The most desirable line you have ever seen

[Goemon 0]

 Quote:

here is my injured left foot

Sure beats Ocean11's bruised nipple.

[damian 0]

You crack me up.

 

I think O11 also posted a picture of his bruised butt cheek as well.

 

 Quote:

Originally posted by daver:

...as such, the booming era of the Canadian rockies came to a close.

.....and so they sit, still relatively uncrowded and empty? Sounds good!

[SerreChe 2]

Le spud, can't believe you do all these gnarly lines and end-up busting your toe in the door of a gelato shop! Classic. Hope the ice cream was good at least.

[damian 0]

I didn't even get to eat the damn thing. Lemon sorbet.

[daver 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by le spud:
.....and so they sit, still relatively uncrowded and empty? Sounds good!

for the most part yes. there are of course busy places, but those are for the most part rather predictable.

yeah it is a pretty amazing place.

[damian 0]

It sounds it. I got that impression from Toque as well.

 

If I had to make my decision today, pack tonight, go tomorrow... and live with it for the next 3 years, I would go to Canada.

 

Then come back to France.

 

(The only reason I would not go to Alaska is you miss so much of winter as it is dark for 20 hours a day).

[damian 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Toque:
I really want the lookers left of the 2 couloirs

That's SockMonkey in the picture. Where is he these days?

dude, what about directly down the line next to Sock Monkey's right arm? Start on the peak above his right shoulder and head down the open sunny face next to his right ear and into the line following that long vertical shadow, racing out past his right glove.

[Ocean11 0]

 

Back by popular demand.

 

 

I found the bum shot on my old computer, but it really is too horrible to post. I'm touched that M. Pomme de Terre still remembers it. To return the compliment, I have to say that your toes are arranged in a more pleasing array than nicoles.

[bushpig 0]

What was that from O11??

 

Your pinky toe has an interesting curl going on there spud!

[TJ OZ 0]

O11, looks like a bit of man boob starting to develop there. Maybe time to hit the weights.

[Ocean11 0]

I hugged a tree to stop myself sliding down the hill in a big wipeout in the forest at Nozawa. It hurt.

 

That was several years ago. Since then I've lost about 10 kg. My boobs are hard as rocks now. Weights are for people with too much time on their hands.

[damian 0]

Ocean11 is a healthy dirt farmer these days. Turning sods keeps the man-tits away. Dunno about that chin up bar he's buying.

 

(and thanks fo not showing your arse again)

[bushpig 0]

but does it keep the third nipple away?!?

[damian 0]

I once had a girlfrind who was otherwise perfect (and dumb as wood). She had a large nipple shaped mole on her back. I one day called it her 'third nipple from where the devil suckles'. She hit the bloody roof at that one.

[bushpig 0]

I bet that was one of her most self-conscious bits!

[TJ OZ 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by le spud:
I once had a girlfrind who was otherwise perfect (and dumb as wood). She had a large nipple shaped mole on her back. I one day called it her 'third nipple from where the devil suckles'. She hit the bloody roof at that one.

The beginning of the end of that relationship.

[Fattwins 0]

spud it looks like a good line i hope to one day go for it. i would want to have a video set up though, for sure.

[mattlucas 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by le spud:
dude, what about directly down the line next to Sock Monkey's right arm? Start on the peak above his right shoulder and head down the open sunny face next to his right ear and into the line following that long vertical shadow, racing out past his right glove.

When I look at that picture I see the 2 couloirs and nothing else. Call it tunnel vision.

To bad about your foot
Sucks about hurting it in such a shitty way
Like me breaking my foot walking up stairs at the start of January. You'll be back soon enough though.

[mattlucas 0]

As for the Rockies of NORTH AMERICA

It's all about access

You can easily get the mountains along the few roads that go through the rockies but beyond that you are commited to a multi day approach

Summer/spring skiing the steep lines in the Rockies is very dangerous as well I think. The snow turns isothermic quickly from what I have read.

The coast mountains are different in that the snow stays in condition for longer.

 

 

In Europe you have towns in nearly every valley. If there isn't a town there is a road.

It's much like Japan where there is either a road going to an onsen village at the head of the valley or at the very least there is a road going to the end.

[guzzlers-baps 0]

Will you be close to the mountains and snow when you are back in Canada, Toque-san?

[NoFakie 45]

The Sock Monkey right arm line looks like it faces due south. That bit directly behind him bends toward the viewer near the ridge with the short shadow.

 

I seem to remember them doing a couple of lines off Shakushi in Landmade 1. Haven't seen it for a while though.

[damian 0]

Hi Mr W - are southern aspect lines in Japan reliably hard and cruddy like they are here in Europe... only good in winter after snow or in spring after a morning of strong sun? It can be good or bad. Southerly aspects can bring some safety to the game, which is one good thing to be said for them. Unless hey are quite steep and hard to hold an edge of. The typical trade-off.

 

Beanie - mate, when I looked at the pic I too only saw the lines you did when you took it. Later on I read the thread again (lusting after lines) and took a close up look of sock monkey to see if I knew him under the 'small world' banner. It was then I saw the line.

 

Fattwins - the line must from now on be known as 'the sock monkey'. Not sock monkey peak, or sock money couloir... just 'the sock monkey'.

[NoFakie 45]

Spudman

 

I only chimed in because I know the shape of the mountains; I've never ridden anything that high. Latitude-wise Hakuba is somewhere between Silicy and Malta. We do get some hardcore rays from the currant bun, and don't have the altitude of Alps to keep the temps consistently super low. Anywhere that high in Hakuba is also going to be affected by the wind, possibly more so than the sun.

 

South facing lines lower down soon crust up on clear days.

[Fattwins 0]

The most desirable line you have ever seen is the question. That line has many problems ill point out a few.

 

One it faces south and gets baked at around 10ish give or take. you gotta be up there to time it.

 

number 2 the snow is going to sluff for sure in some places you would have to be aware.

 

3 no fall zones and no miss turn zones or you are going back up.

 

A small slide ripping to ice.

 

the climb in is not easy, its long 6 hours or more and the ridge line is thin, or so the map says.

 

Never say never though

[damian 0]

Mr W - sorry I didn't reply right away. I forgot to check this thread. Everything you say sound sensible. And that was the best bit of cockney I have heard. It always amazes me that Tokyo lines up with Rome. Do you ever get tempted when the snow and weather is right, perhaps in spring, to go poking around up there?

 

 

FT - you are right, The Sock Monkey Line doesn't belong in the most desirable line category, not at all. I just got diverted. But what the hell lets, analyse it further anyway, talking about the blue lines:

 

- south facing = timing: yes, big time. But after good 2 hours baking it will be soft on top. I always prefer a narrow window of timing to an all day avalanche uncertainty. On the flip side, I'd rather ride powder than softened re-freeze a midday.

 

- sluffing: its part of the equation on any desirable line? Sluffing isn't that bad, depending on the width and intensity of the sluff... and most important, what is down the fall line from the sluff (rocks, little cliffs etc). This looks reasonably clean. Hard to tell in the pic.

 

- what is a 'no miss turn' zone? As for no fall zones, I recon it is pretty clean. There isn't any exposure.

 

- small slide ripping to ice: yes, that happens half of the time. Just small patches of sun-soft beak away leaving you with either hard frozen base or (in my area) glacier ice. I think keep the speed down if it is a risk. Expect the surprise and deal with it with loose legs when it happens. Going too fast is nasty if a turn on corn is suddenly followed by a turn on ice. Here's a technique, I know one guy that does it: if you break away the surface layer to ice then go straight until you are back on snow. He is a very good rider (quite genuinely). Interestingly, his approach comes from freestyle: you don't try and edge or stop on a mailbox or a rail, why try and edge on ice. He just goes flat and straight until he is over the problem. Easy to type about, doing is different. If we are really concerned we can always belay each other riding. Although I recon that offer more emotional relief than anything else.

 

- Not an easy climb, 6 hours. I'm not trying to rambo it up, but unlike the rip-to-ice, sluffing and south facing timing issues, a long difficult hike is ok with me. Even though I have been to Hakuba a few times I cant comment anymore as I don't know the peak, ridge, range or valley. And I haven't seen a map. Is there anyway other way up: longer but technically easier? Shorter, more difficult but with more exposure? Usually there is a compromising middle solution that suits the party doing the peak. And what about the direct route up the line? Again, no idea what the approach is like, but climbing what you are considering riding is SO much better than dropping in from the top without having touched the line. Thin ridge = cornice. What way does the wind usually blow? Taking a second look, it appears as though before this pic the wind has been blowing up hill, judging by the ridges leading up hill from the little rocks below the ridge. Obviously thats better than blowing from behind.

 

- never say never: if its bad at the time then such is life, walk away, but lets give it a go next season.

 

Here is the marked up pic to make sure we are on the same line. I am talking about the blue descent with alternate entry lines. The line marked in blue dashes is worth considering but could be tricky? The second entry from the left was what I had in mind with alternates should the peak entry be risky.

 

In orange: doable? But clear exposure, no falls and is that a big fat loaded convex pillow slope immediately downhill of the ridge?? (in the area marked with 3 randomly placed orange entry lines)

 

Besides the loaded convex entry, the one in green is a fair route, made risky by the left-to-right ridge line that leads to the blue route. That ridge could trap you on a slide. If it is big enough to cast a shadow...

 

Even though I am a beginner, I love this stuff.

 

Last I read of Sock Monkey he was breaking up with his gf of 7 years.... hard work etc. Fair call