One of the snow study tools I’ll need when in the backcountry is a snow saw. I finally picked one up. It’s a BCA (Backcountry Access) 35cm Snow/Wood Saw.
This is a very solid saw with measurements up to 35cm, and even a snow crystal study card right on the blade.
I’m looking forward to trying this snow saw out the next time I’m in the backcountry. I’ll post a review in a few weeks after I’ve had ample time to test it out!
Stay tuned.
I’m keen on what gear ski pros use because I want to use the best gear I can for myself. After all, skiing isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Gear can make the difference between enjoying a great run or suffering badly.
Arcade and Cody Townsend
Over the last year or so I’ve become a big Cody Townsend fan. If you don’t know who he is, I highly recommend checking out his YouTube channel and The Fifty Project, where he is skiing the 50 most iconic lines in North America. Cody started up a belt company for skiers, ski mountaineers, hikers and the like. He saw a need and a niche that wasn’t being filled and Arcade Belts was born.
Getting in Shape
I’ve since acquired a total of SIX arcade belts and love them all. I have numerous reasons why I have these belts in play, one being their flexibility. You see, since winter of 2018-19 I made a decision to ski a lot more, both downhill and backcountry. I knew I’d need to be in better physical condition, so in 2019 I made a big effort to “move more and eat less.” It worked! I lost nearly 40 pounds and several inches off the waist. The problem with that is that none of my apparel fit anymore. Good problem to have I suppose. Belts needed.
In Action
The Arcade Belts flexibility and adjustability has allowed me to milk some more use out of some of my old ski pants. Plus, the flexibility of the belts has really helped me with my movement and comfort while skiing. The belts move with me, and stretch when they need to. If I’m taking a jump, bending down low to absorb bumps, or simply bending over to buckle my boots, my belt doesn’t choke me out.
I’m also using Arcade Belts on my pants and shorts, not just my ski pants. I’ve got a lot of pants/shorts which would simply fall right off my body without my Arcades. Plus they look great!
Style
Not only are Arcade Belts super functional, they’re very stylish. There are dozens of different styles, designs and colors to choose from. With my arsenal of Arcade Belts I’ve got a good match for most outfits I wear, but I’m surely not done. I need more.
Final Thoughts
Hats off to Arcade Belts. They’re a great belt for outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, camping, climbing and so on and can go straight from the mountains to a night on the town.
Now that’ I’m getting more serious about backcountry skiing and in general, being better prepared on or of piste, I needed a better and bigger pack. After a lot of research I settled on the Osprey Kamber 32. This pack is designed for backcountry enthusiasts and holds 32 liters of gear, snacks, drinks.
32 liters is a good fit for slightly longer day tours or even overnights. This pack came in very handy for me during my 4-day Level 1 avalanche training course. I was able to store all my needed avalanche gear, roughly 60 ounces of beverages (hot and cold), as well as all the snacks, cameras, and other gear I needed in all-day sessions. Here’s the Kamber 32 in action:
I’ve had the Kamber on the mountain a few times now. I have a hydraulics reservoir on the way and will be implementing that as well. Stay tuned for me review soon.
I usually tell people that when it comes to backcountry skiing, my limited experience is that it is harder going up than it is going down. That may not have been the case a couple of days ago in American Fork Canyon though. After attempting and failing to go downhill skiing at Alta Ski Area, my ski buddy and I decided to do American Fork Canyon. It is close to where he lives.
The canyon isn’t super high in elevation. I’m guessing 6-7K. As such there wasn’t a 100 inch base, but there was quite a bit of snow in many areas, especially at the peak of our tour at Silver Lake Flat reservoir. That section of snow was deep and we were cutting our own skin track. My calves and knee have been quite unhappy about that since. Vitamin I (ibuprofen) and CBD oil are in play.
Overall the skin up was fun and challenging. The ski down was not worth the effort though. Not enough snow on any slopes worth skiing. So it was mostly skiing back on an access road which was flat in many areas. Navigating flat road without skins on and skis in downhill mode is probably harder than skinning up.
6+ miles, mostly work. There were THREE nice pow turns I made though, right off the cornice on the reservoir’s dam (video below). All in all a fun day, but the reward was small for the amount of effort.
