Tag Archives: Stockli Skis

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The Only Constant is Change

Top of North Face at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in the fall.

So, this is the time of year when I start thinking in earnest about skiing. The days and nights are cooler, the leaves are starting to change, and the ski areas are testing out their new snowmaking equipment. People are starting to think about new equipment, and getting trips organized, passes bought, everything in line so that when the first flakes start to fall, we are ready.

Another new pair of boards for me this season.

The amazing thing is that every year, there is something new in the ski world. HKD Snowmakers have come out with new technology that automates snowmaking along with new guns that are more efficient in terms of energy use. http://www.hkdsnowmakers.com There is also new technology that helps your skiing by giving you digital feedback from sensors in your boots. The sensors show degree of edge angle for each turn you make and then it is downloaded for analysis or a coach’s analysis to see where improvements might be made. https://getcarv.com The technology is called CARV and it has been around for a little bit and is endorsed by a lot of coaches, PSIA and Mr. Carved Turn himself- Ted Ligety.

Dreams of our local Laurel Mountain coming back on line.

El Nino might bring this kind of snow back to the west this year.

Another new advancement in technology this year is with a ski coaching app, sensors, and digital feedback called Protern https://protern.io This technology has sensors and cameras on the racecourse, and also sensors on the ski racers themselves, that allow photos to be taken with digital feedback overlays that can show a skier in real time where they are losing time. The ski run is shown and the digital speed and turn information is overlayed with graphs to show the coaches and the racers exactly what is happening in each turn on a racecourse and allowing the data and photography to instantly show useful information after each run. Ski instructors and coaches have used video for many years, but this technology enhances the video with data that can show exactly where improvements might be made for each turn. This tech is also used for free skiing and can be useful in a ski lesson for the general public. The data eliminates subjective commentary from a coach or instructor and allows real information to present itself to the student or racer. An adept coach or instructor will value the information provided and use it to show with no mistake, where improvement can be made.

Daly Chutes at Deer Valley. Coming soon.

Equipment has changed over the years and this season is no exception. The trend is to go back to a more reasonable width under foot for most skis. There are still the powder, big mountain, frontside categories for skis but the trend is moving away from wider skis to a more versatile ski with a reasonable measurement in width under foot. This thinking takes in the ability to create high edge angles when needed ( perhaps using CARV) but at the same time, allow for use in off piste conditions. The tech is moving more towards a one ski quiver for the recreational skier. Something changes each season and it is interesting to watch.

As a guy who has skied for 65 years, I have seen a lot of tech changes. But skiing tends to develop trends that change constantly, and therefore the only constant is change. I am not jaded enough to think that marketing only, dictates these changes, but I also am wary of fads which come and go. I like Stockli skis because they are not only still hand made in Switzerland, but rely on race feedback and good design to produce a quality ski. They have a whole spectrum of skis for different conditions and customers. But the solid technology of the handmade ski is present in every variation of their product.

I ski on Lange RS130 boots. Have done so for years because I like the fit and performance. Rumor has it that they might be discontinuing this line of Lange boots and moving more to a boa closure. I will probably buy a new pair of the existing RS 130 and let the tech change fall where it may. Not a fan of anything but a good ski buckle closure. But that is just me.

So, yes, the only constant is change. We can either embrace it or not. And the older I get, the more I think that I better get on board with most tech changes, or I will be left behind for sure. But thankfully, some things do not change. Things like the people you ski with. Friendships that have been created over years on the slopes. There is nothing like a ski trip together that creates memories that last a lifetime. I look forward to it every season and so does Janet. I have my local group(Jaime and Melissa, Dixon, Porter, Johnny Mac, Eric S, Hiller, Paul B, the Shark, Daryl,Ned,Bob P,Tim S,Rus,Angelo,Chris), and a host of other characters that I so look forward to seeing again in the coming months at Laurel Mountain. We also have our pals the Smittys, Ralph and Amy, Eric and Helen, Tom and Patter, who we will visit out west and once again have a great time together. Yes, it is a pain to haul the equipment through the airports and fight the weather all the way to the resorts. But once you click into your bindings, it is all worthwhile especially with all of your friends. And locally, all I have to do is put the equipment in the Jeep and head to the Laurels. I get out, take the skis across the street, and change into our boots by the warmth of the fireplace in the lodge which is on the top of the mountain. Friendships never change and the ski crowd is so much fun. They are constant – that is for sure. Thanks for reading. Think snow.

“Let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” 1John-3:18

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New Boards

So, I know it is only August, but I pulled the trigger on another new pair of skis for the upcoming season. After looking at some reviews on- line, also from the Stockli rep, and consultation with my friend in Tahoe, I decided on another pair of Stockli Stormrider 88s. I have a quiver of Stockli skis but the 88 under foot is always my go to ski and I was happy to get another pair.

It is interesting that at this time of year, I start to get itchy for the new season. Buying a new pair of skis kind of jump starts you a little bit. I got our passes early, committed to ski trips, and in short- I am ready when the first flakes start to fall. However………………………..screeeech!!!!!! We still have the wonderful season of fall ahead.

Colors in the Laurel Highlands.

My one friend JR always looks at his watch and sees how long it will take for me to mention skiing on a mountain bike ride. For a guy who lives in Pittsburgh, skis locally, and gets two western trips a year, I get a fair amount of skiing. Not as many days as my friends who live out west, or in New England, but for a local guy- not bad. I always think Janet and I should be living in the mountains. She likes the beach better and alas there is the rub. But we both like Pittsburgh, our friends are here, and we are resolved to ski locally and travel. But that does not temper my enthusiasm for the sport- even in the summer. But again………………….screeeeeeech!!! The nicest time of the year around here is coming soon. But for now, the dog days of summer are to be enjoyed.

You never know what you will see in the fall on a mountain bike ride.

One of the good things about the late days of summer riding is that you are in pretty good shape for the shape that you are in. At 70, I am grateful for my health and when we are barreling down the trails on our bikes, I am usually one of the oldest guys. My Garmin Connect says I am 58, but I know better. The chronological advancement is not lost on me, but I try to stay with it. I want to be doing this for as long as possible and when discussing skis with my friend Eric in Tahoe, we both said we need to stay active. We both thank God for good health to enable us to ride and ski for many more years. It’s not like I am riding like I was when I was younger, but I can still ride and ski enjoyably. Eric and I keep each other honest as we both have lost friends. Other friends are slowing down but we try to keep rolling on the rubber wheels and on the slopes. We are starting to feel like the last of the Mohicans, but there are good days ahead………….if we keep at it. Updating equipment like skis and mountain bikes, help with that.

I am even ready for the ski tuning season with new vices from Swix, new files and diamond stones, and new bevels to accurately tune the edges. My friend Eric gave me a tutorial last spring when we were skiing together on tuning in the 21st century. I was still doing it the old way. But the new way with the bevels and getting the skis stone ground to a specific bevel is next level. I am totally prepared.

I mirrored Eric’s set up here in Tahoe.
Will be using bevels this year for the side edges
When it gets tough- use the Beast.
Our friend Freddy from Tahoe. He is in his 80s and still skis 4-5 days a week.

So, not to rush the season or anything, I am looking forward to fall riding. A bunch of us will be going in September to ride the new Monday Lick trail system in West Virginia and staying at the wonderful Jerico Pre-Civil War cabins there. Jan and I also will be heading to Maine for a fall coastal trip. But I will be looking for the FedEx driver every day to see if the new boards are being delivered. Hey- it’s fun getting excited about things. Thanks for reading.

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“He who hurries his footsteps errs” Proverbs 19:2

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Still At It

The Minarets as seen from the top of Mammoth Mountain, California

When I say still at it, yes! Just came back from some amazing skiing in Mammoth Mountain, California. A real treat and was still at it for the winter of 2022-2023. A bonus trip came my way with my good friend Eric Durfee. But “still at it” also means that I am still skiing with my friend Eric for over 45 years.

Yours truly and Eric Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee
Yours truly and Eric roughly 43 years ago at Tuckerman Ravine, New Hampshire

We have had great adventures skiing, and this week was another on our list. The skiing in Mammoth was incredible for May. Mid Winter conditions with so much snow that they believe they will ski until September. I took a 5:15 AM flight out of Pittsburgh last Monday and arrived in Reno at 9:20 AM and Eric picked me up at the airport and we drove the scenic RT.395 to Mammoth. We were in the chairlift by 1:40 after I changed in the parking lot. Boxer shorts flapping in the wind. The week gave us interesting weather as it was usually sunny in the morning and clouded up significantly in the afternoon which made the visibility late in a day a little challenging up top. But we made our way to the lower runs and did just fine.

Added bonus skiing with Bill Boucher at left( friend from Seven Springs, Pa) and Pat Feeney of San Francisco. Have not skied with Pat for 40 years. It was wonderful to see him. Both of these guys still ski well. Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee

The great thing about skiing with Eric is his enthusiasm for the sport. 121 days on the snow this year and would have had 14 more if he had not injured his thumb. But he is a student of the game of skiing, and has really worked hard on getting his turns to be more in line with modern technique instead of old school. I am old school too in that I ” A- Frame”, which basically means that I can have my weight on the downhill ski but the inside ski is rather docile. But we worked on a lower stance, a wider stance, and moving the inside knee actively into the turn like the racers do. Eric has it down pretty well and I am getting there. Nice to work on something new at 68 years of age. Generally speaking, Eric and I can ski anything, but working the new technique with the skis that work well with that kind of technique is really enjoyable. We had the wives with us in Oregon recently and that was a lot of fun skiing with Helen and Janet. But to have a bonus week with your friend of 45 years, ripping GS turns, and getting the added treat of some fresh snow was truly memorable.

Speaking of racers, the US Women’s Speed Team was there this week. We really got to see the edge angles and the inside knee move into the turns.
Dave’s Run off the top of the Gondola.
Our fresh tracks after a 9″ snowfall one night. Total accumulation at Mammoth summit this season is over 900 inches. A record. Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee

Groomers getting ready for a summer full of camps and park activity. Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee

But the really memorable thing about being “still at it” is that I can see Eric maybe a couple of times a year, but when we get together, it is as if I had never left. Isn’t that the way it always is with a good friend? We take up right where we left off and continue to tell our old stories and make new ones along the way. When you can drive for three hours each way, and stay for a week and not run out of any conversation, you know you have a great friend. We talk politics, skiing, and life in general and he always has some sage advice for me as well as a way to shed some light on topics in a different way than I hear most of the time. They say to have a friend is to be a friend and Eric definitely embodies that sentiment.

So yes- we are still at it. Skiing is a great sport and it gives us an excuse to get together and enjoy the mountains. We are getting older and we realize our limitations, but for the most part, we are in good shape and can still enjoy making turns and look forward to doing it for many years to come. I have made many friends through skiing, and am perhaps one of the only people around my neck of the woods that gets a little bummed out when winter is over. As I sharpened and waxed my skis for the last time this season, I was a little down. But I look forward to the next season and will enjoy the summer activities with the mountain bike crowd. But when those first flakes start to fall later this year, I will be ready for 2023-2024. Thanks Eric for always keeping me in the game. Thanks for reading.

Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee

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Anticipation!

New Boards

I have posted on it before, but it takes a real enthusiasm to be a skier in the mid- Atlantic region of the country. We have to fight the continuing cycle of snow, ice, and rain events along with increasingly milder temperatures. If it were not for snowmaking, and good grooming, we would be in a world of hurt around these parts. We do our best to get our ski days in locally and then plan trips for the West and New England. Covid will offer some challenges but I am undaunted in my quest for the target 30 days which is fairly decent for a guy who is still employed, lives in Pennsylvania, and yearns for the first turns of the season. Nothing does my heart more good than a new pair of boards.

My local ski buddy and my western ski pal also got new boards this season and we are all excited to try them in hopefully a short month or two.

New Lake Tahoe Stocklis
New Heads for my local pal

To me, a new pair of skis is like a jump start to the season. I get a little bummed at the end of the season when the last turns are made and I have to wait another 8 months to ski again. With a new pair of boards, the anticipation is increased among the changing leaves and the falling temperatures . It makes the 8 months seem to race quickly as I anticipate the first turns of the season, especially excited to try a new pair of skis. November comes quickly with You Tube Ski TV and vicariously I begin the season in advance of the first tracks around here.

Wooden skis, cable bindings, leather tie boots. Back in the day

My passion for this sport began when my folks first took me skiing. ( They didn’t ski but wanted my sister and I to get started). I will never forget my first pair of wooden skis , and my excitement then is no different than it is today embarking on my 59th season. Anyone who skis remembers his or her first pair and can probably name most of the skis that they have used since then. I remember my dad subsequently buying me my first season pass and also a pair of Head 360s for Christmas. My job was to earn the money for my first pair of buckle boots and boy was I excited when I first tried on my Koflachs. No more bloody knuckles tying ski boots. But the important thing was that my dad was teaching me to earn money so that I could buy what I wanted. It meant more to me and is a lesson that I carry with me today. Any trips, equipment, and lift tickets were my responsibility from that point on and I mowed a lot of lawns, shoveled a lot of driveways, hauled a lot of steamer trunks caddying at my dad’s club. Working in the box factory in college helped pay for a lot of things and the lesson was being ingrained with every pay check. It still is today when I budget for trips, ski equipment, and ski passes.

I think a lot about my dad when ski season starts. Especially when I tune my skis on the bench that he built for me some 40+ years ago. Every time I add to my quiver of skis and get a new pair, I think of him and the message that he taught me to earn the skis that will earn my turns. So many memories of ski seasons past, but the anticipation of what is to come is only accentuated by the vision of a new pair of skis, waiting to be mounted. Think snow and think safety in the coming ski season. Wear your mask, wash your hands and make sure that skiing is there for all of us this season. Thanks for reading

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Being a Brand Ambassador

For those of you who know me, you are aware that I get excited about things. My friends always laugh and say, ” Really Pat, is this the best?” I say, ” this is absolutely the BEST!” They chuckle and laugh at my enthusiasm for a wide variety of products. Recently, I went camping with a friend and used an instant coffee called Alpine Start out of Boulder, Colorado. Now I am a bit of a coffee snob but cranking up my Jet Boil, I got the water nice and hot and used the packet of Alpine Start which is a convenient instant coffee for the outdoors crowd. I was pleasantly surprised and so was my friend when we sipped the absolutely delicious coffee each morning. When I tell you it is the best, believe me, it is. I can hear my friends, but try some Alpine Start.   info@alpinestartfoods.com

As part of my enthusiastic nature, I usually contact a company and tell them how much I like their product. In some instances, like with Alpine Start, they made me a “brand ambassador.” I am not on the payroll, I just get some courtesies for promoting the product and a nice SWAG box full of goodies. It is their way of saying” thank you” and hoping that I talk it up with my friends. So what makes me a candidate to be a “brand ambassador” for anything? Well, lets go to another example from my friend Niall who is in the bicycle industry. He asks me from time to time to post something on my blog about new lines that he carries. For that courtesy, he makes me a “brand ambassador” and I get more SWAG and some courtesies from his companies that he represents. I don’t do it unless I believe in the product, but Niall says that I cover a wide swath of outdoor people with whom I interact and that makes me, in his eyes, a good brand ambassador. I am not a pro athlete, I am not on the payroll, the companies just see me as an enthusiastic guy who might exert some influence on my friends in the outdoor world to try a particular product.

When I became certified as a ski instructor back in the day, it opened up another similar opportunity to take advantage of “pro deals” which gives me deep discounts on ski equipment and clothing. For this courtesy, these companies rely on us to use the product when skiing and generate some conversations on the chair lifts which may result in a sale of the product to the public. Again, not on the payroll, just promoting the products in exchange for some nice discounts on products which I would normally use anyhow.

Taking this a step further, being a brand ambassador can be applied to recommending a shop with whom I am comfortable. I like Dirty Harry’s Bike Shop in Verona, Pa. and recommend their products and services. Barry and the boys are always nice to me down there when I buy something or get my bike repaired. I appreciate their friendship and great service and recommend them mostly because they are my friends. I am not on the payroll, just promoting them because of their friendly expertise.

Taking this a final step, our marketing department for the company where I am employed recently had a lunch and learn where they said that we all are “brand ambassadors” for the company when we interface with customers, carriers, and suppliers. When you think of it, if you are employed, you are representing your company every day. In exchange for a good job, benefits,culture, and the occasional SWAG, you should promote your company like I do with Armada. We do a great job for our clients like McDonald’s, and they appreciate the hard work and ethic that we have in servicing their supply chain needs.

So again, you don’t have to be a pro athlete to be a brand ambassador. I do it as an employee of my company. I also do it for companies like Alpine Start where I believe in their product. I promote my local bike and ski shop. I also promote product which I believe is superior in the outdoors industry such as Stockli Skis, Lange boots, and Patagonia clothing. Yes I get a pro/bro deal, and it helps my financial bottom line, but I would not do it if I did not believe in the product. You have to be true to yourself, otherwise, you are just a deal monger and your influence and recommendations are nothing short of shallow. So, think about it. You can be a brand ambassador. If you are enthusiastic about a product, email the company and tell them. You never know, they might come back to you and ask about your sphere of influence and make you a “brand ambassador.” I doesn’t cost you anything other than the specified guidelines for promotion and your good word. Thanks for reading.

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Ski Camp for Old Guys

As we pulled into Huntsville, and exited the vehicle after a great day of skiing at Snowbasin, we ran into the town drunk who cheerfully slurred and pointed,”  in there- the best cheeseburgers in town.”  I knew he was right because I had been there before but some of our posse had not and we all were treated to the simple fare of cheeseburgers, chips, and beer at the Shooting Star Saloon.  Check out their sign.IMG_0097  Aside from the ceiling filled with dollar bills and the “jackalopes” mounted on the wall( mythical jackrabbits with antlers), the St. Bernard head mounted on the wall that was accidentally shot after rescuing 11 skiers trapped in an avalanche, and the lone pool table, the oldest tavern in Utah survives on simple fare and simple customers.IMG_0096  A great place for us to relive the days exploits at Snowbasin- the site or the 2002 Winter Olympic speed events for skiing.  IMG_0088

The five of us who get together every year are avid skiers.  From left to right we have Mark Hutchinson(our historian and former race coach at Stowe), Eric Durfee( our ring leader and organizer from Lake Tahoe via Vermont), Proctor Reid( ex ski racer from Dartmouth who grew up with Hutch and Eric in Vermont), yours truly, and Bart Smith( our host this year from Park City and ex Cornell racer along with Eric) Our missing member this year was John Ingwersen, another ex Cornell racer.  Traditionally we have gone to Tahoe but seeing that the conditions were bleak for the second year in a row, Bart generously offered to host the group at his place in Park City.  This group is a passionate one.  Much like guys who go on golf trips, fishing trips, or hunting trips.  Comradery is the key component to any outing like this but our group also values time on the hill.  These guys are bell to bell, first chairs and last chairs up the mountain for the day.  It is hard to chronicle the enthusiasm. It really is something to experience.  Skiing is not just something this group does, it is a lifestyle.IMG_0178.JPG  Sitting around the apres’ places having a beer and eating a buffalo burger, you hear some great stories about ski racing in New England, and relationships with some of the big names in the ski world.  Hutch and Eric’s old friend George Tormey was the K-2 ski rep for years as well as a race coach at Stowe.  The K-2 Four ski was made available to Bode Miller originally to race at Sugarloaf in the Junior Nationals.  Bode won by a large margin in most of the events including the speed events using the conventional K-2 Four shaped ski.  It was innovative at the time and Bode wanted to use them.  The only other pair available went to Travis Durfee- Eric’s son who was a top ranked junior racer in New England and eventually made the Far West Team when the family moved to Tahoe.

Sitting around Bart’s table, one can continue to hear great ski racing and ski instruction stories from the past and the single focus of our week long adventure is skiing, skiing, and more skiing.  We wake up and decide which area we will ski for the day, eat breakfast provided by Bart and his wife Joe in absentia( she went to visit her mom),  ski all day hard usually in a fast pace line weaving through unsuspecting skiers on the mountain, having a beer and something to eat, showering, watching March madness and retiring usually at 9:00 at night.  No night life on these trips, skiing is too important and our fearless leader makes sure we are first ones in the parking lot and first on the chairs.  Pretty good for a group of  in shape guys that just turned 60.  Bart is a year older but he is the strongest one of us all.  First time I met Bart was years ago when I saw him launch himself straight into Corbett’s Couloir in Jackson Hole while we were trying to inch our way into the couloir from the side.03jack395.2  I said to Eric,” Who is this guy?”  Eric said, ” you will find out a lot about Bart.  Try to keep him in sight.”  A true strongman and powerful skier.  Age means nothing in this group.  All good skiers.  All strong skiers.  Jokingly Bart said one morning, ” this is like summer camp for old guys.”  The great thing about this annual gathering is that none of us think about anything else but skiing hard, laughing, and reliving old times.  Eat breakfast, ski, have a beer and something to eat afterwards, relax and do it all over again the next day- just like camp!!  Lots of sleep and up with the birds.  Might not be interesting to many people who include other things on ski trips, but for this group, this plan works just fine.

Friendships like this are rare and should be cherished.  When you start to lose friends like I have this past year, these get togethers are even more important.  You never know what will happen in life, but if this group has anything to say about it, the conditioning and the all out enthusiasm will keep us going for a long time.  We don’t think about age.  We think about challenge and keeping it all going.  Hopefully you are fortunate enough to have a group like this.  Work at the friendships and keep outings like this alive.  Thanks for reading.