OK so I am throwing this stuff down without a lot of diligence. “Get ‘er done” as it is known is how this is getting done. I will without doubt be going back and making this all coherent on another day.

Let’s go on to the lid of the pack so it will be over.

I received the bag below as a gift from my sister and one day I was organizing my pack and remembered it. Hold on, this reminds me of a recent article I read in a climbing mag about how to pack for an alpine climb. The article said to stuff everything directly into the pack so that there are no possible nooks or crannies that could not be maximally stuffed. Man, I am behind the times… Anyway I took this little pouch and began to fill it with the small things that are thrown together in the main compartment of the lid (another pouch really). I package them together to be able to find them easily (windy snowy stormy dark etc) as I am searching now for only one item and its long sausage-like form is easy to identify without actually looking. Because there is a small flashlight attached to the outside, I now have a light source to look for other things in my pack (or around) without opening up the pouch to get it.

When I am going overnight I take the pouch out of my pack and put it in my pocket (jacket or pant). That way I always have these things on my person (I always have another knife and bic lighter on me but not the disinfectant). The sunscreen (in the purell bottle) and lip screen I sometime transfer to a pocket if I want them often but they start out in here. The earplugs weigh nothing and if you have made it into your bag when the snoring starts it’s nice to have this pair close by (for their weight I usually have another pair with my sleeping bag)

Small bag contents that resides in the lid of the pack.

The Pink Lighter

After many attempts to bring refillable butane lighters into the mountains I have given up. For my money nothing comes close to the Bic Lighter for fool-proof flame in cold, high places. When I was in school I started to buy the packs of Bic lighters that are by the grocery store cash register. I socialized a bit more back then and knew a few smokers and pretty soon I was subsidizing lighters to the smoking crowd (admit it, smokers will steal your lighter). That was when I started buying the packs with the most pink lighters, as well as the red and orange ones as these are much easier to see than the dark blue and green or black ones.

However, this is also how I stopped the subsidy. Whenever I noticed I was missing my lighter I would ask the smokers if any one of them had it. Each of them would pull out a lighter and 9 times out of 10 it would be black and they would simply claim it as their own. When anyone pulled out a pink lighter they would look at it and just give it back to me. No one would knowingly buy a pink lighter.
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Other stuff in the lid.

The other stuff (above) in the lid includes a headlamp, glass case (those are prescription sun glasses that I usually wear and bring along a normal pair if it gets dark), candle (for emergency as well as waxing skins) and some extra key rings that I use as break away straps (below). I keep my transceiver in here, but obviously wear it when skiing.

Key rings clipped in top of lid.

There is another compartment that is below the main compartment and in it I carry some snow study tools (a card, loupe and thermometer), a long strap (for lashing skis together or clamping the cuff together when a cable blows on the F1s), a compass and what would be my first aid kit. I once had the chance to ski with a well know local and got to hear some of his thoughts on things. He did not believe in first aid kits. Figured there was really no injury that you could deal with in the field that required a first aid kit. If someone was bleeding and it was bad you used a pair of mitts or a shirt and a lot of compression. If a bone was broken you splinted in place with parts of your pack, poles, axes or whatever and straps buckles and webbing and you waited for transport. Or you built a sled and hauled them out (in theory).

I bring one of those foil emergency blankets, a couple of bandages (that I have never needed) and a pair of hemostats. I figure if its a bad crash and you are bleeding out the best chance of survival is clamping arteries and even then there is not much hope (but this is a multi-use tool so its not so bad to carry).

underside lid contents

This particular pack has two pockets in the lid and one more that is along the back of the pack. I guess this is meant to be the Tool Pocket or Shovel Pocket and that is what I use it for. (Note: I am not particularly fond of this pack, I just have not found anything I like better. I have also been using this pack in the development of the MTH and I like to keep the pack variable down during development and only wreck one pack at a time.)

Tool Pocket.

As you can see in this pocket I keep: the shovel blade and handle as well as a snow saw, googles and repair kit.

What’s in the Tool Pocket

The repair kit I put together when I was still telemarking and anyone that telemarks knows that telemark equipment breaks. This is also why I have never liked or used a Multi-Tool. No posi-drive. I have used various tools to re-tighten loose binding screws and have not found anything I cared for, so I put together my own tool for catastrophic binding repairs.

The repair kit contains some patch material, dental floss for sewing, some skin repair parts (I also bring a few copper rivets or chicago screws that are not shown), a sewing awl, binding screws, steel wool and epoxy (not shown), a dynafit bushing, an extra basket, some tape (I need some new stuff), a safety pin, an allen key for my old F1 boot hardware (that I don’t use anymore so I can take this out) and a pair of angled needle nose pliers. I keep a swiss army knife in the lid of the pack that has an awl, wood saw, big blade, tweezers and openers etc.

Repair Kit Contents

Below is a hand drill that can be used to make new holes in a ski if you rip out a binding. I usually take 2-part epoxy and some steel wool to repair blown out holes but a re-mount may be necessary if you are on a long tour or out for a few days (I keep a long hose clamp tucked down beside the framesheet of the pack and hose clamping your boot to the ski is the fastest way to get moving again in some situations).

Drill parts become the driver.

hose clamp in pack

The parts of this drill are also used as a driver for tightening binding screws. I have always found that most drivers do not provide enough leverage for torquing the screws down and I use a small open-end wrench on the posi-bit (auto-correct be dammed I twice corrected posh to posi – now three times) to get that leverage. The aluminum shaft is designed to allow you to apply downward force on the bit and screw (use your finger or something flat to push against).

The drill becomes a driver.

Driver in action, but without me forcing down on the top of the aluminum shaft like I would be if I wasn’t taking a picture at the same time.

It’s not a perfect system (I’ll be perfect when I’m dead), but when used optimally (can’t say correctly) you can really tighten down the screw.

The happy truth is that since I stopped telemarking I haven’t had a binding issue (first generation Scarpa F1s on the other hand… –  I can tell stories). So this has been a good exercise to discover where my system can be improved and some of these tools will change (in particular the new dynafit binding screws require a different bit).

TBC

My apologies to anyone that happens by this place. That last post was quite the ramble and so why not stay with that theme.

I captured some images of what is in my pack (captured image, yeah – I used to take a picture), just to document it so when I lose my memory I can come back here for it.

Anyway this ramble will be about packs and how to pack them for me. I don’t care about you and how you do it and I’m not telling you anything OK?

So I will begin with my love of these:

The Best Plastic Bag

I use two of these heavy duty bags to break up my gear inside the main compartment of my pack. The plastic is fully water proof so you can take these out of the pack and put them right in the snow with no worry. I use one for my food and water and one for extra clothes, mitts and soft things. And if that’s not enough if push comes to shove you can burn them in a last ditch effort to melt enough snow to make it through the storm.

Safe to Incinerate

Other advantages are the big loop handles that let you secure the bag with a pole or axe buried in the snow (or ice) and they hang open nicely when hung from one handle so you can see and get what is inside.

The big loop handle lets you secure the bag with a ski pole or ice axe and hangs open nicely for use.

You can see what I have in the food bag below. I usually take a 1 litre water bottle filled with lukewarm tea (not too hot that it makes it hard to drink and not cold to keep it from freezing). I also take a 1/2 litre of very hot tea that you can extend by melting snow to cool it down. The box is filled with the food of the day.

Now this may be the time to explain my theory on backpacks for ski mountaineering. Ever since I learned about the “Brazil Nut Theory” I have gone out of my way to NOT cram my backpack down into the smallest possible load. In fact I pack the bag loosely and use things like the water bottle and food box to maximize volume even when they are empty. This idea of skiing with a 20 litre pack that weighs 10 pounds just so it can explode into a 150 litre pack is a bit strange in my opinion.

I try to minimize the weight of the backpack but maximize the volume with the hope that I may have some extra “inverse segregation” going with no real weight penalty. It also makes it very easy to get things in and out of the pack as everything is not jammed into a too small a space.

The Food Bag: One of the two bags in the main compartment of the backpack.

The Clothes Bag: Second plastic bag that goes inside the main compartment of the backpack.

I know. You are saying to yourself: “but that stuff weighs a ton”. To this I reply: “well a ton is a bit of a stretch, but I like having all this volume in the pack and also having these things to crush if there was ever such a crushing force enveloping me”. Anyway I am more concerned with weight on my feet as we all know that some magical formula exists that compares weight on your feet and what it would mean if it was in your pack. I have seen 1 to 5 ratios (a kg on your feet is like 5 on your back) and up to 1 to 10, so I am OK with a bit of pack weight if I get something in return (volume).

Stopping jacket goes in the bottom of the pack loosely.

The Food Bag goes second with the Clothes Bag on top.

Put the lid in last with the skin bag towards the back panel of the pack.

Cinch the draw cord tight and buckle the load stabilizer to make a tidy but large volume load.

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When you stop for lunch take the 2 plastic bags out and anchor with your poles if required. Put on the jacket and sit on the pack with the lid between your knees so you have to access to the stuff inside.

Up Next: What’s in the rest of the pack.

A while ago I came across an online article by Bob Mazarei in a popular ski forum. This article included “13 Truths” of which I agreed with about 10.

What I really agreed with was his inclusion of Miki “da cat” Dora in the discussion on skiing. I was also interested to note that no one mentioned this in a multi page discussion that went on for what seemed like weeks in that forum. For anyone interested Miki Dora was a surf legend and everyone should get a chance to read some of his prose. Brilliant stuff.

Anyway Miki Dora would know the difference between “driving” a ski and “riding” a ski and I’m pretty sure he would be in the “riding” camp. When I first started ski mountaineering the default gear was telemark for around these parts as that’s what guys like Chic Scott were using on their big tours. Anyway there is no real way that those old leather boots and bindings (three pin, grasshopper, etc) we used could “drive” a ski. You could not rely on the gear, so you had to learn to stand up over the ski and “ride” them down the mountain. If you are in tune with the forces acting through the soles of your feet, you will notice that when you “ride” a ski you feel the forces acting mainly through the forefoot.

I generally want to feel like I am skiing the shovel of my skis and that the forces that I am applying into the snow through the ski are causing it to arc and thus turn (back when that was what was required to make a turn, before shape and rocker, etc).  The back portion of the ski simply follows along behind and for the most part (if I am on) my boots and bindings are also just along for the ride. At that moment I don’t actually need all this gear to keep me on my skis as I AM on my skis, just like Miki Dora hanging ten on his board.

This was very pronounced with the old telemark gear when the turn was initiated with about 90% of the weight of the downhill (forward) ski and just 10% on the rear ski coming through the little toe (to bring the rear ski along behind). You could really feel the forces in your feet. When you do need all that new heavy gear is when you are off your skis and you need to get back on. This can happen when you are thrown forward and your centre on mass gets in front of your base or when you are pushed into the backseat. In either case a big burly set of boots and bindings may get you back in the saddle, but I would prefer to keep myself over my skis and use less gear. It is lighter and there is a lot less broken gear and injuries.

When using telemark gear telemark style also makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately we now are living in a world where the technique is driving the equipment (and not a requirement of using that kind of equipment, but what is driving gear design as seen in NTN) and why we have skiers wondering if certain boot and bindings can “drive” certain skis . You hear people talking about “driving the cuff”. This is just a lazy way to pressure the forefoot (if I pressure my forefoot I will feel it in my cuff, but it’s not the same thing as I can pressure my forefoot in an old pair of leather boots that don’t have much cuff to drive).

New telemark gear has become way over done and it really has no place in the backcountry. It is heavy, and if it does have a free pivot all the weight still must be lifted on each stride. The final blow is the reliability of release in an avalanche. It is just not there in my opinion, not without a huge weight penalty and vulnerability to breakage (since going dynafit I have not had a binding issue and I dropped something like 2.5kg off my feet and got a free pivot with reliable release in the bargain).

If you started telemark because that was the gear that was available to you when you wanted to go into the wilderness then there is no reason to hang on to this beautiful but outdated technique as the new AT gear is so much lighter and better. It’s not like taking up telemark now is going to teach you much about skiing with todays gear and it will only hinder you in the mountains. After 20 years of telemark skiing I can truly say that there is no more soul in the telemark turn than any other technique. Give up this sentimental reason for living in the past or go back to gear that forces the use of the technique. It only makes sense (or ski the lift, the only place for todays telemark gear).

So to conclude just one more ramble, as that Mazarei guy said “channel your inner Miki Dora” and ride your skis.
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dj 04 Dec 2012

TBC

Miki Dora stuff here.

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Check out:

Surfer 30-7-1989
MILLION DAYS TO DARKNESS
Death, Diamonds and the Episodic Wave
BY MICKEY DORA

OK ramble on:

Moisture in winter can be a drag and I have dedicated a lot of time thinking about tactics and strategies to manage this particular parameter.

The thing to remember is:

1) You can be warm and wet and be comfortable. Think about being immersed in a tub of hot water. Your comfort will depend upon keeping the water warmer than you. Takes a lot of BTU’s to keep the water warm in mid-winter.

2) Before you can go from being warm and wet to warm and dry you will surely become cold and wet if you have no external heat source for drying. You use precious calories and recovery time when you have to wear your clothes dry.

3) Only once you have become dry (but still cold as you lose heat to the drying process) can you really become warm and comfortable.

Using this basic tenet I have tried numerous moisture management systems for a variety of circumstances. Cooking in the tent is one type of event and another that always seems to be topical is footwear for huts and camping. So here is what I have discovered on that topic.

Keeping your feet dry in a hut is almost a certain impossibility and I for one have given up even trying. My hut system consists of different components based upon what type of hut I’m staying in (camping is different but I will include it in the discussion). A fly-in hut with a sauna (for example Fairy Meadow) will be a different scenario than from a basic backcountry hut (like Stanley Mitchell) that you ski into.

Anyway, my minimum base for a hut trip is now a pair of shower sandals (not a flip-flop with the band between you toes) and an old pair of shell over-boots.

Camp/Hut Boot System.
Shell Outer Boot (left), Ski Boot Inner Boot (middle) and Shower Sandal.

Inside the hut there is going to be some source of heat and hopefully it’s in the form of a wood stove (nice dry heat). I wear the shower sandals inside the hut with no socks. If I am wearing something on my feet that is prone to becoming wet then in my experience it will get wet. Easier to just wear the sandals and if your feet get wet they dry pretty fast held up to a hot stove. Eat enough good food to have the calories to dry out from inside and burn enough wood to dry the whole place out (nothing worse than a clammy hut). Sleep with socks if you require.

I usually associate a sauna with a fly-in and in that case I take along two pairs of shower sandals and use one for the sauna/shower and one for in the hut (they are light and packable and you are flying, go fat).

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In any case the next part in the system is the outer shell. I use an old pair of shell booties that come up to my lower knee and cinch down with a cord. Totally snow proof for walking in snow and on the bottom I have sewn (thanks to the suggestion of D.D.) pieces of climbing skins. Orient the forefoot as you would for climbing and the heel for breaking.

Hut Boot Sole. Forefoot climbing skin is oriented for propulsion and the heel is oriented for breaking.

For quick trips to the outhouse just wear the shower sandal in the shell (I have also sewn on some straps to tighten things up). For extended trips you can wear a sock (any sock really) inside the shower sandal (why you don’t want the flip-flop) or you can put your inner ski boot inside the shell for a much beefier and insulated outside boot without having to put your ski boots on.

Ski Boot Inner Boot and Shell Outer Boot.

This is now leading me into what I do for footwear when I’m winter camping and how to manage footwear moisture that was discussed in the last post.

So when winter ski camping I use neoprene socks for lots of reasons but one important reason is that it keeps my boot liners dry. When setting up camp I will quickly exchange my ski boot shells for the shell outer bootie. I won’t bother changing socks just yet as setting up camp can generate a lot of moisture. I’ll dry my feet and socks when set-up is done and I’m ready to recover. Remove the neoprene and liner socks (wash the neoprene with a bit of snow if you want and squeegie them dry with your fingers) and place them inside your jacket to dry overnight. Put on the dry liner socks and, if you brought any, put on the socks you will sleep in (put your dry feet in the dry sleeping bag with a hot water bottle and you are golden). Try not to keep your feet inside your liner/shell booties for any length of time as you will perspire and your feet will become damp. Use the booties for going outside and always do them all the way up to keep snow from getting in.

Ready to go just about anywhere with this minimal system.