– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures

– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

Banner
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures
   

Backcountry Skiing News Roundup

by Lou Dawson March 27, 2009
written by Lou Dawson March 27, 2009

Tragic to read about the death of Shane McConkey, who died yesterday while BASE jumping in Italy. McConkey began his ski career as racer, moved into freestyle, then took up free skiing and was in a bunch of movies. In recent years he’d been pushing the limits of combining skiing with BASE jumping. I’d never met Shane, but friends of his always told me he was not only a great guy but quite the innovator in many ways, least of all being his pioneering the use of reverse camber (rocker) in skis.

Dumpage. This from today’s Wasatch avy report: “Wow, what a snow storm, one of the largest of the winter—so far… Largest numbers are 41 inches in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, along the Park City ridgeline and in the Logan area mountains… Yesterday, on slopes less than 30 degrees, we had to break trail going downhill too…Winds were very strong yesterday and we had some northeast winds last night as the storm exited. Although they were not quite as strong in the Wasatch Range, there were gusts to near 90 last night at Lofty Peak, a high elevation weather station in the Uinta Mountains…” More here.

The recent Wilderness bill converts quite a bit of land on Oregon’s Mount Hood. I haven’t studied the need for this, so I’ll have to trust the locals and figure if they wanted it, then it is appropriate. But I did laugh when I read this article, which spends a number of words in praise of huts located near the new Wilderness, but fails to point out that those will be the last of such huts ever built in the area.

Elk Mountains Traverse race starts tonight. For years, this mountain melee was treated more as a nordic skate race than a ski mountaineering comp. But recent developments in lightweight backcountry skiing gear have converted the race into something more along the lines of a true radonnee comp. According to a talented competitor I spoke with a few days ago, most of the top guys will be on Scarpa F1 rigs latched with Dynafit bindings. Many carry two sets of mohair skins: one wall-to-wall, and the other a glide rig that’s cut short just behind the binding heel. Article here.

In our department of no comment, snowmobilers continue to die in avalanches at an alarming rate. Info here.

Well known PNW ski mountaineer Lowell Skoog is also quite the historian. Apparently he’s been skimming every issue of National Geographic back through a century ago. Isn’t that something like 1,200 magazines? Way more than my parents kept on that shelf when I was a kid, that’s for sure. Go Lowell!

5 comments
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
previous post
Grab Bag Thursday – Mini ‘Puters and Sled Safety – More
next post
Support Northwest Avalanche Center — Event in Seattle

5 comments

Jeff Stephens March 27, 2009 - 8:22 am

McConkey had a good run, managing to play at the very margin of disaster for a long time. While I can’t say I will follow in his footsteps, or encourage anyone else to, I salute him. Tahoe will be a little shorter now.

Now the debate will begin about risk, responsibility, and legacy.

Njord March 27, 2009 - 12:11 pm

Rest in Peace, Shane…

dave downing March 27, 2009 - 12:33 pm

Shane was an inspiration to a generation to skiers. From park to big mtn to mounting a pair of water skis in AK. He’ll be missed.

Tony March 28, 2009 - 8:07 am

Shane McConkey did amazing things, he will be missed.

Mark Worley March 29, 2009 - 6:20 pm

Truly a shock. Shane’s innovations of reverse camber (rocker) and reverse sidecut are revolutionary. I’m sorry that creativity has been lost.

Comments are closed.

Recent Comments

  • Manasseh on Versatile and Sustainable — WNDR Vital 100 Ski Review
  • Manasseh on Versatile and Sustainable — WNDR Vital 100 Ski Review
  • Jon Canuck on Meidjo 3.0 Binding Review – Backcountry Telemark Evolves
  • Joe Sedy on Giving Myself the Gift of Backcountry
  • Bil Brandt on Versatile and Sustainable — WNDR Vital 100 Ski Review

Gear Reviews

  • Meidjo 3.0 Binding Review – Backcountry Telemark Evolves

    January 12, 2021
  • Tele Tech First Look — Voile Ultra Vector BC, 22 Designs Lynx, Scarpa TX Pro

    January 5, 2021
  • Petzl Irvis Hybrid Crampon Review

    January 4, 2021

Trip Reports

  • Finding Early Turns on Rainier’s Muir Snowfield

    November 14, 2020
  • Treading Lightly Through Close-to-Home Mountains

    October 6, 2020
  • Snoqualmie Classic — Chair Peak Circumnavigation

    May 26, 2020

Totally Deep Podcast

  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020
  • Totally Deep Podcast 81 — CAIC Director Ethan Greene

    December 9, 2020
  • Unraveling the Mysteries of Avalanche Education — Totally Deep Podcast 80

    November 16, 2020

Tips & Tricks

  • 10 Essential Mistakes for the Backcountry Ski Touring Beginner

    December 2, 2020
  • Buying Used Gear Guide Part II — Poles, Avy Gear, Packs

    November 25, 2020
  • Save Your Ski Day — Emergency Car Kit Essentials

    November 24, 2020

Ski Touring Stories

  • Six Who Dared — Elk Mountains Traverse & Richard Compton Tribute

    January 7, 2021
  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020
  • A Lifetime of Skiing the Heights — Natural Progression Book Review

    December 11, 2020

Newsletter Sign-Up

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • About Lou Dawson
  • Authors Page
  • About
  • Contact
  • Copyright & Legal
  • Website Security

@2020 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Developed by WildSnow


Back To Top

Read alsox

Farewell 2020 Ski Touring News Roundup

December 28, 2020

For the Love of Spandex —...

December 16, 2020

Ski Touring News — Gear Shortages,...

November 20, 2020