But be aware that trees and going in and out of your pack can be tough on goggles. The goggles you use at the resort also transition easily to the backcountry. In the Northeast, where we’re based, trees and branches are often as dangerous as snow conditions, which makes packing goggles a great idea. A multipurpose helmet can protect you in the event of you crashing into something as well. However, if your snowshoes are frequently taking you into more vertical terrain, consider a helmet certified for both skiing and climbing to protect against rocks and ice falling on you. You (likely) have two arms and two legs, but only one head-so protect it with a helmet! The helmet you wear at the resort will transition to the backcountry. Read More: Avalanche Awareness For Snowshoers Other Essential Equipment Helmet If you’re heading into avalanche terrain for backcountry snowboarding, consider beefing up your knowledge with a class such as American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Level 1 and make sure to carry the essentials like beacon, probe, and shovel. A backcountry snowboarder skinning on a splitboard or skis cannot easily ascend these slopes, but snowshoers can access these areas. According to the National Avalanche Center, avalanches are possible on any slope steeper than 30 degrees and most common on slopes between 30 and 45 degrees.
Snowshoes enable access to crazy couloirs and amazing alpine bowls, but they also make it easy to wander into treacherous avalanche terrain. On top of Massachusetts’s Mount Watatic Snowshoe/Snowboard Safety Read More: Why To Use Snowshoes On Your Next Mountaineering Adventure Snowshoes that pack flat-with their crampons’ teeth facing each other and away from you (such as the MSR Lightning Ascent )-carry nicer and are less cumbersome to stow for the downhill than other style snowshoes. Read More: Snowfoot: A Radical Snow Mobility Tool Snowshoe Options for Backcountry SnowboardingĪlthough any pair of snowshoes will get you into the backcountry, some snowshoes work better than others. Alternatively, backcountry snowshoes can have multiple sets of crampons under the toe, heel, and side of the foot. Splitboard crampons typically place only a few teeth under the boarder’s foot. Speaking of crampons, the aggressive crampon configurations found on backcountry snowshoes provide superior traction to splitboard crampons when snowboarding in the backcountry. The uphill advantage offered by snowshoes on steeper slopes has led to the development of hybrid ski/crampons such as the Snowfoot, while splitboarders and AT skiers turn to snowshoe-like Ascent Plates when the going gets steep. Meanwhile, snowshoers can charge straight up the more precipitous pitches, especially on snowshoes with an advanced crampon system. This loss of effectiveness means splitboarders in the backcountry need to criss-cross or, at times, boot their way up steeper slopes. The skins used to provide traction to splitboards when moving uphill lose their effectiveness between 20 and 30 degrees. On most uphill terrain, a person with a splitboard has a performance advantage over a snowboarder with snowshoes. The advantages of snowshoes over a splitboard allows novice backcountry riders to focus on factors they don’t need to consider while riding at the resort-such as weather, snow conditions, and layering.įinding Fresh tracks Performance Pros Of Using Snowshoes Over A Splitboard Moreover, the walking-like movement pattern of snowshoeing is already familiar, unlike the kicking and gliding motion that splitboarders employ for skinning uphill. Unlike splitboards, which require tricky assembly and disassembly when transitioning between the ascent and descent, snowshoers simply detach their snowshoes and stow them in their pack. Simplicity is another characteristic of snowshoes that makes them ideal for newer backcountry snowboarders. Using snowshoes instead of a splitboard for backcountry snowboarding makes it a much more affordable endeavor. Snowshoes help break down this barrier, allowing you to use your existing board, bindings, and boots.
Unlike renting skis at the resort, finding a splitboard to demo is challenging. It’s easy to spend close to a $1,000 on just a board, nevermind other essentials like bindings and skins. For many riders, touring-specific snowboards called splitboards are prohibitively expensive. One of the biggest barriers facing backcountry-curious snowboarders is cost. Snowboarding on Mount Washington Beating the Backcountry Barrier Without A Splitboard
0 kommentar(er)
