Getting to know you.....

[teachski]

I just saw this on another site and thought that it was a neat idea so I thought I would post it here and give it a try.

Here's how it works. The first person posts a question and another person answers it then posts their own question. People may reply to this thread more than once but should not answer their own question.

So here is an example
Me- "What is your favorite apre ski drink?"
You- Beer
You- "What is your favorite color?"

The questions do not have to be strictly ski or hiking related, but should be kept clean (remember, we do have kids that read this site).

OK, so here is my question.
What is your most recent ski or hiking purchase?

 

[MtnMagic]

It was a rain jacket to replace the one I lost on the Wildcat-Carters-Moriah traverese. I should know better than to tuck in into the side daisy chain/compression straps.

Where is your favorite slope or hike?

 

[skimom]

My favorite hike ..... yesterday !!

Mtnmagic, Ghostdog and I hit Tom, Field and Willey. We spotted a car and headed in on the Avalon Trail connecting to the A to Z Trail then up the Mt. Tom spur.

Mt. Tom was pretty socked in with a few peaks (pun intended) at some mountains here and there thru the fog. A couple of Canada Greys joined us at the bench on the summit looking for a handout. After a snack and some water, we headed down the spur to the Willey Range Trail.

As we hiked over to Mt. Field, the skies cleared and the sun came out. The ground was still frozen from the night and the mushrooms were wearing ice hats. It is a gentle climb and upon reaching the summit, we decided to sit and have lunch. We were joined shortly by a couple more Canada Greys. The trees blocked out the wind, the sky was clear and the sun was shining. We enjoyed some limited views from the lookout and decided to hasten on as it was around 40 and we were starting to get cold !!

The hike over to Mt. Willey was wonderful with many views of the mountains far into the horizon. The sun warmed us as we traversed the ridge and we noticed some trail work where the trees had been cut back to widen the path.

Mt. Willey was exceptional with the views from the rock outlook. The Webster cliffs were beautiful and beyond the presidentials could be seen clearly. The temp was much warmer here than on Field and we enjoyed the view until we had had our fill.

On the way down Kedron Flume Trail, there has been much trail work. There are many new steps leading over the steep rock ledges. In some places several sets of steps are connected by boards. So it went something like, down 12 steps, walk left four feet, down 14 steps, walk right two feet, down 9 steps, walk left 5 feet, etc. etc. It was very new and the slash was still visible piled high on the side of the trail.

Once down the majority of the vertical, we were entertained (or is challenged a better word) by the leaves that have fallen off the trees. In some places they were deep enough to cover my boots up to my ankles!! Literally, you could not see what you were stepping on and it made for an adventurous, albeit precarious, decent.

It was a wonderful day spent with great friends. It doesn't get better than that !!

So, my question is :

What was your most challenging hike and why ??

 

[Max]

So, my question is : What was your most challenging hike and why ??

I'd have to say it was doing the Pemi loop in one day. In via the Wilderness and Osseo trails, across Franconia Ridge, over to Garfield, Galehead, South Twin, across the 3 Bonds, and back out...33.5 miles in just under 16 hours. The challenge was to stay hydrated and to keep the pace up and finish before dark. I started in July at 5 AM and finished at 8:45 PM.


OK, my question is....what is the most useless piece of equipment you've carried in your pack on a regular basis, something that you're never without, but also something that you've never used!

 

[skijay]

My Garmin GPS unit that I wanted for Christmas back in 97 / 98. It was when the price was $249. I thought that was a must have for Christmas and received one from my GF at the time.

The first snowshoeing trip to Prospect Mountain, VT proved to me that this device was to complicated to be easy. I spent more time on that trip trying to figure this thing out and trying to comprehend it's plotting skills. SInce it was a gift, I had to keep using it. I would bring the 2lb device in my backpack when we went snowshoeing or XCing.

Finally the item ended up on Ebay.

Question: For winter do you use snow tires?

 

[First Tracks]

Question: For winter do you use snow tires?

Without a doubt. Green Diamonds. I'm driving what is perhaps the least skier-friendly vehicle known to mankind, so they're an essential. They took what was a useless-in-winter 2-seat bobsled and turned it into a snow- and ice-eating machine.

Aw, geez...now I have to come up with a question. OK, how about, "Where and at what age was your first experience on skis?"

 

[Greg]

Aw, geez...now I have to come up with a question. OK, how about, "Where and at what age was your first experience on skis?"

Mount Southington, CT - age 20.

Question: What was the first White Mountain 4K you climbed?

 

[David Metsky]

Question: What was the first White Mountain 4K you climbed?

Moosilauke. Big surprise, I know. It's also the first 4000'er I climbed on skis.

Question: Where is the farthest from your home that you've skied?

 

[Jaytrek57]

Question: Where is the farthest from your home that you've skied?

Japan. But that was water skiing and perhaps out of context but never the less.

Question: What is the one piece of gear/clothing that you always bring, but yet never seem to use (med kit excluded)?

 

[teachski]

My unused item, which I always make sure is in my ski bag, but never seem to use is my face mask. Once I get out skiing I just don't go back in for it. If I stop for lunch at an area it isn't always in the same lodge where I got ready for the day. ...and I always dress for the day in the lodge, not the car since the day that I slipped on the muddy lot and fell while putting on my ski pants. I can't drive in them, I'd sweat too much.

Question:What is the most important item you have forgotten to bring on a long trip that you had to purchase or rent so your trip was not ruined?

I have 2, one I forget all the time that wouldn't ruin my trip but I absolutely need to have is my lock for my skis...anyone need a lock? I have about 20. The other is my ski boots. I had taken them from my gear bag to dry them out after night skiing and forgot to put them into my bag before leaving for a weekend trip. I didn't realize that they were not there until I got to the mountain.

 

[First Tracks]

The other is my ski boots. I had taken them from my gear bag to dry them out after night skiing and forgot to put them into my bag before leaving for a weekend trip. I didn't realize that they were not there until I got to the mountain.

I've had that nightmare numerous times, but never in reality. It ranks right up there in frequency with the nightmare of forgetting my ski pants and skiing without any. :blink:

(Please, don't anyone analyze these!)

 

[TeleGrrrl]

Hmmmmm, that would be my ski socks. I left them at home once drying on the hearth. Had to buy a new pair of thin smartwool socks, because the ones I happened to be wearing in my Sorels were way to thick. Still cheaper than drinvg back home to retrieve what I had forgotten.

New Question: What's the most embarassing witnessed fall you've had on the slopes?

 

[teachski]

The other is my ski boots. I had taken them from my gear bag to dry them out after night skiing and forgot to put them into my bag before leaving for a weekend trip. I didn't realize that they were not there until I got to the mountain.

I've had that nightmare numerous times, but never in reality. It ranks right up there in frequency with the nightmare of forgetting my ski pants and skiing without any. :blink:

(Please, don't anyone analyze these!)

I actually did forget my ski pants last spring when I went to Stowe. I had a pair of black jogging pants (brand new, nice ones not the cheap ones with elastic cuffs, they actually looked a little like my ski pants) that I had brought to lounge around in after skiing so I wore them. One fall was all it took in the slush, I was soaked and began shivering with the breeze that was blowing.

The fall I mentioned above would have to be the most embarrasing witnessed fall I have had. My friends got married on the hill at Stowe last year. After the wedding the group of us skied together. Some members of the group were instructors and/or ski patrollers, others were not. There was a wide range of ability in the group. It was quite foggy off of the summit so we would ski a ways then stop (so we wouldn't lose the 2 Iowans). I was near the middle of the group. As I went to skid a turn into the line-up we had made I hit a pile of heavy stuff. I fell flat on my face, My arms sunk into the snow as I tried to stop the fall. The snow covered my feet and was just like cement. My helmet created a kind of suction in the snow. It was hard to lift it. I couldn't get my arms out and I couldn't move my legs. My friends had to dig me out. It was embarassing, but also funny as anything.

Question:
As kids our parents bought us our skis (if we skied then). What was the first pair of skis(new or used) you bought for yourself and how old were you when you did this?

 

[severine]

The *only* pair of skis I've ever had were the ones I bought in January 2004 - I was 26. Then again, that was my first season, too. In any case, they're a pair of Rossignol Saphir Snows, I think 150s... Again, first season, so there was no need to spend the big bucks.

How many pairs of skis do you think you've purchased over the years? (I know, not so creative...)