A big thanks to Onx backcountry for making these post happen. Check out the Onx mapping app for your next backcountry adventure and click here to use the app to support your local avalanche forecasters
Scott went over the top. Snowpack is thin here, sokey is going where other skiers haven’t been. Just so happens the whole resort of Pischa is closed during the week. We toured there a few days go. It was good and pretty much untracked. So yesterday the Scott folks arranged with Pischa to open the tram for 3 runs. We did a bit a skinning, a bit of booting, and some very nice pow turns.
Pischa is known for providing access to some good freeride terrain off the backside that’s not laced with cables. Sadly, they don’t get enough business to stay open during the week unless Scott is in town. Me skiing that classic Euro boot-top pow. City of Davos down below. Quite large.
I tested the new Scott Superguide boots (upgraded Cosmos, stay tuned) and skis. No problem there, nice stuff that did the job on both ice and powder. My boots had their new foot drying Gore-tex liner, which worked. After several tests my feet were much dryer than I’m used to with impermeable thermoform liners. My wool socks were still a bit damp, but overall much more comfortable. The product developer says they’re going to keep working on the dry liner concept, perhaps adding some sort of venting system that moves moisture away from your feet even more readily. I think this passive system is pretty good, though it depends on your feet being warm and creating a vapor pressure that drives moisture through the Gore-tex to the outside of the liner.
Of course the gasthaus is always open. Good place to discuss boot liners with product developer Herve Maneint
Was it a resort or was it backcountry?
A member of the European ski press hard at work. That’s a nice red Alpride airbag backpack.
Davos maps, quite the complex of industrial skiing but you can find some touring as well.
14 comments
expensive!
As of yesterday: 20% more than even before!
CH is so great for skiing….but the prices (even for a tourer) can’t justify. It must be tough trying to run a tourist outfit over there at the moment.
Pretty wild move on the currency markets for CHF. Lou if you are sitting on some spare francs you will get a lot more pastries once in the eurozone.
Amazing having the place just for your group.
Aahhhhhhh so nice to see some picks of Davos which reminds me of my pow pow turns there too long ago! Enjoy, it is worth it!
Frame, I’d never had an experience like that before, I’m thankful, the gasthaus was open, that was the main thing (grin).
I wasn’t sitting on any francs, but did read the news, pretty amazing…
Lou
Skiing, snow ?!? What a concept ..
And I live in South Central AK why ?
8(
Did you see the chapel betwee Davos and Klosters with the wedge shaped end wall to split avalanches? http://www.slf.ch/ueber/geschichte/lawinenschutz/Frauenkirche_kl.jpg
Lou, I still ski a mountaineering ski, Trabe Freerando circa 2005 108, 78,98 I am looking at replacing them but I can find few reviews for skis that have a nice rebound and good edge control. I still like skiing in snow and making as many turns as possible for my vert. Please keep an ear out or do a review of such skis as once you leave EU they do not seem to exist. Thanks, Eric
I’ll keep that in mind Eric. There are still plenty of “80 waist” type skis out there, but some do have too much rocker and too much sidecut for the trad mountaineering type feel. Lou
What jacket are you wearing inside the gasthaus?
And judging by the look on Herve, it appears he already knows your next question!
That’s a big Mountain Equipment puffy I’m wearing so I can laugh at the cold, for some reason I was feeling very low metabolism those few days, probably residual jet leg or something. Herve is wearing Scott but of course! The Scott clothing comprises quite a few items, not sure how much we’ll detail them.
Their website is here:
http://www.scott-sports.com/us/en/
It’s hard to find things on it, perhaps you can find the ski clothing.
Herve smiles quite a bit, super nice guy.
Lou
Eric- The Fischer Transalp 88 is worth a look. Quick turning, solid edge hold, very damp and stable, early rise tip ( not really any rocker), bomber binding mount plate, and pretty light at just 1200ish grams per ski in a 177. We’ve been testing a pair, and they are pretty impressive. My only gripe is I wish they had some true tip rocker.
Scott, I will take a look at the 88. I appreciate the feedback. Most of the skis I have liked have lost their “pop” and have sacrificed edge hold for easier powder skiing. There are plenty of times, when it gets manky I wouldn’t mind a bit of rocker to get me back to the trailhead. Early rise and old bent TUA’s are as close to rocker as I have gotten to at this point in life. I would rather have confidence up top and have to work a bit down low. I was considering the Trab Freerando Light but the dimensions seem to curvy for hardback. If I’m wrong please correct me.
Thanks, Eric
So I took the Transalp 88 out again yesterday, all firm hardpack conditions. Letting the skis just run straight and fast, they got quite swivel-ly underfoot. And they got a little chattery on higher speed turns, but I was probably in the back seat a bit and skidding not carving.
On the plus side- reconfirmed that they love to turn and edge hold is solid.
@eric: Dynastar Cham Haute Montagne 87? I demoed a pair for 3 days in very mixed conditions in Chamonix last March, loved the stability and ease of turning, felt confident on icy and crusty aspects, to the point I bought a pair when I returned to the States (cheaper here, even though made in Chamonix, go figure) to be my spring/above tree line setup (I use DPS Wailer 112 for pow). I’ve only used them once this season because of the sad Tahoe drought, confirmed the demo impressions.
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