Our trip this weekend was awesome. I tossed in a few experiments because I am really, really, really familiar with the route. Most of them panned out as expected, some were worse, some were better. My main experiments were:
- Using a splitboard. (about what I expected - good, but AT skis are better)
- Towing a toboggan. (not quite what I expected - definitely worse than a pack)
- Lining the groundsheet and fly with space blankets. (better than expected - soooo much warmer!)
Nancy is a Bum
Nancy snuck a fast one on me and did her facebook album with each photo caption as a lesson from our trip...So I'm going to steal back the good ones, or the the ones I learned/relearned/should have learned and post them here. I've color coded the lessons for entertainment value.
- Green is what I learned the hard way.
- Pink is what Jen, Nancy, Ali, or Maria learned the hard way.
- Red is what we saw someone else do.
- Silver is for the 'well duh, that's common sense' momments.
The Lessons
- Fire roads make horrible AT tracks.
- AT Skis into Lake O'Hara SUCK.
- You CAN wax AT skis...In fact it's recommended cause skinning for any length of time SUCKS.
- When skiing on a splitboard the points go out (ie board looks inside-out).
- Ski poles are amazingly useful and infinitely better than skating on a snowboard if its flat!
- Snowboard boots are not meant for 10km trips.
- The Lake O'Hara campground has cook shelters!!!
- When I say in the email 'bring a -20 or colder sleeping bag', I really do mean -20 or colder.
- Quinzee's are warmer times ∞ than tents.
- Skins on groomed snow suck.
- Skins in powder are amazing.
- Splitboards make bad (but entertaining) skis.
- If you break trail all day, people will complain about your ass in front of them and never thank you for the work you did.
- There is a lot of skiing for very little snowboarding.
- When you finish a run and are asked about the conditions, don't be a jack-ass.
- Splitboards suck to assemble in the outdoors.
- Don't fall in flat powder you will never be able to get up.
- Skin savers are NOT a waste of time and weight.
- Never mock the down booties.
- People who enjoy the backcountry have short memories.
- Always take your skins off before you go to bed.
- XC skiing with a toboggan is NOT easier.
- Snowboarding with a toboggan is amusing but also not a good idea.
- Toboggans do not make the same sharp turns you do.
- If you have AT skis, DON'T RUIN THE TRACKSET by trying to use it.
- Putting boiling water into a nalgene at night for a hot water bottle is great.
- Your hot water bottle only lasts about 5-6 hours however.
