In the shop, I gave the bindings a visual run-down. Some of the first things I noticed were:

• The torsion bars are much lower profile than any other similar bindings on the market
• Changing the bindings from ski to tour and back to ski modes is super-easy
• The toe pivot is smooth and stiction-free
• The climbing bar only has two settings but moves into and out of position easily

I took a few close-ups of the bindings to call out their specific features.

The overall construction is impressive with solid engagement into and out of touring mode. The ski shop pivot test felt smooth and the low-profile torsion bars really made the Guardian’s ride low to the deck.

Switching it to touring mode requires a thumb or some ski poles to slide the grey tab back and change into touring mode. It did require a firm movement just to make sure you don’t do it accidentally, but can be easily done with or without gloves or using your poles. And… drum roll please… you can do it all without un-clicking from them. Ta da! Switching back into ski mode was as simple as returning the climbing bar to the ski mode and stepping down — it latches back into place with ease.

The two-position climbing bar features a spring-loaded engagement into the highest position, thus making it very easy to hit that position with the flick of a pole in either direction. I found that dragging your pole basket from the back was the easiest way to move it from the ski position to climbing. I did wish for a position inbetween the two offered positions.

While on a short tour, I was impressed with the smooth and efficient stride. While these are no replacements for Dynafit’s in the backcountry, they felt smooth and natural. The ever-important switchback test yielded a 10 on the easiness factor. I was immediately whipping out switchbacks without any difficulty.

As far as ski-ability on the frontside, I didn’t do any twisty-flippy-switchy-pipe-charging-hucks, but I did ski them aggressively and fast. They did what I’d expect a good binding to do — held my boot in place and became invisible. Like any binding, if you are dropping insane cliffs and skiing Bode Miller-fast, you will out-DIN any regular bindings, but for the 99.99% of us, the 7-16 DIN will be perfect.

I can see the new Guardian bindings as the de-facto choice when I want to buy an alpine-friendly binding that doesn’t limit me to frontside use only. I like their overall function and am impressed with the package. They don’t come without some minor faults, but overall they are going to be my top choice for those seeking a “do-it-all” frontside/backside binding.

Good Guardian

• Low-profile design keeps you low to the deck
• Smooth touring stride
• Super-solid clamps allow you to charge with chutzpah
• Switchbacks are easily mastered
• Getting back into ski mode is as simple as stepping down firmly

Bad Guardian

• I wish they had a middle-tier climbing bar setting
• Moving the climbing bar from ski mode and flat mode to climb mode  wasn’t always easy to do with just your poles

Bottom Line: Salomon Guardian 16 Alpine Touring Bindings

If you’re looking for an alternative to the Marker Duke or something burlier than your Fritschi Freerides, these will be your ticket to ride. With a low-profile design and easy-to-use touring system, the Guardian’s are now the sidecountry bindings to beat.

More Info: Visit Salomon.com

The Skis: Surface Walk Free

With 100mm underfoot and an early-rise tip, the 176cm Surface Walk Free’s are shorter and narrower than the Live Life’s I’ve been touring on for the past two seasons, but I’m anxious to have a little more liveliness and versatility in all conditions. MSRP: $574 – buy now

The Bindings: Dynafit TLT Radical ST

My first go at Tech bindings is the all-new Dynafit TLT Radical ST. This year, the heel lifters don’t require the pole-breaking twist process and they also feature new Side Towers in the toepiece for easier entry (with Dynafit boots — thank goodness I have my Titans). MSRP: $489 – buy now

The Skins: G3 Alpinist

G3 has been quietly making great backcountry products for a long time out of North Vancouver, BC. And, their Alpinist Skins feature a unique double-clip system that works with today’s super-wide tips (something that gives my BD skins fits). MSRP: $154-169 – buy now

The Boots (1): Garmont Delirium

Burly inbounds and solid in the backcountry, the new Garmont Delirium has interchangeable soles for alpine binders and are also Tech-compatible for touring. Though swappable soles seem like a great idea on paper, I’ve yet to find a pair that executes it flawlessly. Perhaps the new Delirium will break that curse. MSRP: $799 – buy now

The Boots (2): Scarpa Mobe

The Mobe is Scarpa’s answer to “total mountain domination” backcountry. The Mobe (say it Mo Bay) is on par with the Hurricane Pro in stiffness, but yet remains lightweight and capable for both inbounds and out. This is a backcountry boot with enough burls to tackle the fattest skis and gnarliest terrain you can dish out. MSRP: $749 – buy now

Alas, now all I need is some actual snow in the Wasatch. Stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, I’m out trail running, road biking and mountain biking.

Built as a competitor to the beloved Marker Duke binding, the Guardian/Tracker will make the transition from touring to ski mode something you can do without disengaging. While that sounds like old-hat for all of us backcountry guys, it’s a direct stab at Marker which requires boot removal to change modes (a serious flaw, IMO).

Retail prices have yet to be announced but both the Guardian and Tracker will have the same retail price and won’t hit the shelves until a year from now. Expect to see some of these on the slopes before the 2011-2012 season ends, but don’t count on getting a pair for yourself until this time next year.

Salomon Guardian 16

Atomic Tracker 16

Here’s the release from Amer Sports Group:

Ogden, UT—October 17, 2011 — With more and more skiers looking for escape in the mountains, seeking untracked snow and an intense way to experience nature, Salomon and Atomic are excited to introduce a new backcountry binding in the fall/winter of 2012, poised to become the benchmark for all snow adventurers.

What happens when the world’s two leading winter sports brands bring together their most creative experts and athletes to develop a backcountry binding? The result is the next generation of freeride performance. The new SALOMON Guardian 16 and ATOMIC Tracker 16 feature unique advantages for every outing into the backcountry.

UNMATCHED SKIING PERFORMANCE
This new premium binding, to be sold as the SALOMON Guardian 16 and the ATOMIC Tracker 16, will change the way skiers approach and enjoy the backcountry. It is designed to provide the highest level of confidence, efficiency, and feel in downhill performance for a heightened skiing experience. The binding’s Low Profile Chassis features a lower stand height for greater stability and enhanced terrain feedback, and the Oversized Platform enables maximum power transmission and responsiveness for quick and more precise turns.

HIKE & RIDE TECHNOLOGY FOR PRACTICAL AND INTUITIVE HANDLING
By offering the most convenient and time-saving transition from hiking to riding, the binding helps enable a better experience in the mountains. Beyond its greater transition efficiency, this design also helps reduce the hazards and inconvenience involved in taking off your skis on difficult terrain. Featuring the Hike & Ride Switch, which is easily engaged with your ski pole, it is no longer necessary to remove your skis when switching between hiking and riding modes. After climbing, simply use your ski pole to flip the climbing bar to skiing position, step down with your heel until the binding locks securely into place, and you are ready for the turns you’ve just earned. Above all, the new Salomon Guardian 16 and Atomic Tracker 16 bindings provide the power, precision and on-snow feel of a high-performance free ride binding, with the benefits of a very convenient hiking system.

The SALOMON Guardian 16 and ATOMIC Tracker 16 will be available in the fall of 2012 and will set the standard for the ultimate backcountry skiing experience. Above all, the new binding maximizes skiing performance, is extremely practical and adds new meaning to enjoying the backcountry skiing experience. The SALOMON Guardian 16 and ATOMIC Tracker 16 will be offered for the same recommended retail price and will be identical both technically and functionally.

More Info: Visit SalomonFreeski.com

Sierra Designs Transporter Gloves Features:

• Waterproof/breathable softshell polyester and leather
• Non-insulated design with light polyester fleece lining
• Neoprene cuff with Velcro closure
• Athletic fit
• Out-stitched palms
• Available Fall 2011
• MSRP: $79

Sierra Designs Transporter Gloves Review

Just in time for a trip to the Tetons, my early peek at the Sierra Designs Transporter Gloves was heaven sent. Stashed away initially in my Osprey Kode 30 backcountry ski pack, they emerged when the weather turned and never left my hands. There’s something about a leather work glove that surpasses all other gloves — especially in the backcountry.

The first feature that makes the Transporter’s so great is the outstitched palms. If you haven’t worn a pair of outstitched leather gloves, just trust me… dexterity and overall fit always surpasses gloves with traditional construction. You get a much better feel and don’t have to do battle with the seams with every touch. I feel like I can easily grab zippers and perform many tasks while still wearing these gloves.

Adding to the list of good features is the padding on the back of the hand and on each finger. That comes in handy while bashing your way through whipper trees and does a great job of hand protection overall. Departing from leather, the back of the thumb is a light micro-suede material that’s great for wiping your nose (yeah, it’s kosher). And the neoprene cuff with a single Velcro closure keeps the weather out as best as it can for a shorter glove — it’s really a function of having the right jacket to make these weatherproof.

I wore them with my Backcountry.com Stoic shell and it maintained a solid weather barrier in heavy snow and wind. The gloves themselves aren’t insulated, but I found them to be plenty warm and they did a great job of fending off the elements. Since they aren’t lined with Gore-Tex, OutDry or eVent, they aren’t going to be waterproof, but they do seem to breathe well and have held up under abusive conditions.

I do wish they had a pull-on loop or tab to make it easier to pull them on — especially the 2nd glove. Other than that, I’m not finding much else to complain about.

Good Transporter

• Excellent dexterity overall
• Outstiched palms make for a great feel
• Micro-suede patches on the back of the thumb is great for wiping noses
• Padding comes in handy when doing battle with branches
• Construction quality is superb

Bad Transporter

• Could use a pull tab or loop for easier pull-on

Bottom Line: Sierra Designs Transporter Leather Gloves

I think Sierra Designs has done pretty darn well for their first full foray into the glove market. The Transporter’s will come your way in the Fall… keep an eye out for these comfortable and functional leather work gloves for active backcountry skiers, ski patrollers or anyone looking for a versatile leather snow glove.

More Info: Visit SierraDesigns.com (not much to look at until Fall 2011)

It is, however, a difficult outdoor activity for which to design equipment since a ski-mountaineer confronts a wide variety of conditions and has to use different modes of locomotion to get up and down mountains. Translation one – this means that a pack must potentially be able to carry a lot of gear. Translation two – this also means that a pack must be able to carry a load in a secure fashion. Ski-mountaineering is best not accomplished with bits of equipment dangling all over the place. Not only will you look like a Christmas tree; it simply isn’t safe.

Osprey Variant 28 Overview

The Variant is a light pack. The color (a brilliant pyro red) is also dead sexy . I personally want to be as visible as possible if I’m skiing trees or out on a summit or icefield (and not just for pictures). Looks aside, I won’t use a heavy day pack. The Variant 28 weighs 790g or 2lbs 6 oz. It has 1700 cubic inches or 28 liters of carrying capacity. My previous day pack, a Marmot LaMeije was a nice pack but it weighed 3lbs 8 oz. I can carry a pound and two ounces of extra food (for example) when using the Variant with more comfort and without sacrificing useful features – this is very important to me..

I touched briefly on comfort. Osprey’s suspension system is magnificent. There is no other word to describe its sheer comfort. The packstraps, hipbelt and back are adequately padded but not overly so. It is easy to carry a load using the Variant and more importantly, it is easy to secure the load so it doesn’t swing wildly while you are engaging in either ascent or descent. The load is also somehow magically suspended off your back even when the Variant is fully loaded so at least a bit of air circulates between your back and the pack.

The Osprey Variant has useful features without being gimmicky. I admit to preferring the black hole type of packs where one can drop all manner of equipment into a basic sack. I don’t need a separate shovel pocket, or pocket for cosmetics, hip pockets for food or other useless accoutrements. The Variant is this type of pack. As with a standard top-loader black-hole design, the main compartment has a spin drift collar secured by a cord loop. The top compartment can be taken off but is light enough and has enough functional utility that I usually left it on. The only zippers on the Variant are on the top compartment, which was roomy enough for a miscellany of smaller items or things you might want to access quickly.

Here’s a quick run-down of features I thought were useful for ski mountaineering:

• Harness loops. I don’t sling gear there often as I prefer to use a climbing harness but it was useful to secure a probe on a carabiner if I was probing for glaciers on an uptrack. Also useful to hang small things like gloves that you didn’t want to drop in the snow.
• I really liked the ice-axe loop (see the website for details). You can grab your axe without taking off your pack as you can release a catch and slide the axe off from the bottom of your pack. Nice in a dicey steep situation when encountering hard snow or ice.
• I also really appreciated the ice-axe holster and the fabric feature which allows you to conceal the pick or adze of your axe. If you are skiing and tumble down a slope its nice to know that your axe won’t skewer you if you do end up getting entangled in some bizarre fashion
• Straps that are easy to operate with gloves are mandatory for winter-use packs. The Variant passed this test with flying colors.
• The strap at the top of the spindrift collar of the main compartment was useful not only to cinch down the pack but also to attach stuff that you know you will use in short order and don’t necessarily want to bury in a pack- eg skins, jacket, climbing rope.
• I missed having a dedicated crampon patch but got over it when I realized that the Variant’s outer fabric was tough enough that my favorite slam-dancing accessories didn’t puncture the pack.
• A-frame carry was very secure. The side carry straps don’t slip. I did however, miss the ease of rigging a quick side-carry but that would involve extra straps and more gimmicks and probably more weight.
• It’s a nice touch to have a foam pad in the back of the pack. You can slide that out and sit on it or alternatively just sit on the pack itself.

Typical Pack Contents

I carry a bit less then most so the 28l pack contents were plenty for me. Even in the depths of (my admittedly mild) winter, I will carry:

• 1 liter Nalgene water bottle
• Gore-tex shell
• Skins
• Hat
• Goggles
• Sunglasses (I’m an optimist)
• Small spare gloves
• Down jacket
• First aid kit
• Probe/Shovel/Snow Saw
• Food
• Small tool kit

For longer trips or if mountaineering gear is needed I might also carry:

• Rope – 30m x 8mm
• Light harness (Camp XLH “Acm G-string”)
• Small rack and some screws
• Crampons
• Axe or ice tools (the picket in this shot is for show – I rarely use it)
• Siltarp

All of this fits quite nicely in the Variant. The only ungainly thing flapping around on the outside are my crampons, pictured here wrapped fetchingly in an old thick cotton garment. I had enough space to put the crampons under the top compartment but thought it would be nice to show how the Variant handled loads in such adept fashion.

Good Variant 28

• Stunning good looks and dashing color
• Light, light, light
• I like top-loading black-holes and this is a prototypical version of that type of pack
• Feels like falling into a down bed whenever you carry a load with this pack – it is that comfortable.
• Loads are easy to secure
• Can carry a lot of stuff given the relatively small size (see pack contents below)
• Lots of climbing features that by happy accident, make the Variant ideal for skiing when equipped with sharp pointy objects

Bad Variant 28

• Will not appeal to those who like futzing around with many compartments and gimmicky features
• Dedicated crampon patch would be nice
• Would be nice to have a diagonal carry for skis

The Bottom Line: Osprey Variant 28 Pack

When my wife first persuaded me to try this pack I complained. As with all things, I quickly found out that she was right and the Variant became my favorite pack. My concerns and suggestions for improvements are minor and frankly pedantic. I find it hard to conceive of how one could improve on the Variant 28. It is a pack for those who crave function, want fashion yet do not want the added weight that comes with fluff.

Buy Now: Search for Osprey Variant Packs

Granted, this easy access doesn’t come without its challenges. It seems that too many skiers and boarders slip into the uncontrolled backcountry without a worry in the world. Sadly, many “backcountry” avalanche incidents have in fact been in fact ignorant sidecountry adventures gone awry. So, just because the access comes easy (a $12 single ride ticket for us), it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down or go into those areas uninformed and ill-prepared. Phew… got that out of the way.

Sitting in the parking lot of Brighton, we contemplated our touring options. Converging on the Millicent ticket booth, we had intended to ride up the Millicent Lift and ski in the area near Mt. Wolverine, but we couldn’t get anyone to sell us a lift ticket. Nobody seemed interested in swiping our plastic, so we changed plans and headed towards the main base area where we purchased our tickets and headed for the Great Western Lift.

Backcountry gates from the top of the Great Western Lift accesses the Big Cottonwood/Park City ridgeline with several North and Northeast-facing shots off the backside of Clayton Peak and Peak 10,420 just to the North of Clayton Peak. Slipping out the gate, we traversed to the East, then made our way down the ridgeline and to the saddle between Clayton Peak and Peak 10,420.

After a quick skin to the summit of Peak 10,420, we ended up dropping into the North-facing pines down towards the basin just above Bloods Lake. That would serve as our endpoint as we then completed another lap into the sparse pines. Conditions were pretty good with crust layers here and there, but mostly consistent boot-deep and turnable snow on all North and Northeast aspects.

After summiting for the third time, the sun was getting pretty low and we all needed to get on with the evening, so we dropped back into the West-facing drainage just to the North of Brighton–landing us back at the Great Western Lift after the long, easy traverse. Not too bad for a couple of hours on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

While the trails are starting dry out, the snowpack is consolidating in a hurry. Well, I say consolidating, but the reality is it’s melting really fast. With freezing levels at 9500 ft., only the highest peaks are freezing overnight. Morning temperatures at our house (5200 ft.) have been 50+ degrees each morning this week… ugghhh! Without a solid freeze/thaw cycle, the snowpack is a mucky mess instead of the bountiful corn harvest we should have.

While there’s no doubt that winter will return and dump more fluffy Utah powder, this warmth is putting the hurt on the snowpack.  This brings me to the topic of the day: Glide Avalanches.

What is a Glide Avalanche? Well… I’m glad you should ask.  Honestly, I didn’t know that’s what this type of avalanche was called until I read Tuesday’s avalanche report.  This occurs when the snowpack gets completely saturated to the ground and meltwater lubricates the underlying earth. Here’s the word from Avalanche.org:

Glide occurs when the entire snowpack slowly slides as a unit on the ground, similar to a glacier. Don’t mistake glide for the catastrophic release of a slab avalanche that breaks to the ground. Glide is a slow process, that usually occurs over several days. Glide occurs because melt water lubricates the ground and allows the overlying snowpack to slowly “glide” downhill. Usually, they don’t ever produce an avalanche but occasionally they release catastrophically as a glide avalanche.

So there you go… I’ve seen these slides in Spring when entire slabs of snow just let loose all the way to the ground, but I didn’t know they had an official name.

More Info: Browse the Avalanche Encyclopedia

An early-morning start at the Brighton parking lot was the launching point with the intended route deep in the mind of my buddy, Rich Lambert (he scaled the South ridge of Mt. Superior a few weeks back).  I trusted his instincts and we ended up hitting every shot as intended and making great time in the process.

We skinned up the groomers until we split out onto the well-trod skintrack up towards Catherine’s Pass. The track was efficient and fast, thanks to whoever laid it this time! Previous skintracks haven’t been so efficient. We made it to Lake Catherine just as the sun started peeking above the ridgeline.

If you’ve never seen a Wasatch sunrise in winter, then it’s about time you did. It is always one of the most amazing experiences as you watch the sun crest over the peaks.

From the top of Catherine’s, we could see the tracked-out runs at Alta Ski Area as we traversed and climbed our way to the top of Mt. Wolverine. Once there, we ripped skins and dropped into the Northeast flank of Mt. Wolverine where we were met with our first turns of the day and an understanding of which aspects to ski. A hefty sun-crust covered anything but the true North-facing aspects–thankfully all turns from that point on would be on shaded North-facing slopes.

These initial turns were good enough to bring on the stoke as we then traversed to the top of Stupid Chute.  Conditions were a little wind-whipped, but chalky at the top.

Once beyond the apron at the bottom of Stupid Chute, we were greeted with creamy pow and some surprisingly-light stuff here and there.

At Twin Lakes, it was time to slap the skins back on and ascend to Twin Lakes Pass and continue up to Honeycomb Cliffs and Fantasy Ridge. From there, the intent was to stick to the North-facing aspects as much as possible. We found the best turning conditions of the day within the widely-spaced pines down into Silver Fork from Fantasy Ridge cliffs. Our tired legs felt rejuvenated as we yelped our way down the 1200 vertical feet of knee-deep blower pow.

All that was left was a long track out Silver Fork and into the base of Solitude where we loaded up for home and 12:00 pm on-the-dot. Not bad for a half-day in the Wasatch. See below for a rough map of the route.

I met up with Ben Brutsch in the parking lot to Tibble Fork Reservoir at 5:30 am and by 5:50 am, we were skinning up the road towards Granite Flats. It was there that the previous day’s skin-tracks split left (potentially up the southest drainage off Box Elder Peak – Wide Hollow Creek) and we turned right–following Deer Creek.

Once we reached the southwest flanks of Silver Lake Flat, we did the usual multi-lap skin and ski through the open scrub oak while we were greeted with one of the most beautiful things money can’t buy… sunrise in the Wasatch.

Turning conditions were variable due to the strong winds of the previous day. Pockets of pow were flanked by a pretty hefty wind-crust. I was wishing I had a pair of rockered skis to stay on top of everything, but the Bluehouse Districts seemed to plow right through it with not too much effort.

The beauty of the area is astounding and the proximity to my house can’t be beat… now if we could just figure out a way to remove the 1 hour approach, then we’d be onto something.

With traveling across the country the past two weeks I haven’t missed out on much but I do have a serious jones for skiing pow. Aside from the regular text message updates and voice messages from friends, I’ve been getting my fix by repeatedly watching The Pact, a telemark film from the Powderwhores.

Powderwhores?

The Powderwhores, a collection of die hard powder seeking telemark skiers, was born of pure passion and the love of telemark skiing. I think in the beginning it was never about making a big name for themselves or making a bunch of cash. The cool thing is, even after basically establishing themselves as the premier telemark and backcountry skiing film company, they are as down to earth and hard charging as ever.

In the skin track they are as friendly as the next guy and are what I would consider great ambassadors of the pursuit of powder.

Since introducing their first film PW05 their following has grown, often as a result of untold hours of promotion and work. I can respect and understand the amount of work they put into the film tour each fall as they’ve grown it to be nationwide.

The Pact

After PW05, PW07 and PW08 they went against the grain and came out with The Pact this season. What is the pact?

According to the Powderwhore’s website:

“The Pact” is born of early mornings, broken trails, frostbite, sunrises, worn meniscus, close calls, and countless face-shots. In the end, it’s about commitment to the endless search for untracked snow and those who have chosen to break that trail.

Although at first I found the format of The Pact to be a bit awkward, the talent of skiing and the ridiculously deep powder shot after powder shot soon had my attention. Mid way through the film after seeing the Japan segment it helped seal the deal that I need to get to Japan to ski.

Another segment that stands out for me is the final segment about EJ Poplawski and his amazing recovery and return to skiing following a spooky crash and the amputation of his leg. Whether you ski or not, this story will have you admiring the determination of the human spirit.

I am usually all about skiing lines in the backcountry but Jonah Howell’s Meadow Skipping segment not only delivered the stoke but it also took a little shot at those that poo-poo the simple pleasure that is meadow skipping.

–image credit Jay Beyer

Lastly, the music in the film is worth keeping it playing in the background even if you’re not watching. I’ve had it playing a couple of times on my laptop just to hear the music. One of the bands I liked is Emancipator.

Bottom Line on The Pact from Powderwhores

Irregardless of if you’re a tele skier or not, The Pact is top 3 this season for all ski films and something worth having in your collection. Beyond the continual stoke and enjoyment of watching The Pact is the feel good of supporting guys like you and me who make ski films that are passion driven.