Metals in the spring

[Bobby Buggs]

How has your Coiler metal done in spring conditions. Im off to MT Snow Vt tomorrow with a high of 50 and Sun:1luvu: wondering what to expect of my 176 AMt

[Gleb]

unreal in the morning hard pack, and just as fun in the afternoon mush if there is going to be any.

[scrapster]

Bobby, I might see you there if I don't hook up with Dingbat and Shred at Stratton.

[Bobby Buggs]

Well it was outstanding. It got down to the 20s over night so it was firm just below the surface most of the day. Great time.... Im not sure there is something this board Cant do on snow:biggthump

[*Ace*]

X4 destroyed Stratton yesterday.
That boards absolutely RIPS.
Hard groom in the early AM, turned soft, then eventually to slush.
X4 handled it all!

[tex1230]

Ace tore it up.

My schtubby X2 was the correct board as well.

Ice is Nice

[Chubz]

I dont know if its conditions here in PA, but it has mostly been piles of salt (granular)over frozen cat tracks. Early morning feels like it will hold hard carves but then bottoms out and your butt hits the deck. My Coiler 77T does well and holds on those cat tracks where it is scraped, but it partially feels and sounds like tracking across rocks and then hitting the piles salt, bogs slightly then back to frozen cat tracks. this creates a completely uneven flow to a turn and makes it erratic.

I have found the board likes full mush and not the mix of salt piles ontop of frozen. Its almost as if it the hard stuff under the granular disrupts the serpentine flow of the metal over the granular.

Does this make sense. The past few days have been terribly disappointing for a fantastic year.

Anyone else having these conditions. Loose granular on top of frozen cat tracks.

Problem is it dips below freezing before they groom, so its like millions of tiny ball bearings loosely compressed (about 4-5" deep) over an ice rink and once it gets disrupted with boards and skis, it just piles of rutted ball bearings with minimal ability to push back at the rider.

JBS and I were out Saturday morning, took about 5 runs and went to breakfast.

[Keopele]

Chubz, it is so good to read your post. I had the most frustrating day today. The conditions I boarded on today were exactly as you describe. It was my third day on hardboots/alpine board. I had so much fun on my first two days and was expecting today to go as well.
Most of my runs today went worse than my first run ever on hardboots. I thought maybe it was me.. perhaps I had developed a bad habit. Or I thought maybe I was booting out because the board was digging so far into the slush. I had so many butt slides just as you describe. Everything feels good, laying down a nice turn and then its just BAM.. not like a usual slide out.. no warning.. just like the edge falls out from under you.
Today was likely my last day of the season, so reading your post encourages me that although I know I have a lot to still learn, at least I have hope that I'm not as bad as I thought and I can look forward to having more fun next season :)

One thing that added to the frustration is that there were quite a few very good carving skiiers on the hill. They seemed to be tearing it up and loving it.. having no trouble at all. That's what was making me think the snow had nothing to do with my dreadful ability out there today. Perhaps the snow conditions just magnified my weaknesses and amplified everything I was doing wrong. What I could get away with on good snow didnt work on the 'bad' snow. Hopefully next season I'll get to ride with some other carvers and get some tips.

[Dave ESPI]

if you are having problems carving in the sugar sand over marzipan, you just need to use the board more like a tongue depresser rather than a razorblade.

I was in that same stuff Sunday Morning. It was great for first tracks, but once it was scraped and sliced down, faith in edge hold dropped to near zero, so carving was out of the question for fear of edge loss at extreme angle and speed...... as was the results for my buddy Angelo who ate a tree for breakfast.

Torn MCL :freak3:

Ride with caution in unknown conditions. We ALL learn that one lesson the hard way.

[Chubz]

Dave
you are right on, tongue depressor instead, I did that for 2 runs and then left.

I did observe the same thing for skiers, they seemed to be cruising fairly easily, but also keep in mind, they are blanaced on two surfaces and while they are carving, I wouldnt believe most skiers are angulating to the degree a carver does on a single surface. It may look like they are ripping (and some do) but not at our degree.

I guess I would compare it to going from two skis to slalom in waterskiing. When its glassy, no wind or other boats and water perfectly flat (i.e. perfect snow groom thats stiff) nothing better than laying down turns on a slalom ski (except hardbooting), but once it gets choppy from wind, other boats, slalom becomes difficult and not that fun. Two skis come out and makes the chop easier and you can still cut on two skis but its not the same. Even getting out the wakeboard offers a greater surface, but still isnt fun.

We have a couple skiers at Blue that can really rip, but I guarantee they wouldnt be throwing down turns they normally would on such days.

I just like to finish the season on upswiings and conditions have not been permitting that. Maybe a day trip north is the answer.