]> By: Lou http://www.wildsnow.com/2202/backcountry-skiing-cornice-cutting/comment-page-1/#comment-20648 Lou Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:32:37 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=2202#comment-20648 Thanks Virginie! I took the liberty of translating your comment (with the help of Babblefish) "I am really satisfied with the Back Country Bomb. I feel more in confidence in skiing after having tested the slope by cutting and dropping a cornice. The impact of snow which falls on the slope is much more significant than that of a skier. If this impact does not cause an avalanche, I have much more confidence in venturing onto the slope. It is a brilliant idea!!! V." Thanks Virginie!

I took the liberty of translating your comment (with the help of Babblefish)

“I am really satisfied with the Back Country Bomb. I feel more in confidence in skiing after having tested the slope by cutting and dropping a cornice. The impact of snow which falls on the slope is much more significant than that of a skier. If this impact does not cause an avalanche, I have much more confidence in venturing onto the slope. It is a brilliant idea!!! V.”

]]> By: juan http://www.wildsnow.com/2202/backcountry-skiing-cornice-cutting/comment-page-1/#comment-20622 juan Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:27:38 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=2202#comment-20622 Estoy muy feliz de tener en mi mochila Backcountry bomb, es liviano, compacto y tiene mucho poder de destruccion . Su cable de gran extension permite cubrir una gran superficie y solo se necesita una persona, resistente y a un buen precio. uno se siente mas tranquilo esquiando una pendiente despues de haber usado este inventito. Lo he usado en nieve muy muy dura y demora un poco mas de tiempo, pero al final corta cualquier cosa, en hielo tambien fuciona, increible. Ahora forma parte de mi mochila invernal. saludos Estoy muy feliz de tener en mi mochila Backcountry bomb, es liviano, compacto y tiene mucho poder de destruccion .
Su cable de gran extension permite cubrir una gran superficie y solo se necesita una persona, resistente y a un buen precio.

uno se siente mas tranquilo esquiando una pendiente despues de haber usado este inventito.
Lo he usado en nieve muy muy dura y demora un poco mas de tiempo, pero al final corta cualquier cosa, en hielo tambien fuciona, increible.
Ahora forma parte de mi mochila invernal.
saludos

]]> By: Virginie http://www.wildsnow.com/2202/backcountry-skiing-cornice-cutting/comment-page-1/#comment-20621 Virginie Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:18:04 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=2202#comment-20621 Je suis vraiment satisfaite d' utiliser le Back Country Bomb. Je me sens plus en confiance de skiier après avoir testé la pente en coupant la cornice. L'impact de la neige qui tombe sur la pente est plus important que le mien. Si cet impact ne provoque pas d'avalanche, je me sens vraiment plus en confiance d'y aller. C'est une idée géniale!!! V. Je suis vraiment satisfaite d’ utiliser le Back Country Bomb. Je me sens plus en confiance de skiier après avoir testé la pente en coupant la cornice. L’impact de la neige qui tombe sur la pente est plus important que le mien. Si cet impact ne provoque pas d’avalanche, je me sens vraiment plus en confiance d’y aller.

C’est une idée géniale!!!

V.

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