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.
All material on this website is copyrighted, the name WildSnow is trademarked, permission required for reproduction (electronic or otherwise) and display on other websites. PLEASE SEE OUR COPYRIGHT and TRADEMARK INFORMATION.
We include "affiliate sales" links with most of our blog posts. This means we receive a percentage of a sale if you click over from our site (at no cost to you). None of our affiliate commission links are direct relationships with specific gear companies or shopping carts, instead we remain removed by using a third party who manages all our affiliate sales and relationships. We also sell display "banner" advertising, in this case our relationships are closer to the companies who advertise, but our display advertising income is carefully separated financially and editorially from our blog content, over which we always maintain 100% editorial control -- we make this clear during every advertising deal we work out. Please also notice we do the occasional "sponsored" post, these are under similar financial arrangements as our banner advertising, only the banner or other type of reference to a company are included in the blog post, simply to show they provided financial support to WildSnow.com and provide them with advertising in return. Unlike most other "sponsored content" you find on the internet, our sponsored posts are entirely under our editorial control and created by WildSnow specific writers.See our full disclosures here.
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error and passing time, the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date.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.
What submarine would this be?
Scott knows what, but name and where?
Is it the Scorpion in CA, or is it one more active and USA made?
USS Pampanito, San Francisco.
Yep, Pampanito. After all the movies and books about sub warfare, I’d still never been in one. Truly interesting, and scary. Can’t imagine serving on one. We lost almost 50 during the war, with all hands… but according to the exhibit they were considered our most effective weapon.
I once toured a WWII sub at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. Amazingly tight quarters. And imagine that those guys went something like a month at a time between laundry sessions. The diesel gunk and such was so bad that nearly white clothes would end up almost black after such a long time. It is amazing what those ships can do, but I couldn’t handle it.
Yeah, sorry I had an inside edge having been there…… but, imagine being in one of those things with german boats above dropping depth charges all around you. Being sort of claustrophobic I’d have lost it..
Anyone taller than 5’5″ would feel tall in a sub.
Anyone interested in what submarine service was like in WW2, check out the movie “Das Boot”. It about a u-boat crew, but life was similar in all services. The depth charging episode is particularly harrowing.
Seen it. Twice. Incredible. American remake version is out there, forgot the name. Das Boot is better.
Gee Lou,
You came all the way out to the city by the Bay and didn’t bring any Colorado sunshine along?!? What kind of guest are you? We’ve been suffering under the coldest and greyest summer in living memory (much to my the detriment of my Colorado blood). Maybe next time we should swap homes for a week! 😉
Hunter, we never would have known it. First three days we were here were perfect! Then yesterday, foggy, but we did the indoors thing (de Young museum) so no big. Good visit and break before winter, back in office soon to ramp up WildSnow for the winter. a little inspiration from Picasso to keep doing everything as long as possible is always a good thing, got it thanks to de Young.
I was definitely thinking submarine at first…then i thought that guys desk was in an awfully “big” room for a sub and thought Naval ship. It’s pretty clear that the man at the desk is stoked for ski season and is diligently checking wildsnow.com for the latest snow industry updates.
It isn’t a submarine. It is Lou’s custom built secret bunker 500 feet below ground that he retreats to to escape the wrath of the anti-OHV crowd whenever he posts an artical about jeeping in Moab.
Indeed, whatever works!