Holy shit, 39 year old freeskiing legend Shane McConkey died today in a BASE jumping accident while filming with MSP. When we see films with the incredible stunts these guys do I think we become desensitized to just how f’in crazy the shit is that they are doing, and making it look easy. RIP to one of the good guys, and thoughts/prayers/vibes/karma to his wife and kid.
ESPN article
http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/blog?post=4018726
Thread at TGR
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155628
UPDATE:
Matchstick’s official release
http://www.fuel.tv/FUELTVED/blogs/view/5951
K2′s tribute page
http://k2skis.com/shane-mcconkey-tribute/
 Shane McConkey, aka Saucerboy 
So to continue my eco-rant from yesterday and bring things totally off-topic had this exchange in the office the other day. One co-worker (who leads a fairly active outdoors life) walked into the kitchen and saw a Dixie straw sitting on the counter by the coffee maker and went on a mini-rant about people not throwing away their stuff when they are done with it. One of us stated how it was the straw used to mix their coffee and as they are planning to have another cup he put it there to reuse. “It’s just a straw, just grab another one” was the response he got as his straw met the garbage can.
The exchange got me thinking as I try to be conscious of my output and have been using the same red “ghetto pimp cup” here for a few months, just rinse and repeat. I’ve also seen the aftermath of beach cleanup days, and how many cigarette butts (BTW, everytime I see a smoker throw a cigarette out the window I want to punch them in the face. One day I’ll get my opportunity…) make their way to the beach. I’m sure each smoker thinks “it’s just a tiny butt”, but it adds up.
In fact, cigarettes are the most littered item in America and the world. Cigarette filters are made of cellulose acetate tow, NOT COTTON, and they can take decades to degrade. Not only does cigarette litter ruin even the most picturesque setting, but the toxic residue in cigarette filters is damaging to the environment, and littered butts cause numerous fires every year, some of them fatal.
So, anyways, back to straws, I decided I’d try and figure the volume of straws making their way to the North Pacific gyre if everyone in the world threw one away as the thought of head high, straw infested barrels is unappealing to me. It should be noted that the math > me, and I had to make some unscientific assumptions, so if you see anything amiss point it out.
 Coming to an ocean/landfill near you Straw size: 5.25″ long. I’m assuming that it three straws crushed down will be 1mm (1/254″) in height and width (very unscientific guesstimates, and yes I mixed metric and standard measurements). So that means the volume of three straws (L x W x H) would be 5.25 * 1/254 * 1/254 = .00008138″. The population of the world at 8:35 this morning was estimated at 6,768,982,726. So taking that times the earlier number we get 550,827 cubic inches. Dividing that by 1728 we get 318.8 cubic feet. Yup, that’s a pile of straws a football field long, a football field’s length wide, and a football field’s length deep.
I realize that there are parts of the world not throwing away straws, but I also realize that the package of straws we have in the cupboard comes with 1000 of them in it and it’s not the first package our company of six has used in the past year. Will not throwing away straws save the world? Of course not, but can your finger or a wood stick achieve the same end goal as a non-degrading straw? Yes. As people whose recreational pursuits are dependent on the environment continuing to work in the way we’re familiar with it’s worth considering little things you can do to help out.
/end rant, we now return to our regularly scheduled snow stoke
Your skis are killing you, and your snowboard is killing the environment.
Bold statement or understatement? Take a minute and think about your kit and the toxins used in the creation of it. The resins in your core contains VOCs. Your wax has PFCs, the production of which requires PFOA. Clothing dyes, waterproof laminates, metal zippers and plastic buckles? Yup, more fun chemical cocktails and non- and slow degrading products leeching into your water. What about durability? A more durable product may be bad for business but good for the environment as it’s less waste making it’s way to landfills. It’s mind boggling to think of all the bad that goes into the manufacture of our good times.
Thinking outside of output from the direct manufacturing process there’s the core. That wood has to come from somewhere – and odds are good that it wasn’t sustainably grown. Was it grown locally? Every mile from the factory is additional mile of carbon spewed into the atmosphere. Your snack on the lift? That wrapper is filling landfills while you’re filling your stomach.
So why is it that an industry that is dependent on winter being cold continues to use products that contribute to global warming? Outside of Lib Tech it feels as if it’s primarily smaller companies such as Venture Snowboards and Purl Wax leading the way, whereas larger companies with much larger R&D budgets merely offer a single line of greener products. Do companies with a business predicated upon the outdoors have an ethical obligation to the consumers and the environment? As consumers will we continue to blindly (ignorance is bliss, right?) purchase product without giving a second thought to it’s environmental effect from cradle to grave, or will we rise up and voice our opinions and vote with our pocketbooks?
I’m not pretending to have any answers as the problem gets more complex the more layers of the onion you peel back. Hopefully by merely planting this seed others will think about their purchase habits and who they choose to support when it comes time to open your wallet.
Ingrid Backstrom has been up in Whistler filming with MSP, and recently wrote about an avalanche they set off while checking the snow that day.
We got on top of a fairly small zone that we’ve skied before, just to test snow, dig a pit, and make a general assessment. Our guide, Wayne, went down a little ways to dig a pit, and at this point we pretty much knew it was going to be sketchy–we had felt a whoomp and were already considering our options for mini-mini shredding and safety. Then, literally two feet below where Wayne was digging the pit and Petit was watching, the whole slope broke away, and massive chunks started sliding–then it propagated to the adjacent slope skiers’ left and skiers’ right, simultaneously with a massive settlement right under our feet that dropped us all down a few inches.
Full story and additional can be had at her blog. This picture is nuts though, the crown was 9 feet high, and notice how it propagated across the entire image! How much do you think that much snow weighs, and do you think your backcountry partners have the stamina to dig you out of something that deep?
 Good chunk of snow up and left I like how she ended her blog post.
The moral of the story–take your time, don’t rush, and make good decisions.
edit: my take on that image
 Pucker factor: 10
Usually wouldn’t post things like this as they reek of spammy B.S. (just sign up for this deal, and 10 others, and get a free Xbox!!), but as I just got a call from a lady friend who was at their store, used it and it’s legit.
Basically, print out this coupon (you can also find it on Facebook, which is how I heard about it this morning), bring it into a North Face store, and they give you a $25 gift card. No purchase necessary, so you can basically cop some free shred socks, a tee, a Sigg bottle or other small thing. Yeah, it’s not much, but hell the price is right.
http://view.ed4.net/v/QF30DQZ/QFH/72W1EZU/L27M7/MAILACTION=1&FORMAT=H
here’s the FB version for those on FB
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=58791933647
It says non-transferrable so you may want to photochop the email address out, but the friend I spoke to used this same coupon with no probs. I have no affiliation with The North Face whatsoever, but due to a modest upbringing I’ve got a strong affinity for free.
I’m sure you’ve heard it by now, but as everybody is asking me about it I feel like I should drop a quick post on it so that they know yup, I heard about it.
Squaw, a mountain for which I’ve lusted after a season pass to for years, will officially cut their pass prices by up to $1k! They are calling these passes the “50/60 Pass” in honor of the 60th anniversary of the resort AND the 5oth anniversary of Squaw hosting the 1960 Olympics. Of course the economy and the fact that most (all?) the other Tahoe resorts have a similarly priced pass had nothing to do with this decision. More than one Squaw local has commented (with a smile and sparkly eyes) on how empty the resort has been this year, probably due to the economy, though I sure didn’t notice any lack of crowds two Thursdays ago. I guess powder days > economic downturn. That or everyone up there was unemployed and trying to cheer themselves up.
Summary of the pass options below.
Bronze: $369
Valid 7 days a week beginning November 20, 2009
* Not valid:
o Saturdays from December 27, 2009-February 28, 2010 (uhh…no Saturdays for two months=good deal for locals, bad deal for anyone else)
o December 27, 2009-January 3, 2010
o January 16-17, 2010
o February 13-14, 2010
* Includes FREE night skiing/riding
Silver: $469
Valid 7 days a week beginning November 20, 2009
* Not valid:
o December 27, 2009-January 2, 2010
o January 16-17, 2010
o February 13-14, 2010
* Includes FREE night skiing/riding
Gold: $949
Valid 7 days a week beginning November 20 through the end of the season
Perks include:
* 4 vouchers for $20 off an Adult All Day lift ticket
* 4 FREE Adult group lessons
* 15% off Squaw Valley retail purchases
* Hosted passholder party
* Summer Cable Car with purchase by May 11
Platinum: $1499 (nobody notified Squaw’s marketing dept that Platinum isn’t actually the color of an Olympic medal)
Not that it matters, if you’re looking at the Platinum pass you’re probably not looking for information on their reduced pass prices.
Valid 7 days a week beginning November 20 through the end of the season
Perks include:
* Invitation to 1 early up date per month
* Access to Squaw out of bounds program
* Ski with Jonny Moseley dates
* 2 complimentary Adult All Day lift tickets
* 10 FREE Adult group lessons
* Hosted passholder party
* 20% off Squaw Valley retail purchases
* FREE 10 Wax Card
* 4 vouchers for $20 off an Adult All Day lift ticket
* Summer Cable Car with purchase by May 11
Of all of those I’d have to say the silver rubs my rhubarb in the right way and looks like a solid deal as you don’t want to be near Tahoe near any of those holidays anyways unless you like massive crowds and 6+ hour drives back to the Bay. If I were planning on staying in these parts I’d take a good long look at the Silver pass, but I’m hoping for a pass to Crystal Mountain for the first time in over 10 years.
Also, if you’re reading this, it’s worth thinking hard about your local shop and your purchase habits. If the economy is hitting well capitalized (I’m assuming) businesses like Squaw how do you think your local shop is doing? Will they still be in biz after you go in to try on a pair of boots, only to order them online for $20 cheaper? I know that nobody is made of money, and by all means if you are finding something for a few hundred cheaper I don’t blame you for ordering online, but in the grand scheme of things is $20 going to affect your day-to-day? Cut three lattes and a beer out of your week and you’re there. Also, it’s worth giving your local shop a chance to match a price you find online. Afterall, if you keep going in to try things on and leaving with nothing they won’t be there for you to try things on in the future. /rant
Skiers, you’re getting your <3 today, first with the how to and now with this peek at a Lange AT boot for 2010.
Found some info on the 2010 Lange Super Blaster. Looks pretty solid, but as it was on a German site I couldn’t really make out what they were saying using my limited German skills and Google translator. Here’s a sample translation “To the best compromise between comfort and sportiness to find the developers of scanned feet long by several hundred people”. Huh? I can haz touring boot?
It’s got a walk mode, that much I know, but the rest of the details are sketch. As it’s Lange I’m certain it will be a top-notch boot. Two things seem odd to me though:
1) “Gecko-sole” – not sure why they didn’t go with Vibram??
2) Lack of Dynafit/tech fitting means the hardcore guys are out of luck with this one.
Seems like a minimal good first effort, will be interesting to see if the market responds positively, allowing them to put a bit more time and effort into developing more alpine touring focused boots.
If you can’t find the Super Blaster’s at your local shop you can buy ‘em online at REI and evoGear.
 Lange Super Blaster
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