The back country journey.

[damian 0]

During last season I suffered a massive fall in motivation to head to a resort for the sake of catching a lift and sliding up and down all day, particularly on a snowboard on groomed runs. Don’t get me wrong, it is fun, especially so if you are in a group of mates. It just isn’t the type of thing that suits me. I tossed up options like skiing, an alpine snowboard set up, a combo of both etc etc. The fact is I like a bit of adventure and exploration. Back Country seems to offer this, or perhaps semi-BC, who knows. One thing is for sure, I certainly don’t want to presume to know a thing about it. At this stage I am thinking freedom and challenge. I don’t know what it will take in terms of terrain to deliver it however for my skill level I suspect not much. Enough story telling. I have a good 6 months to get ready for next winter when I plan to do a 2 week stint in the snow and nothing more which is a bummer but such is my new country and lifestyle. Each season will build on the previous and for my first season I am going to spend the bulk of my 2 week snow time doing a solid BC/av course. Over the next 6 months I want to slowly gather the required equipment. Does anyone care to list an inventory of what they reckon is a complete set of BC essential tools and resources? I want to spread my purchase out over the coming 6 months and try to take advantage of off-season sales.

 

Hopefully if I take this step for the 04/05 season I will be free as a bee in a few season to follow and also able to be safe and moderately experienced. Each winter to follow I can tackle a progressively more adventurous snow challenge & years from now I will look back and be glad I took the first step when I did.

 

Here is my list:

 

- av pole,

- snow shoes

- perhaps a split snowboard

- beacon and tracker

- 2 way radio

- appropriate outer wear

- shovel

- perhaps new technology like the avalung

-- ???

[mattlucas 0]

I think you got it there DB

 

Except that the Beacon and Tracker is 1 thing.

 

-A nice backpack (from a good company) of about 40 litres would be good for day trips.

 

-For clothing. Function before Fashion in the backcountry. Nobody cares what you look like.

 

-Get the split board. Hiking in Snowshoes blows goats. And I'm not talking about little goats but the big ones with horns.

- With split board you need skins. G3 or Black Diamond. I would say G3 as it's a Canadian Company and they make good shit.

 

-The Avalung is kind of a crock. Waste of money if you ask me. The pressure exerted from a slide would be so amazing you will be lucky to be able to breath at all. And then while sliding you have to get that mouthpiece in your mouth

 

Thats all I can say. Good luck.

[veronica 2]

vPod (or in your case, dbPod)

 

Where do you plan on undertaking these adventures?

[barok 0]

Yer just a hop away from France, which has some of the best riding/riders in the world. Half the Burton team is French.

 

To add:

- an emergency bivoac - very cheap, small, and lightweight, so why not

- water purification pills - just incase

- snow testing kit (about $100 US)

- a freakin' camera, so you can take picktchurez.

- the fear'a'God

[IM 0]

I'd suggest to start going to classes and seminars so that you can use those shit.

Typically those are only offered in late summer/fall time (no one has time to teach this during the seson)

 

Map/compas/GPS

Equipment

First Aide (aimed for bc riders)

Rope

Avvy

 

BTW, tranceivers like Motorola Talk Abouts are not compatible in Japan and illegal.

[Fattwins 0]

db europe is a different place with different problems ie crevasses (didnt spell that right) so learning that type of rescue might be good too. PS if your that serious get a split board skinning is 2 times easier than snowshoes. In powder they are not much different.

 

Start slow most of Europe is pretty much like the BC if you come here again lets go into some good areas.

[damian 0]

This brings the eager beavers out!! Thanks for all the input. It is going to take me all summer to research and accumulate this stuff.

 

The idea of lessons on using this tuff during the off season is spot on. I am hoping that I can find some kind of back country club in the UK that might be so fanatical that they conduct courses in summer. This might be a challenge. What I don’t want to do is rock up on the first day of my 2 week av course in winter with a big back full of stuff and no idea about any of it. But the fact is, I have to start somewhere and sheer ignorance will be my companion for a while.

 

I am going to focus on France, but in reality I will spend this season 2 week stint at any resort in Europe that offers a first class BC course in English. If this means Norway then all is good. In future seasons I will pick and choose my places according to where I live, where my friends are going, what ever opportunities come up (like free beer at Fattwins house in BC).

 

The whole idea is to plan a different mission for each winter. A trip that takes preparation and research and that has new ground and adventure and some risk.

 

(for what it is worth, I am also doing the same in the surfing world. A 2 week stint each summer in a place that exists for no other reason than the surf. I am %^$& sick of not surfing and that is going to change).

[veronica 2]

dob

 

And I thought you'd be coming to Japan for your snow.

[jared 0]

IM - there are plenty of talkabouts in use in Japan and for sale on the internet. Customs dont seem to interfear when you improt them either.

[damian 0]

V -

 

my dbPod and I will not be making a return any time soon, unless we are forced to do so. Great snow there, but I have other places to see. To be honest I have never been interested in far Eastern Asia and am amazed that I lasted 2 years in Japan, but kind of glad that I did none the less.

 

Anyway, it all about snow and surf adventures now and travelling around Europe the Middle East, Africa and for the hell of it, Iceland.

[Ocean11 0]

- St Bernard with a little keg of rum affixed to his collar

- Condoms

- Dog biscuits

- Mercedes jeep

- Jargon guide (so you can name that snowpack without shame)

 

(Fatts, I love the way you spelt 'crevasses' correctly but cursed your luck by claiming you spelt it wrong...)

[NoFakie 45]

I only know about the Canadian courses, but even the advanced ones start with a refresher on the basics. I think avalanche awareness is more about practice, revision and experience rather than knowledge per se.

 

Possibly the best "resource" you can have is a good pair of climbing legs.

[damian 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by NoFakie:
I think avalanche awareness is more about practice, revision and experience rather than knowledge per se.

It is kind of a "one step at a time" processs, isn't it? Each season I will hopefully get a little more experience without putting myself in too much risk in the meantime.

[mattlucas 0]

If your looking at getting into the mountaineering part of it. And that will be a big factor in Europe for Backcountry stuff you should go to a climbing gym. You will be able to meet people and find out about courses for sure.

[TheOrange 0]

 Quote:

And that will be a big factor in Europe for Backcountry stuff you should go to a climbing gym.

Any particular reason for that?

[damian 0]

I'm with DaOrange, WTF do you think helicopters are for?

[IM 0]

Sorry for the late response.

Jared,

 

So strange that you can buy radios in Japan, but you need a lic. to transmit. The same goes with TAs, you can buy them, but illegal to tansmit. I do not encurage to break the law, chances are slim to the extreame that you'd be caught. Just a word of caution. Plus everyone has to have to TAs to be able to talk to each other. I used to have TAs but ditched them as I could not get other to buy in. And their spker/mic option was more expensive than the unit itself. Also, Japan radio can use repeater stations in case of emergency, but not TAs.

[mattlucas 0]

It's actually quite a serious crime to transmit on those kinds of radios. In Canada it involved jail time and big money. But that being said you can get the modifications done at your local shop for cheap. Just under the table though.

 

Not to much time right now but I will look up for the reasons why its bad later.

[mattlucas 0]

 Quote:

 Quote:

And that will be a big factor in Europe for Backcountry stuff you should go to a climbing gym.

Any particular reason for that?

Have you seen the mountains there. If you get into the serious part of it there are lots of lines you have to rappel into or rappel half way down.

[guzzler 0]

Toque - is that your wooly hat in your avatar? (Sorry off topic!)

[mattlucas 0]

I wish. I need a nice wooly Toque.

 

I always loose them though. I have gone through 3 this winter. They are expensive for nice ones as well. Probably spent almost a mon on them.

 

Now I have this ugly Sierra Designs Toque for under my helmet and a cheap one from a crappy ski store.

[slaphead 0]

>>> I need a nice wooly Toque.

 

You mean a nice woolly hat?

[mattlucas 0]

Look through this thread for all our Toque related issues. We can always bring it back though. Need something to debate through the long summer months.

 

The Toque thread

[Teledude 0]

Screw the gear, you should get some education before anything, navigation, avy classes and all. THEN and only then should you start thinking about what you need to get out there. And leave the Heli for those posers who can't get there and back by themselves...

[Fattwins 0]

get both