Most backcountry ski equipment will live a long, happy life if treated with care. When used as intended, it’s possible to get many seasons out of a pair of skis, boots or bindings. When not used correctly, it can break on the first day, which explains why Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are well known at Warranty Centers. A ski may look like a pry bar or have sharp edges like an axe, but should not be used to move boulders or split wood.
The life of a backcountry ski would make a World Cup ski tuner cry…
Preventative maintenance is an excellent way to extend your gear’s life. A good habit to get into is to wipe your bases down and prop your skis upside down to drip-dry when you are done for the day. This helps keep the edges from rusting and your bindings from getting gummed up with sludge. Skins should be hung up to dry as well. Boot liners will dry much faster if pulled out of the shells.
Another important part of preventative maintenance is having a good storage system. Nothing kills off a fresh edge sharpening quite like having your skis slide off the wall, scissor the edges and land on some open paint cans. Two dowels drilled through a ceiling joist make a quick, cheap and effective place to hang your loyal ski-steeds.
The second annual Hans Saari Memorial Fund Ski Mountaineering Camp took place June 9-13 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The camp is a unique program put together by the Hans Fund to teach kids how to go ski mountaineering. Organized through Exum guides, the camp features two days of background training, then a trip into the Grand Teton National Park for three days of skiing, camping and climbing in the shadow of The Grand. This year ten students were picked from 25 applicants and about half of those picked were awarded full scholarships to cover the tuition costs. Not a bad deal!
The first two days of the backcountry portion of the camp had heavy snow - a surprise for everyone, since it was June 11th.
The purpose of the camp is to teach kids ski mountaineering basics. The first part of the course was taught by Bean Bowers and Nat Patridge, with Hans Johnstone and myself joining in for the second half. Nat, Bean and Hans have vast amounts of experience in the Tetons and were able to direct us to the Sliver Couloir on the second day…
… and then the Hourglass Couloir on Nez Perce on the last day.
This was my first time being involved with the camp and I was impressed with how much fun it was for all involved, and also how legit it was. The kids carried their own packs, booted up steep chutes and cranked turns down some classic Teton lines. It was an excellent introduction to ski mountaineering and will make all of the kids future trips seem easy!
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