Ski-mo AT gear Building

Ski-Mo SKIS!
The minimum race ski length for women is 150 cm. Most companies only make a race ski in 160 cm, the minimum race ski length for men (which usually come up to their shoulder height!)

Since I'm teeny, and squeamish on descending, the shorter the ski the better in my eyes at this time.

I was kindly set up with the Hagan X-Race 150 cm (skis and skins) from US distributor Mike Hagen at a nice deal. With the shorter ski, the weight was crazy at 635g per ski.

BINDING
I wanted to go as light as possible, with a binding that has a manual locking toepiece, to leave unlocked descending for an easier release (need be!). For this reason, I chose the Dynafit TLT Superlite at 185g (actual 200+g). Beautiful looking binding, too!

SKINS
Mike set me up with some beauty mohair Hagan skins. Still deciding to keep the tails on these ones, and set up a shorter pair without tails.

BOOTS - checked off my list last Dec with cute Dynafit Dy.n.a's. Not the lightest out there but pretty darn reasonable. Very sharp!

POLES
I'll be using my Swix Star CT1 carbon fibre x-c classic poles. A little long though adaptable. Nice & light.


MANDATORY GEAR
Back to the comment "I'm teeny", so weight matters. I went with the lightest that I could find within race regulation.

CAMP Carbon Fibre Avalance Probe
CAMP Crest Shovel
Pieps Freeride transceiver

Picked up the CAMP Rapid 260 pack as it had all the bells and whistles on it for AT racing and is so crazy light. Comfy and negligible when I tested it on a Ha Ling hike/run in the snow.

Took the basic avalanche rescue course offered by U of C Outdoor Centre this past weekend Dec 8.

Simulated an avalanche situation. Full force action to dig

Checking our snow pit

During the practice situations at the avalanche course, I could see how the Crest shovel would not be sufficient for rescue in a "real" avalanche. The CF probe seemed do-able. Would also use the suggested standard of a 3-antenna transceiver.

Discussing snow build-up and how best to travel
(though every guy was eyeing that snowy pitch at the top!)

When we practiced searching with the transceivers, I used the Ortovox D3 given to me to use in the course, as well as tested my Freeride. I found that the Freeride started tracking 10 metres after the Ortovox. So, it functioned well, just not as strong with the one antenna vs three for the Ortovox.

Checking out the snow layers. A practice not utilized much anymore

Back to the gear, and usage:

My worst fear of going into my first Eco-Challenge (--- photos)  
back in 1999 (--- story) with many of the disciplines of events new to me (mountaineering, whitewater paddling, horseback riding, rappelling - no biking!), was I didn't want to be profiled like the racers on TV that didn't know what the heck they were doing. So, I took the time to learn.

So for AT, uphill, no problem. Transitions, definitely need practice. Now, to get out and learn how to descend proficiently!!

For the avi course, I rented the Manaslus skis, women's version in 160cm.
Pretty awesome ski and binding setup for when I go into the real backcountry

Thanks to lots of feedback and heckling of rookie gear questions to National Ski-Mo racer Peter Knight, and the input from Mr Al Black, or was it Bo(!).

X-C season starts!

We had ski-able snow in the city before Halloween this year.

Tim, Marg & Marcus make the excursion out to the Hinton Nordic Centre. Early season Nov 3!

Bruce in Hinton saddling up while I await on my pony. Took opportunity to ride after helping feed the horsies that night on a local ranch Bruce helps out at.

Drove to Hinton via Jasper-Banff highway.
Most Outstanding Scenery, way better than summertime
Road was challenging to drive in spots after the prior days snowfall

Deer Creek Death Ride - the Personal Gran Fondo

photo from Deer Creek Death Ride website

On one of my first rides in the Thousand Oaks area a couple weeks ago, I was lucky to bump into local racer/coach Mr Bill (William Ralph). Bill informed me about the Deer Creek Death ride.

I had planned to make the long drive north to home already, though this ride was very luring.

A local rider and a few friends did a 100 mile ride annually at the end of the season. The ride now includes anyone that wants to take on all or part of the century ride. This guy kindly supplies water/food support driven by his friends in a convertible.

Entry fee - FREE! Though, donations willingly accepted for the feed with excess going to charity.

Not just any 100 miles... this one included alot of the cream of crop canyon climbs in the Santa Monica Mountains! Elevation gain would be 12,000 feet.

Cyclists gathering at a brisk 7 a.m. at Wins Wheel's Bike Shop in Agoura Hills

Despite the long ride ahead of us, the pace still went out hard up the first climb up Decker Road. Soon enough, we had the wicked long descent to the ocean on Encinal.

First catch up stop at the bottom of Encinal Canyon on Hwy 101 by the ocean

Actual Deer Creek Canyon climb is at a wicked 15% grade for many km - views outstanding!

The feed-zone convertible with a Halloween black spider on back

After a couple stops to regroup, a few of us decided to stick together and ride continuously. I ended up with Bill and his buddy Dusty Armstrong (ex-BMX pro). It was a blast to ride with them especially descending as I had confidence in their lines around the twisty canyon roads.

Dusty & Marg following Bill's lines down the famous Rock Store road. A photographer takes pics of the motorcyclists and squeeze a few in of the cyclists 

I've purchased a photograph from Rock Store Pics in the past when I was in the leathers.

Dusty, Bill and I heading up Mulholland with 40 miles left

Losing Dusty to a broken chain with 20 miles to go, Bill & I continue on passing by another roadside photographer.

Les started the ride as well. Missing out the last short loop, he made it to the finish just ahead of me. Perfect timing for our carpooling.

162 km, 6 hr 40 min, 12100 feet elevation gain
Wicked last ride of the season!

Gibralter Climb in Santa Barbara

My second attempt at the Gibralter Climb, an epic road ride out of Santa Barbara. First attempt in 2009 crushed on-route with a mechanical.

bike path along the coast

Took a look at the map and decided to ride coastal east for some mileage, then head inland to make my way up E Mountain Dr to get to the epic climb up Gibralter Rd.

Heading inland towards E Mountain Dr, I was wowed by the height of the Eucalyptus trees... at least twice as high as the power lines

E Mountain Dr is an epic ride itself

Statue in front of a house on-route

The climb up Gibralter goes on and on

Upon reaching the peak of the mountain, the road followed a ridge-line and could see to the south down to Santa Barbara, and to the north the Los Padres mountains.

Los Padres mountains to the north

Santa Barbara & ocean views to the south. Cool bird!

Took the Euro type road called Painted Caves down to the coast. Pretty epic road and on the must-do list to climb back up

It was calm while I was up on the mountain.
Once I was close to shore, I was surprised to see huge whitecaps on the water and palm trees blowing.
Yay, it was a strong tailwind back to the start

My footprints to the water with the view
of the mountain ridge I was just on

Cali Hikes & Runs

Spent alot of my California time in the Thousand Oaks area, west of L.A. and with the Santa Monica mountains within reach.

Les & I squeezing in a run before nightfall up trailhead for Mt Boney

Barely made it back to the car before complete darkness. Fall-time darkness sneaks up quick and it's pitch black in these canyons. 
Always carry a headlamp! 

Starting to descend as the sun is setting. 
Thousand Oaks in the background

Views of the Santa Monica mountains from the peak of a run I went on with Les from his workplace in Newbury Park. 
An escape from suburbia just like that!

At the same peak, the views to the southwest shows the flatlands to the ocean waters

BERNARDO SUMMIT TRAIL

First time hike up Bernardo Summit in San Diego County when I was staying in Escondido. Easy access to park to get to the trailhead, then a quick couple km and 500' elevation gain.

I discovered the Bernardo Summit Trail on my MTB ride around Lake Hodges. Saw the sign and had to find out where it lead to... an awesome ride-able rocky technical trail to the peak!

Enjoying the sunset views from the peak of Bernardo Summit, after an earlier road ride through those same hills

The views to the west where the ocean lingers only 30 km away

Looking to bump into my hiking partner on my way down. 
I thought it was Paul hoo-ing at me!

Cali MTB ventures

Malibu Canyon with great tour guides... Shaun from the Wed Calabasas group ride, transplanted Calgarian Allan St. Pierre, and Pat Dodge who was visiting from Calgary

The most exciting part of the trail was reaching Castrol Peak where there was a short steep climb with sticky rock Moab-like, with an equal rocky descent on the other side... fun though short

Met up with local Mario Correa from my Transalp racing days... He took me on some great elevation single track climbing in Trabuco Canyon in Orange County

Hoping to catch Mario blazing fast out of the Holy Jim Trail and caught him with a second flat. I lent him my 26" tube which fit well for the rest of the ride in his 29" wheel!
Didn't know you could.

Tough to capture the amazing views when I was chasing Mario at his high speeds

The valley in Trabuco Canyon 5000' below where we started from

One of my favourite MTB rides in Elfin Forest is the technical Way-Up climb up Mt Israel. At the top is a fun super rocky loop that takes about 20 minutes. I ride it both directions then come bombing down the Way-Up trail.

I finally found a way to link this ride to the trails around Lake Hodges on the new paved road Via Ambiente!

down 15% past the lower reservoir

Darn water reservoir always had me trapped from getting to the trail head. Now Via Ambiente goes past a new ritzy Mexican style villa and connects Del Dios Hwy to the Elfin Forest road

the lovely 15% screaming fast grade to Del Dios