Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information & opinion website. Lou's passion for the past 50 years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about
ski touring and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the
Fourteeners! Books and free ski touring news and information here.
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Backcountry skiing is dangerous. You may be killed or severely injured if you do any form of ski mountaineering, skimo randonnee and randonnée skiing. The information and news on this website is intended only as general information. Due to human error and passing time, the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date. By using, reading or viewing the information provided on this website, you agree to absolve the owners of Wild Snow as well as content contributors of any liability for injuries or losses incurred while using such information. Furthermore, you agree to use any of this website's information, maps, photos, or binding mounting instructions templates at your own risk, and waive Wild Snow owners and contributors of liability for use of said items for ski touring or any other use.
Wow, Lou. Telemarkers in the park and now sponsorship by Voile. Is there a chance you will come back to the light and free the heal for Denali? :biggrin: Seriously though, Voile is making great stuff these days, I’ve spent some quality days this winter on the Drifter 182 w/ Switchbacks and they make a great, very light (by my standards), free pivot, powder BC setup. Perfect for maintaining speed on the low-angle stuff we were forced to ski on the Front Range most of this season.
I thought you guys would get a laugh out of things today. It actually was kind of weird. I was chuckling about the terrain park telemark photo, then I got the Voile ad worked out. I guess when it rains it pours. Shoot, I might have to try this free heel stuff, it looks like fun. :angel:
Hooray Voile!
Wow, Wildsnow dot com becomes even more a Telemark forum….like the Grand Traverse becoming more Nordic. Top 5 teams at the 2010 Grand Traverse were on Dynafits…NOT Nordic bindings 😉
…bummer we didn’t get to ski over to Glitter Gulch, but it was the right call.
Cheers
Wick
Don’t forget Voile’s great splitboards as well. I don’t know what I’d do without my Mojo!
Yea, don’t forget the splitboards! If you need a splitboard columnist, I would happily volunteer my services.
wick, where can I go for reports/results/new of the Grand Traverse?
Best shovels period.
Others have mentioned it, but Voile is pretty much the only option for splitboards these days. Sure, those truly enlightened use two planks all the time, but some of us still have boarder friends and it’s great to get them into the BC with us!
Harpo – The only info I have seen, besides the Aspen Times is http://www.coloradomountainjournal.com .
Results are so far only on the EMGT facebook site, and limited at that …yet.
I wonder, with their sponsorship here, is Voile setting up for unveiling a new AT binding? Tech-compatible? Is it so wrong to hope that’s true?
Amen to the best shovels ever, and I’m the proud owner of a pair of 181cm Insanes…just great stuff coming out of that shop.
thank you ,this is my information i need.
Scott,
Voile is the only option for splits? What about the factory splits from Prior, Venture, and (next year) Jones Snowboards? There are other options than those as well.
P.S.- Lou, congrats!
Thanks Colin, I’m just about out of real estate as you guys can see. Big sigh of relief here, as I spend way too much time on keeping the advertising going, which takes away from my time as a blogger, which is of course why WildSnow.com exists — catch 22.
Concentrating more and more on Denali prep, more reports soon.
Have to say its a quality sponsor, and not so far out of the box Lou… No need to free the heal. Know the drifter 182 is a bit big, but with some tlt speeds and the bd split skins; it is ridiculously light a touring machine. Whatever time you lose on the way up you can make up by not turning on the way down! They have become my favorite skis in the quiver.
One question that I hope can get answered now that Voile is a sponsor of Wildsnow…
How the devil do you pronounce their name? Among my comrades it’s a subject of lively debate.
Has anybody tried the Vector? With Dynafits? Seems like a Manaslu competitor, but for significantly less money.