Tabla de contenidos para September 2018 en Powder

SOME DAYS, POWDER FINDS YOU by sheer stupid happenstance. You wake up and peek through the blinds. As if placed there like a gift from God, a foot of snow covers the porch where there was none before. Not a minute to lose, you slurp down coffee and raccoon around the back of the fridge for some dense carbohydrate and cheese. Skis, boots, poles; helmet, beacon, pack; thick mittens, extra layer, low-light lens, goggle wipe, double Buff—because there’s no way that one face shield is enough on a day like today. Riding on the chair through the storm, your inner child surfaces through the oppressive goo of adulthood. Decisions about career, health care, relationships, and day-to-day noise wash away as the chairlift takes you and a couple companions up, up,…

Even if you don’t immediately recognize Chris Rubens’ name, you’ll probably recognize his laugh. You might have heard him whooping his way through Salomon Freeski TV episodes and Sherpas Cinema films. But that sense of joy from smashing pow belies the thoughtfulness that goes into his skiing. “He’s one of the most competent big mountain skiers I’ve ever been out with. He definitely has the skills to hang with a lot of ski mountaineers and guides,” says photographer Bruno Long. Last year, Rubens, 33, and fellow Revelstoke-based skier Greg Hill took a 2,500-mile road trip to ski a variety of Northwestern volcanoes. They tackled the journey (and all its backwoods mountain roads) in an electric car—a Nissan Leaf instead of a lifted truck with a sled deck—just to see if…

Lel Tone built her reputation as an influential snow-safety professional and guide by calmly managing extreme situations. But even the brave have demons to battle. INSIDE HER HOUSE, a cozy cabin with a cherry red door that neighbors a cross-country ski center in Tahoe City, California, Lel Tone is frying a salmon she caught herself in a pan in her kitchen. She uncorks a bottle of wine and chops broccoli on a cutting board. She’s petite—5 feet 2 inches tall—but strong, with brawny arms and a sharp jawline. She has wispy blond hair and a perky, unassuming smile. “A lot of little things can go wrong when you’re in a hurry,” she says, cutting methodically. “Like being around a helicopter—if you don’t shut the door properly, or put your ski…

THE 33 SKIERS IN THE POWDER UNION have a diverse range of favorites when it comes to skis. Yet, the Skis of the Year were universal in their appeal. But keep in mind that ski reviews are subjective: What works for one skier might not work for another based on style, terrain, and ability. To find the right ski for you, look for things that will affect your ski experience, such as construction, sidecut, rocker/camber profile, and turn radius. Women’s specific skis, which are often built to be lighter and may come in shorter lengths, are found in their category of use. Where you see two ski names above a single review, this refers to the unisex and women’s models identical in construction, yet available in different top sheets and…

MOMENT Wildcat Tour $749 D: 143-118-133mm R: 25m Everything you love about the Bibby in a shiny, new package. Moment’s Mustache Rocker gives the ski healthy camber underfoot and equal amounts or rocker in the tip and tail, which allows you to easily scrub soft snow as well as engage the edge in firm snow. Combined with a long effective edge and stiff profile allow this ski put the party into powder. Built with paulownia and ash, it takes bumps well—or just pumps right over them. Weighing 1842 grams for the pair, it’s a lighter option that charges like a heavy on-piste ski. —Sierra Davis SEGO Condor $979 D: 132-108-122mm R: 28m Designed to be lightweight enough for touring (weighing 1850 grams), but stout enough to confidently charge big lines,…

LANGE XT Free Pro $950 Last: 97mm Flex: 140 1900g The XT Free Pro is a juiced-up version of the popular XT 130 Freetour. Its 140 flex—with walk mode, no less—annihilated the resort and quick out-the-gate backcountry jaunts. Equipped with Lange’s Dual Core shell, the boot’s innovative construction utilizes soft and stiff plastic where they are needed most: high-performance polyolefin on the cuff for performance, and lightweight Grilamid on the lower shell to provide easier entry and less bite on the instep. If you need one boot to tour a little, bootpack to stashes, and shred the resort with the feel of an alpine plug, then look no further. —Erme Catino HEAD Kore 1 $950 Last: 100mm Flex: 130 1594g The Kore 1 offers space-age customization that combines the lightweight…

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, a product comes along and forever alters the way things are done. Like in 1926, when Austrian mountaineer Rudolf Lettner invented skis with steel edges so he could have better grip. And in 1947, when Howard Head, an aircraft engineer who was unsatisfied with the heavy, inflexible wood skis of the day, spent $250 on a band saw and built the first metal skis, bonding a plywood core between sheets of aluminum and sidewalls. In 1996, Shane McConkey dreamed up the first skis with reverse sidecut and reverse camber, which evolved into rocker, a concept that’s present across nearly all categories of skis. Whether it’s using a new technology, materials, or design, these products changed the way we approach the mountains. This year, we are…

IT WASN’T THEIR FAULT. Tired from the shred-fest that is Jackson Hole’s upper mountain on a powder day, the Rad Bros simply had no frame of reference for the happy idiot in the bandana and flower-patterned windshirt, solo in the backcountry with no pack, skiing on a pair of 150-something women’s skis, and… was he snickering at them? I should back up a little. We’ve all had standout runs over the years that were defined by specific skis. The glorious moment when I somehow managed to grease a bump line on 223-centimeter Dynastar DH boards. The 6-foot-deep day in February of ’98 when I borrowed a pair of 90-millimeter-underfoot “fat” skis for the first time and became a golden god swooping straight through the Meaning of Life and out the…

WHERE ‘HEATED SIDEWALKS’ HAS NO KNOWN TRANSLATION “Down Home—A road trip through Idaho done dirt cheap,” (46.4) is about real skiing. Big resorts offer nice runs and many luxuriously appointed features, but at the end of the day, a great turn and a face shot can be done anywhere it’s available, and the common language of skiing translates beautifully. JOHN CULLENT Via Powder.com BUT DOES HE WASH HIS PAWS AFTERWARD? I very much enjoyed the story on the Eiseman Hut (“The Fortunate Ones”) in the December 2017 issue (46.4). Eiseman was my first hut trip in Colorado. The skiing was exceptional, as was staying at the hut. I’d like to point out a couple of additional details on the pine marten featured in the story. His name is Jasper, per…

ATOMIC Bent Chetler 120 $900 D: 143-120-134mm R: 19m Even after 10 years, the Atomic Bent Chetler is as relevant as ever, and a new design for 2019 makes it even better as a backcountry pow stick. This year, the ski is 10 percent lighter (weighing 1900 grams) with a wood core and tip to tail carbon backbone. The fat girth and 40 percent of rocker is ideal in powder, but the capper is the HRZN Tech, which adds more surface area to increase float while lessening tip deflection at no added swing weight. Imagine a boat hull gliding through waves: This rocker profile does that for snow. The combination made me feel super confident in deeper and chopped-up snow. I could press the charge button and fly through anything…

FACTION Candide CT 4.0 $949 D: 140-118-134mm R: 23m With a balsa, poplar, and flax core and a tiny bit of camber, the 4.0 is incredibly lightweight and nimble, perfect for boosting all around the mountain. This combination may be lacking in the way of durability and strength, but Faction incorporates Titanal underfoot for some added stiffness and binding retention. Honestly though, you’re not going to be thinking about the durability of the ski when you’re popping from one feature to the next in fresh snow, where this ski truly excels. Just don’t find any hidden treasures. —Dane Weister ROSSIGNOL Super 7 HD $900 D: 140-116-130mm R: 21m The most aggressive ski in Rossignol’s popular 7 series, the Super 7 HD is designed for high-octane adventure. A paulownia core sandwiched…

REMEMBER WHAT MATTERS I write this letter from my couch as I am recovering from a serious avalanche accident in the Wasatch a mere four days ago. Today, the new issue of Powder arrived and as I sit here unable to walk, typing with one hand, and prepping for surgery tomorrow, I am flipping through the pages of glorious powder skiing. Besides my family, skiing is my greatest love. Growing up in Pennsylvania, I read Powder magazine and dreamed of the day when powder would be in my world. For the last 29 seasons, I have had the privilege of skiing amazing snow here in Utah (and Canada). Along with so many amazing friends, I have experienced all that skiing offers to life—the bonds of friendship, beautiful mountains, thrilling moments,…

THE CLOUDS ROLLED IN, the snow came down in waves, and visibility all but vanished. With fresh snow falling all week long at Red Mountain, British Columbia, the skiing in any direction was as good as you could ask for. But while deciding our options atop Grey Mountain—one of three forested peaks that make up the 4,200 acres of intricate, steep terrain at Red—we lucked out with local beta. Kate Verhagen, a 29-year-old local in her first time testing skis at Powder Week, said, “Hey, follow me,” and promptly took off. As best we could, we chased her through the storm, following her blond hair over the whoopties and around a cliff band before arriving at the edge of a quiet bowl protected from the wind. Verhagen, who works as…

BLACK CROWS Nocta $900 D: 140-122-134mm R: 26m The Nocta is made for floating off drops and crushing powder. The mellow sidecut and relatively long turn radius provide stability at speed. Despite being a wide ski, the full rocker helps the Nocta transition easily from edge to edge in soft snow, and keeps it from being too much ski when the snow gets choppy and bumpy. A mix of poplar and paulownia keep the moderately stiff Nocta lightweight, tipping the scales at 2000 grams per ski. —Dane Weister K2 Pinnacle 118 $900 D: 145-118-135mm R: 23m The Pinnacle 118 is ideal for someone who likes big lines and hanging onto their butt straightlining through the mogul field at the bottom. To keep the ski stout, the core combines fir and…

J SKIS The Vacation $629 D: 127-104-122mm R: 18.5m This offering from J Skis bridges the gap from everyday shredder to park ski. The Vacation has a versatile shape that can handle everything from groomers to full-on pow days. But where it really excells is buttering, slarving, and other creative maneuvers. The overall soft flex of the maple core is matched with the rocker profile in the tip and tail, allowing you to lean into these suckers and whip them around. Overall, a very fun ski that is easy to turn, jump, and get weird. —Dane Weister NORDICA Enforcer 100/Santa Ana 100 $799 D: 133-100-121mm R: 18.5m This is a hearty and stable ski that requires effort to ignite but is fast, responsive, and easy to maneuver in bumps and…

SALOMON S/MAX 120 $725 Last: 98-104mm Flex: 120 1780g To be blunt, this boot effing rips. It’s locked in and smooth, and the best alpine boot I’ve ever skied in. The S/MAX 120 has a mono-injected PU plastic blend, making it feel like it’s ready to tackle anything in its path. Frankly, I just wanted to keep skiing it. It was incredibly intuitive with a rolling flex that was powerful, yet had a feel of style to handle terrain adjustments. The seamless liner is best in class and the shell is heat-moldable—providing a fit ranging from 98 to 104mm. The boot is also available in a 130 flex, which would crush. —Erme Catino NORDICA Promachine 130 $849 Last: 98mm Flex: 130 1870g The Promachine 130 resembles a race car, and…

DYNAFIT Hoji Pro Tour $800 Last: 102mm Flex: 120 1450g The Hoji Pro Tour captures the innovation award for this year’s boots. With its patented Hoji-Lock System, which intertwines the power strap and top buckle with one spring-loaded latch to snap the shell open and close, the boot is fast and efficient while touring for miles in the backcountry. Once engaged in ski mode, the Hoji is truly connected, and delivers an alpine-boot-like sensation on the descent, a quality rarely achieved on any boot with a walk mode. From the well-designed instep buckle, smooth flex off the ankles, and minimal space on the hinge, the fit around the heel pocket truly impressed. Downsides (for my narrow foot) include a fairly wide forefoot, and a softer flex. Lastly, the Speed Nose…

After winning her first competition at the New Zealand Freeski Open in 2015, Caite Zeliff quit skiing for University of New Hampshire’s Division I race team and moved to Jackson Hole. Last winter, when 25 skiers and riders gathered above Corbet’s Couloir—one of North America’s most famous lines—to go full send for the title of King and Queen of Corbet’s, the former ski racer stomped her first-ever attempt and took home the crown. How I got here: It’s nice coming from a ski racing background because it’s so intense compared to big mountain skiing, which is way more free-flowing. I really like jumping off of big cliffs and that’s where I want to keep heading. Early ski memories: When I was 11, I signed up for a race—I had never…