Opening Day Tram, Trail & Tix Deal
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Skimum Katie last spring on Regulator Johnson (sweet treat–open on Opening Day)
Snowbird kicks off inaugural weekend with more vertical terrain than any other resort in Utah
SNOWBIRD, UT – Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort announced it will begin Aerial Tram operations on Friday, Nov. 20, during opening day of the 2015/16 ski season. It has been four years since the Snowbird Aerial Tram has operated on opening day.
“We have had ideal early-season conditions with natural snowfall and cold temperatures for snowmaking, allowing us to open terrain from Hidden Peak all the way down through Gad Valley,” said Dave Fields, Snowbird Vice President of Resort Operations.
Skiers and snowboarders can ride the Aerial Tram Friday, Nov. 20, to the start of Regulator, located at 11,000 feet. Skiing will be available via Regulator to Bassackwards, connecting to Big Emma. The combined territory of these runs totals more than 3,000 vertical feet and two and a half miles of skiable routes.
All day tickets will be sold at a reduced price of $75. Snowbird chair passes will be valid on the Aerial Tram for a limited time.
Snowbird’s shuttle will be running to transport guests to and from Gad Valley and Snowbird Center from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Creekside Lodge will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
The best lodging deals of the season are available to those who plan early. Early Bird Stay and Ski lodging and lift packages are currently available starting at $99/person (with lift tickets and free skiing for kids 12 years old and younger, double occupancy required) through much of December by calling (800) 453-3000 or visiting www.snowbird.com.
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is investing $35 million into capital improvements for the 2015/16 season. These projects include The Summit at Snowbird, an extensive remodel of The Cliff Lodge, a new RFID ticket system and increased snowmaking capabilities. For media information, please contact Snowbird Communications Manager Brian Brown at bbrown@snowbird.com or (801) 891-3496
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Mountain Tech – Ski Apps And More!
2015 Review
By Skimum Richelle
Remember the olden days when you had to stay up and watch the 10 o’clock news to see what the weather was going to be like tomorrow? These days I have an astonishing amount of information, all in the palm of my hand, and available anytime I need it. Following are a few of my favorite apps and websites that I regularly use to enhance my skiing, and beyond. Some of these are Utah, or even Snowbird, specific but my guess is you can find something that will help you wherever you live or ski. In no particular order…
TRACE SNOW (FREE – Android, iOS)
Trace Snow (formerly known as Alpine Replay) allows you to track your day on the mountain by measuring speed, distance, vertical feet, calories, time and more.
I’ve tried several ski tracking apps over the years, but this one has remained my favorite. One of it’s best features is that you can quickly open the app and hit the big orange GO triangle. It takes two seconds! Put your phone back in your pocket and then hit the pause/stop button when you are done skiing for the day. You can also access all of your historical stats via their website and share (brag about) your day by sending your daily stats page to friends.
I should also mention that Trace Snow also offers a small hockey puck shaped disc that you attach to your skis or snowboard. This little device augments your phone’s GPS and gives you some pretty detailed stats on tricks, spins, etc. Since I’m not doing much park skiing these days (or ever), I don’t really have any need for the premium service. The basic, free version provides plenty of info for my skiing style.
MyRadar (FREE – Android, iOS)
This little icon holds a prominent spot on my phone’s home screen. Wonder if that storm rolling across the Great Salt Lake is on track to hit Little Cottonwood Canyon? Just pull this app up and watch the storm trajectory, size and speed. Very simple to use! Definitely a must have app!
Snowbird Mountain Report Webpage
I’ve been accused from time to time of being a bit obsessive, but this time of year, checking the Snowbird Mountain Report page is part of my daily (or, uh…hourly) routine . It is a great page to give you some quick stats on weather and mountain conditions. A peek at the mountain cameras tells me what visibility is like (and which goggles I need) and the Snowbird Snowcam snow leader board tells me which skis I should grab for that day (hopefully the FAT ones!). Knowing which lifts are open, closed or pending can be extremely helpful on knowing where to park at the Bird. I have this webpage bookmarked in my mobile browser (actually, it’s my homepage).
7-Day forecast
When doing some longer term planning, I always check out the NOAA 7-Day forecast page. I also have this page bookmarked in my mobile browser.
I should mention here that the NOAA just recently optimized their website for mobile devices. Yay! So much easier to read now!
24-Hour forecast
If you want to get really geeked out on your storm tracking (like I have been known to do), you can go to NOAA’s 24-hour forecast. It has detailed information on forecasted weather conditions at Snowbird and Alta ski resorts including temperatures, freezing levels, winds, snow water content (density).
What’s on your phone?
Did I miss a great app or website? The app world changes fast and there are great new ones all the time. Please post a comment and let me know what you use and why.
Women’s Skis: Ski Reviews by Skimums 2015
By an Amazing Group of Skimums
The magazine featuring reviews of the hot new skis drops on our doorsteps, and we immediately flip the pages to results. Skim, skim, skim through the “men’s skis,” still not sure why they’re always gender-specific and why it’s not ladies first. Aha! There they are — reviewed by professional skiers that ski every day in multiple hemispheres, have different skis for every mountain and every condition, and probably don’t have to purchase retail skis or ride half the morning along side a whiny [fill in appropriate family member]. Yes, just like us!
We still read those pages first. The pictures are cool, the skis are hot and, honestly, we want those big fat skis that make us look and feel like the woman in the photo dashing through the powder with her wind-blown hair flying and her non-chapped lips smiling. She looks like a super hero (no, not Wonder Woman, she’d freeze in that outfit) charging down the mountain. Fearless. Graceful. She can do anything. Yes, now that sounds more like us.
When local retailer, Ski ‘n See, asked Skimums to demo some skis and give our thoughts, we eagerly agreed. No, we are not professionals, but most ski buyers aren’t. So, we thought that might fill in a gap we saw in most reviews. However, we are not spring break skiers either. All of us ski regularly, about 1-3 times per week in winter (Don’t hate us! We don’t ski all day. We all have paid and unpaid jobs around here. It’s just one of the perks of living in Salt Lake.) All of us own our skis, and many own more than one pair or borrow from our kids and spouses. Skimums are intermediate to advanced skiers at Snowbird, which has some of the most varied, challenging and fun terrain in Utah. When reviewing the skis, Skimums tried to steer clear of the technical stuff and consider what we would tell their friends about them.
I like my skis except when I fall. Then, they stink.
–Skimum Bettina
What did we discover? Because of conditions, there was a lot of talk about groomers in the reviews. Snowbird’s groomers on test day were long, hard, fast and sometimes icy. If they say the skis “held,” then they really held. The Mums know powder and some gave their predictions about how the skis would respond in “The Greatest Snow on Earth.” A big surprise, almost all of the skis tested seemed to perform well in crud. Skimums crushed Death Cookies!
Why do Skimums get excited about skis the way some women get excited about shoes? One answer may be because they both make you look and feel good when you step out on the mountain or on the town. You see, on the slopes, Skimums (or any woman who gets the ski bug, a precursor to powder flu) stand on the summit and become SuperMums, each possessing special powers and some version of Kryptonite (ok, it’s usually moguls).
There were some weaknesses that certain skis ameliorated making us feel strong and confident and, frankly, just kickin’ skiers, but some skis worked better with different types of skiers. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but when reading any review, no one should be discouraged if a popular ski just doesn’t “work” for her any more than Reece Witherspoon’s cute Oscars® dress would. Try lots! Try different sizes! Several Skimums noted that they thought the skis would have ridden better in a larger or smaller size. Rocker and camber, among other things, have greatly altered the chin-to-forehead ski-sizing chart.
Ironically (if you’re ever on the lift with us, you’ll understand why), Skimums hate, hate, hate “chatter,” that unnerving rattling you can get when cruising on groomers, and were quick to note the skis that kept quiet. Contrary to popular opinion of the guys renting in some ski shops, Skimums seemed to prefer heavier skis. If anyone wants to know, we will tell you that they usually feel more stable. It is the same reason most of us regularly ride wider all-mountain skis. Like most super heroes, we like to fly, and it doesn’t help or look good if we’re constantly hitting turbulence.
The Design…Ok, listen up manufacturers. We’re girls, we like bright shiny things, we love great art, and we will sometimes buy great skis in spite of the designs, but do you really think a scantily-clad woman, a geisha or a bloody-fanged whatever is going to entice us to drop a grand for your skis? Just a thought… Other than that, please note, we still like pink.
You’ll notice we did not declare a winner, because that did not make sense to us. We all ski differently and are looking for different arrows to fill our SuperGirl quiver or something to kick that Kryptonite to the curb with. We also have different priorities and budgets. That is why we included the “Value” section (“KSL” is a better version of Craigslist in Utah). Whatever you do, make sure to demo before you buy. Most places will credit the demo cost towards purchase. Ski ‘n See has a huge selection of skis and sizes, great service and terrific sales. We can often wait for the ski we want to come down to the price we can afford. In the meantime, most Skimums concluded that there are some great skis out there, and we plan to demo more in coming months.
Let us know what you like. What makes you feel like you can fly?
Skimum: Kathryn
Regular Ski: Solomon Bamboo
Test Ski: Rossignol Soul 7
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | xxx | Excellent, so stable. If you want to go fast, this is the ski to have. I flew down the black diamonds without even a hick up (if you don’t count the cat track that I wasn’t prepared to hit at such incredible speeds…nothing a little more experience couldn’t remedy). | ||
| On Crud | x | Great. Again the stability really made all the difference. | ||
| On Powder | x | I am sure they would be incredible in powder had I had any powder to try them on. | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | I love the honeycomb in the tip. Neon yellow is not my color, but that is really not a deterrent for me. | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | If you like to go fast this is definitely the ski to have. Great all mountain ski. Easy to maneuver considering the width. Easy to get on the edge. | ||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | I would actual pay retail for these if I had to (and that is saying a lot coming from me). [Retail $800] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes — I have never skied with a ski this wide and it only took the tiny hill from the Gadzoom lift to Little Cloud for me to know I was in love. The Black diamonds were a breeze. WARNING: These skis are fast. Give yourself ample time to prepare for turns etc. because the ride is so smooth, you may be going faster than you think. |
Skimum: Liz
Regular Ski: Blizzard Samba
Test Ski: LINE Supernatural 100
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | |||
| On Crud | x | |||
| On Powder | N/A | Didn’t get to try them on powder | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | |||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | [Retail $649] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes – These skis were ok, but I definitely prefer my Sambas! The LINE skis had a lot of lightness near the tips, so if I didn’t have my weight forward, the front of the ski flattened quite a bit, especially on hard straightaways. |
Skimum: Margit
Regular Ski: Kastle 88 size 168
Test Ski: LINE Supernatural 170
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | Couldn’t really sink my edges | ||
| On Crud | x | Fit in moguls well | ||
| On Powder | Didn’t have a powder day L | |||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Nice color, doesn’t matter so much | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | Super mellow ski, definitely not a carver | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | Probably KSL if at all [Retail $649] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes—Skimum Liz and I switched mid-morning (the LINEs were her demos). We both felt they couldn’t find an edge or hold it. But I got separated from the group and booked two runs to the other side of the mountain to find the ladies & they held! Fine, not good, for high-speed groomers, but I’d prefer more gripping for ripping! |
Skimum: Casey
Regular Ski: K2 Super Bright
Test Ski: Volkl RTM 81
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | On steep groomers I could easily get super low and lay into a deep carving turn. This ski ran fast and felt somewhat stable with speed, but it shined in the bumps and other places where tight turns were necessary. | ||
| On Crud | x | |||
| On Powder | N/A | Doesn’t float on top but doesn’t entirely sink either. | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | With neon sides they look as fast as they go! | |||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | Save them for the firm, fast, playful days. Use an all-mountain ski to really get around. | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | Buy them cheap unless you are sure you love them. [Retail $1065] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes — Given the firmer conditions this year, I feel I picked the perfect ski to try for the day. I noticed the tail said “sensor wood core”. I really have no idea what that means but what I do know, is that this ski felt like it really could “sense” my weight shifting into a turn. At a certain point it literally popped me into the next turn with almost no effort! I found myself popping little jumps and feeling super playful on these things! Being 5’6 I thought that skiing a 171 would be way to long but with the full rocker, it felt more like a 161 with all the stability of a longer ski. I felt confidant leaning forward but still had a ton of control. While this ski would be challenging in deeper snow or crud, it’s great on piste. I loved it!!! |
Skimum: Margit
Regular Ski: Rossignol S7, Kastle MX98
Test Ski: Volkl Mantra 170
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | Nice edges | ||
| On Crud | x | Didn’t feel like I was in control | ||
| On Powder | N/A | No powder the day we skied L | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Not pretty, really don’t care though | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | Liz & I switched. She liked these! | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | Maybe KSL, I wouldn’t buy them retail. |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Blue |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes— To be fair, we didn’t have great snow. I had hoped to take these off-trail but conditions were abysmal. Skis turned out to be great on groomers, really letting you sink your edges in. Would be trustworthy on ice. Worried the front rockers would turn on me on high-speed flats but were just fine. |
Skimum: Liz
Regular Ski: Blizzard Samba
Test Ski: Volkl Mantra
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | |||
| On Crud | x | |||
| On Powder | N/A | No powder that day! | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Pretty good-looking! | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | Would recommend to a Skimum looking for an all-mountain ski. |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes—I really liked these skis on the hard-packed snow! They handled well in moguls, too, and felt stable on fast straightaways! It would be fun to try them in the powder as they seem like a great all-mountain ski. |
Skimum: Denice
Regular Ski: Rossignol Soul 7
Test Ski: Volkl Aura
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | |||
| On Crud | x | |||
| On Powder | N/A | Didn’t really get to use it in powder but imagine it is good | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | |||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | Just because I don’t like ever paying full price[Retail $825] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes— It is a great ski. I felt more comfortable on Regulator Johnson at Snowbird than I ever have. No chattering because it is heavier. If I didn’t already love my Soul 7s, I would definitely get these. |
Skimum: Katie
Regular Ski: Rossignol Temptation 88 163mm
Test Skis: Volkl Kenja 157cm (Volkl Aura*, Rossignol Saffron 7**)
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | It was difficult to fin/hold the edge on groomers; felt unstable at high speeds. | ||
| On Crud | x | Decent in the crud and bumps. Easy to turn. | ||
| On Powder | N/A | Unable to test in powder, but hoping they perform well. | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Not overly feminine, but I love the black w/fuchsia accents | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | Perhaps these would be better in a longer length, but I would not recommend them in 157cm | ||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | They better be cheap![Retail $775] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | I think in a longer length these could be great skis, but they are stiff and unstable in a short length. |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes— I also tried a few other skis on demo day. Here are a few quick notes: *VOLKL AURA: heavy skis, feel solid underfoot, very stable at high speeds and difficult to turn quickly, beware! They feel like a Cadillac; stable, smooth but not nimble. **ROSSIGNOL SAFFRON 7: This was a fun, easy nimble ski. Probably my favorite of the day. Easy to turn, fairly stable at high speeds, much better than I was expecting! Plus, the pink design is pretty cute. |
Skimum: Emmy
Regular Ski: Dynastar Exclusive
Test Ski: Rossignol Saffron 7
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | |||
| On Crud | x | |||
| On Powder | N/A | Man, I wish I knew! My guess is amazingly Great. | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | xx | LOVE IT (pink, hello!) | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | [Retail $700] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes — This ski felt really stable. No chatter even at my top speeds. I would have bought it right on the spot if it wasn’t a little bit of work in the moguls. Especially when I wanted to get through them fast, it felt a bit heavy/clunky and I found myself picking my foot up on turns. If I didn’t love bouncing around in the bumps so much, this would’ve been the ski for me. |
Skimum: Valerie
Regular Ski: Rossignol BC Pro 110
Test Ski: Rossignol Saffron 7
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | |||
| On Crud | x | They felt stable | ||
| On Powder | Wish we had some!! | |||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | |||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | Great all-mountain ski. By far, my favorite of the day. | |||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | You can probably get these for a great deal now. |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Perfect for the blue/black skier. |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes— I really liked these skis, but to be fair they are really close to what I already ski. The honeycomb design makes the ski lighter than my ski, but I felt that they maneuvered pretty similarly. These are great all-mountain skis, but on big powder days, I would probably still use my fatties. They don’t turn as well as the Saffron 7, but they glide nicely through the powder. |
Skimum: Julie
Regular Ski: K2 Superstitious
Test Ski: Rossignol Saffron 7
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | xxx | SO much fun!! Balance, speed, CONTROL | ||
| On Crud | xx | Excellent—handled choppy snow beautifully | ||
| On Powder | x | Not so much powder, but suspect they will float | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | xx | Yep—who doesn’t love a little hot pink?! | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | YES! | ||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | I’m cheap, so probably on a demo sale |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Black/Double Black, Blue |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes—Loved these skis on the steeps and in the crud—They performed beautifully and no matter how fast I went, I always felt completely in control. The stability and balance was incredible – I could honestly feel the mountain directly under my feet. The one drawback was moguls—they suddenly felt bulky and unruly in the hard-packed bumps. I’m sure in softer snow with a little powder under foot they would perform better, but I really struggled in the bumps with these babies! Overall, a wonderful all-around ski that handles well and gives the skier more confidence on the hill. |
Skimum: Paula
Regular Ski: Liberty Envy 157 (2013)
Test Ski: Head Total Joy 158
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | xx | Like horses heading for the stables, I had to hold on tight and just let them go. Very stable on straights. Not as much speed and distance on traverses making the ride to Bookends pretty tiring before I even got to the fun stuff. | ||
| On Crud | xx | On crud and moguls, I couldn’t get these skis to engage and turn as easily as expected making me hesitant in steep moguls. Excellently handled the crud otherwise. | ||
| On Powder | N/A | No powder, but I kept wondering whether snow would shoot up at me through those weird cutouts on the tips. J | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | xx | Teal and White—Seemed plain next to all the other skis with colorful artwork | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | xx | If you want to fly down groomers at Deer Valley, these are your skis. If you want to take them down Tiger Tail at Snowbird, you better have a glass of wine waiting at the bottom of the run. | ||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | Because they come with bindings (which I liked), these would be worth surprising The Misses with on sale. [Retail $925 bindings incl] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Blue to Black Skimums would enjoy these; a SuperMum might be able to tame them on moguls better. |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes– These are billed as all-mountain skis, and with the shovels on the tips, I suspect they’ll keep most floating on top of powder. They are surprisingly light with a stiff ride. They performed very well on groomers gripping the mountain on a VERY hard-packed day. When I let them go, I flew. The 85-under foot and camber meant that there was ZERO chatter flying down Road to Provo, and even when I hit the occasional death cookie, they smashed it flat. Yeah, that was fun! I fought like a mad dog with these things in moguls though. Granted, I’m not a mogul mama, but I couldn’t get these things to turn as easily as I expected on big bumps. Because my boots seemed to be smaller than everyone else out there, no one else could quickly swap with me. I would love to hear how others ride them. |
Skimum: Charnee
Regular Ski: Dynastar Cham W 87 (2014) 5 pt sidecut (109-127-87-103-90) Radius 11m, Extra- long tip rocker, traditional camber under foot, narrower pin-tail.
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | They carve great on the groomers but I get some chatter and have to work harder for the edge on icy and hard pack surfaces, so I may be hard pressed to give up my carvers for those days. | ||
| On Crud | x | Can get bouncy in set up crud. | ||
| On Powder | x | Floats in powder as advertised, although with deep powder one may prefer the wider Cham W 97. | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Dynastar didn’t put a lot of graphics into the ski; it is rather plain but in a bold, bright pink, which I am getting used to. | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | ||||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | [Retail $600] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes— I demoed this ski on a deep powder day at Snowbird at the end of last year’s 2014 ski season. My current skis are the 2006 K2 One Luvs (115-68-99 radius 12m) and I was overdue for a newer, wider powder ski but wanted to still have quick turns when I ski the moguls and the trees. The Dynastar Cham 87 gave me that extra width and their radius was more to what I was used to for those quick turns. They rocked in the deep powder and I loved them so much I took advantage of an end of year sale and bought them.This year was my 1st chance to actually ski with them, although we have not had a lot of deep powder days, I am pleased with their performance as a 60%-40% powder/groomer ski. They did well on crud and easily turned in the moguls and trees. I could always ski well in the powder with my K2 One Luvs, but going wider with the 87 is a vast improvement when in powder and has changed my game that I don’t regret not getting the Cham 97. It was suggested with its long rocker to go with a longer ski. My K2’s are a 153 so I went with a 159 in the Dynastar Cham. Bottom line, it is a great overall ski but I will keep my carvers around and have a 2 quiver arsenal.I want to add and give a shout out to the Snowbird Ski Mums. Since I started skiing with this awesome and supportive group of women skiers last year, I now have the confidence to ski the entire mountain at Snowbird and have made some great friends. |
Skimum: Margit
Regular Ski: Kastle MX 88 size 168
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | Carve, carve, carve!!! | ||
| On Crud | x | Good size to get through the bumps | ||
| On Powder | x | Can do but wish they were longer | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Ugly graphic but I don’t care | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | These skis totally shred! | ||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | $$$ I bought mine half off in spring [Retail $1499] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Each and every Mum – soooo fun! |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes—These skis & bindings were half off in April. I still felt naughty for buying them (giggle giggle). These Austrian skis were still a bit pricey, but they are tops on the slopes! They carve, hold edges, and bounce you off the bottom lip of your turns. Let ‘em rip on groomers or through Mineral Basin crud… They’re game! Wish they were slightly longer, but don’t blame them. They’re the perfect carver & double as all-mountains! LOVE! |
Skimum: Margit
Regular Ski: Rossignol S7 178s
| Test | Great | OK | Yuck | Notes |
| On Groomers | x | I still carve in my boats | ||
| On Crud | x | Slices through | ||
| On Powder | xxx | Yes, yes, yes! | ||
| Design (Is it purr-dy?) | x | Scantily clad female? Why? | ||
| Recommendation to a Skimum? | x | Hearty recommend | ||
| Value (for a Skimum) | Retail | On Sale | KSL | My husband surprised me. Retail. [Retail $800; outlet now] |
| What type of Skimum would like them? | Black | Blue | Green | Black and Blue |
| Other Comments and Amusing Anecdotes — When I got them, my first thought was, “These dogs wanna run!” Your quads will notice the extra length. Truly a fun ski, an all-mountain ski. They slice, dice, and yes, carve, on groomers. FAST. They’re three years old now, might be hard to get your hands on a pair; but it’d be worth hunting them down. These skis will make any skier grin from ear to ear and chortle down the mountain. WARNING: Way too much fun! Second WARNING: These skis want to ski tram to bottom with no stops. |
Disclaimer: The statements about the skis are the opinions of the reviewers alone. A few Skimums provided reviews of their own skis, as well, because that’s just what girlfriends do. Ski ‘n See provided the demo skis to Skimums free of charge on February 25, 2015. Skimums would like to thank Jessica Osterloh at Ski ’n See for her wonderful vision and exceptional work in making this event happen.
What a Difference a Tune-up Makes
by Skimum Denice
This summer I purchased a demo pair of Rossignol Soul 7 skis. I was pretty stoked about finding them since my husband bought a pair the season before and loved them!
The first day I took them out, however, I was pretty shocked and upset about my purchase. I could ski in the moguls okay with them, but as soon as I got on groomers it was like I had never skied before! I had heard that they might be a little harder to ski on groomers, but I had no idea it was going to be this hard. I wanted to go one way and my skis would go another. My experience was so bad that on my drive down the canyon I had decided to sell them and hopefully get my money back. My husband suggested that I go get them tuned just in case they weren’t done right. I couldn’t imagine a tune-up would make that big of a difference, but I decided to give it a try.
I took them to Twin Peaks, a local ski shop, and they had them ready for me the following day. I went to Snowbird to give them one more try. I literally was scared to death to ski on them, for fear of hurting myself in a fall. Oh my goodness!!! I can’t even tell you how excited I was as I took my first run down. I could ski again!!! Not only could I ski, but I felt like I skied pretty well. The groomers were no problem at all. I actually felt more
comfortable on them than I ever have. I love my newly tuned Soul 7 skis. Needless to say, I am sold on regularly tuning your skis.
SKI ‘N SEE FREE DEMO DAY FOR SKIMUMS
By Jessica Osterloh, Ski ‘N See PR
CALLING ALL SKI MUMS!
Ski ‘N See would like to invite you to use their demo skis (FOR FREE) from their Cottonwood Arcs location next Wednesday, February 25, 2015. They’ve got everything from Powder to Carvers to All Mountain skis for you to try out. It will be a great day to shred on the new skis you have been envying this season. Please RSVP to josterloh@skinsee.com by 5:00 PM Monday night. Their supply is limited, so if you are interested make sure to RSVP now so you are not waitlisted! Can’t wait to see you all next Wednesday shredding on some new sticks, it will be a great time!
Make Your Own Boot Warmers
By Skimum Richelle
As we learned in a previous blog post, putting your ski boots on in the morning can sometimes be a chore. A cold pair of boots can make it all the more difficult. When cold, your boot’s plastic shell becomes very stiff. Well, now that chore can be a bit easier. In just a few short minutes, you can easily make your own boot warmers that will warm up your liners, and even your shells, while you are driving up the canyon. Introducing Richelle’s (soon to be famous), home-made, microwaveable boot warmers! Follow these five simple steps to make your own boot warmers.
Step 1
Find some scrap material. I prefer a mid-weight fabric, like a light denim. Something durable enough to take a beating, but thin and flexible enough to work with. Cut your fabric into two rectangle strips measuring 5 x 16 inches each.
Step 2
Fold your strips in half (inside out). Pin it if necessary.
Sew two lines about 1/8 to 1/16 inch apart and about 1/8 inch from the cut edge of the fabric. (I double or triple stitch everything on my boot warmers. You don’t want your filler material to fall out!).
Step 3
Turn the tubes right-side out. You will now have to fold in one of your open ends, about a ½ inch (see photo below) and then sew it closed. 
I like to use a tight zig-zag stitch and then I run a single stitch on either side of the zig-zag stitch. Be creative and come up with your own pattern. I also like to use a fun accent thread color.
Step 4
Fill the bag about 3/4 to 4/5 full with your heating medium. You will need between 1 and 1 ½ cups per tube. I use a funnel to fill mine with rice (just regular rice). Be sure to leave about 3 inches of room at the top. I prefer rice, but I have also used wheat. I’ve heard of other people using various dried beans, barley and even cherry pits. You can also add some aromatics such as lavender, rose petals, ground cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, mint, or even, essential oils to make it smell yummy!.
Step 5
Carefully fold in the open end about 1/2 inch, as you did in Step 3, and sew it closed with a series of stitches as before.
But what if I’m not the best seamstress, you may ask? Who cares! They go inside your boots, for crying out loud! It’s not like you are wearing them (although you will be tempted to – they are so nice and warm!). The above photos prove that I’m certainly no artist with a sewing machine. Make them as pretty or as ugly as you want. Just make sure you at least double stitch everything to ensure you don’t end up with a boot full of rice.
That’s it! Now go throw your new boot warmers in the microwave for about 2 to 2 ½ minutes on high. Remove from the microwave and then carefully tuck the warmers inside your boots as far as you can into the toe area. Your feet will love you when you slide them into to those cozy, pre-warmed boots!
Good luck. Let me know how yours turn out. Send me some photos!
Good Skiing Part 3
By Susi, Instructor at Snowbird Mountain School
5 Secrets to Managing Powder Gracefully
The Powder came right on time for our Wednesday morning coaching session. The Skimums ventured out to lower Old Ladies (don’t read anything into the name; we don’t judge the guys when they ski Baldy) then to Hoop’s and found some nice creamy powder to play in! Skimums found 5 simple rules to turned them into serious powder hounds.
1. It’s all about the flow: Think about flowing down the mountain in a smooth line making round turns with little edge angle. Create a rhythm!
2. Patience is key: In powder it takes more time for the skis to react to skier input. Steer your legs to create open round C-shaped turns, so that the skis keep flowing. Z-turns are harder to manage and interrupt the flow.
3. Speed is your friend: The skis are buried in the snow which creates more friction compared to groomed terrain. Powder slows you down and you need speed to keep moving!
4. Stay balanced over your feet: Contrary to common belief, you don’t lean back in powder. Ski in a balanced position (think “crouching tiger”). Conditions change with every turn, so you have to work constantly to stay in balance! Backseat skiing is not healthy for the knees and way too tiring!!
5. Build a platform: It is very helpful to narrow your stance, so that the skis build somewhat a single platform and are easier to turn. Most importantly, to become great in powder you have to keep skiing powder!Hopefully, we get another powder opportunity this week and we can even explore other secret places on the mountain!!
2. Patience is key: In powder it takes more time for the skis to react to skier input. Steer your legs to create open round C-shaped turns, so that the skis keep flowing. Z-turns are harder to manage and interrupt the flow.
3. Speed is your friend: The skis are buried in the snow which creates more friction compared to groomed terrain. Powder slows you down and you need speed to keep moving!
4. Stay balanced over your feet: Contrary to common belief, you don’t lean back in powder. Ski in a balanced position (think “crouching tiger”). Conditions change with every turn, so you have to work constantly to stay in balance! Backseat skiing is not healthy for the knees and way too tiring!!
5. Build a platform: It is very helpful to narrow your stance, so that the skis build somewhat a single platform and are easier to turn. Most importantly, to become great in powder you have to keep skiing powder!Hopefully, we get another powder opportunity this week and we can even explore other secret places on the mountain!!
Come out and join us for the last coaching session for the Skimums this season!! RSVP by Tuesday afternoon so we can have plenty of Mountain School instructors there.
If you did not have a chance to join us, check out this video: http://youtu.be/SavrnMGIhzg
Sources: www.thesnowpros.org
PSIA Alpine Technical Manual
PSIA Alpine Technical Manual
Good Skiing Part 2
RSVP TODAY FOR FREE GROUP LESSON #3 THIS WEDNESDAY. Powder?!?
By Susi, Instructor at Snowbird Mountain School
Skimum Nicole gains greater control by pointing that Belly button downhill, getting the weight on the outside ski and “schmearing”
Leg rotation and skiing bumps efficiently
Our technical focus in our second coaching session was turning our legs more than our upper body… What??? Yes, it is the truth: a turn starts with the body parts closest to the snow: the feet and the legs. Often times we use our shoulders or our hips to start a turn, we are twisting shoulders and arms uphill at the end of a turn, we flail with our arms to help us stay in balance… These movements are not very efficient and not always graceful 😉.
The Skimums worked hard to keep their upper bodies disciplined, rotate their feet and legs to steer their skis through the turn, while keeping their belly buttons – and other body parts – directed towards the tip of the outside (or downhill) ski. We realized that the release of the energy created by twisting the lower half against the upper half of the body made it much easier to start a turn and to point the skis in the opposite direction.
We also put our “schmearing” skills to use. We’re not carving into the turn. As Skimum Denice visualized, “It’s like spreading cream cheese on a bagel — the schmear.” As we release energy placing weight on that outside ski, gravity allows the entire bottom of the ski to coast downhill. More contact means more control over our direction and speed.
To apply the new skills we found some crusty and then soft bumps, where we POINTED our belly buttons into the direction of travel, rotated our legs on TOP of the bump, SCHMEARED down the back side of the bump to control our speed, then GLIDED up the next bump! Like magic, Skimums found they had total control. Turning and shmearing, turning and shmearing… In control, with grace and efficiency!!
If you did not have a chance to be with us or you want to review turning the legs under a stable upper body and bump technique check out these videos
Sundance Hangover
Locals can score a pass granting them unlimited movies for 10 days
By Skimum Paula
Contrary to what most people think, Salt Lake City is one big party the last week of January. Each year, tens of thousands come here from all over the world to attend the Outdoor Retailers Show, the state’s largest convention that showcases the newest and hottest fashions, gadgets and gear for the recreation industry, and they also come to a little old film fest called Sundance. Oh, yes, while the paparazzi flood Main Street in Park City, the theatres of Salt Lake, Ogden and Sundance are filled with film buffs on the ultimate celluloid (now digital) buzz.
Paula compared Whiplash to open heart surgery — painful, terrifying but never felt more alive
Expect to see this one in everyone’s Best Of lists
So, what Utahns give up in wine selection, we make up for in other adrenaline-filled endeavors – skiing and Sundance, for example. Not only can locals take a few ski runs and then head to work, but we can get tickets for movies everyone will be talking about throughout the year and into next year’s Oscar season. Whiplash? [sigh] Saw it at last year’s Fest. See what I posted on my Instagram account about it. Maybe I should be a Hollywood mogul! LOL Yes, Sundance is a highly addictive pleasure that many partake in but few recognize the dangers of.
Jason Segel delivered outstanding dramatic performance in The End of the Tour and stayed around to discuss it with appreciative Salt Lake audience.
Fake Bono!
There are many locals, including Skimums that indulge in Sundance in one form or another. Some are “Social Sundancers,” taking in a few movies and calling it quits. Others are “Sundance Stalkers.” You’ve seen them on the streets, iPhones in hand. These otherwise normal-looking people can have a wonderful time seeing movies alongside their favorite actors, directors and A-listers until they inevitably get sucked into and crushed by the “Fake Bono” experience. These folks usually recover, have a bellyaching laugh and move on with few after effects.
Many of us, however, have noticed this year a new phenomenon – the Sundance Hangover. It afflicts mostly local women who, not being on vacation, try to fit in a dozen or more movies into their already-packed schedule of work, school, and family… Oh, and there was some new snow! So, add skiing to that.
Skimums Stephanie and Julie strike a pose at one of the many Sundance venues in Salt Lake City
Yes, I too succumbed. After skiing all day last Sunday, this Skimum raced down the mountain, picked up my teen from the tutor, dashed home, showered, fed the dog, threw take out at the kids, jumped into the car and headed to two different Salt Lake theatres to see a 6 o’clock movie and a 9:30pm documentary. I should mention that I had already consumed 4 movies since Friday night.
This did not end well …
The next morning, I did the slow roll out of bed and, eyes closed, made a desperate search for Advil and coffee. Two pills and two cups later, I managed to make the kids breakfast, make one of 2 sack lunches (oops!), get my 10-year-old dressed and to school in time for pajama day. Needing more sleep, I abandoned the laundry and snuck back into bed. [iPhone rings] “Mom, it isn’t pajama day. [sniffle]” Oh, $#1^! [iPhone rings again] Son needs backpack and money and papers signed. Other child never calls about forgotten lunch.
Needless to say, things hit bottom before 10am. I think there was even an intervention by a family member at one point. More tears, more expletives. I put aside my movie plans for that evening.
Maybe tomorrow night… After all, we live here.
I have recovered, as have the other Skimums that tried and failed to “do it all.” Because, you see, what I’ve learned over the years is – While you can have it all, there’s a lot of it I don’t want or need to make me happy, fulfilled, satisfied. I know what I like and what others seem to like about me, and I try to stay within those parameters instead of trying to do everything and getting very little satisfaction or benefit. No, I’m not going to abstain from Sundance entirely. I’m just getting pickier each year about what and how many I see. I try to see the ones I think won’t make it to the big screen, like Whiplash, and wait for the rest to hit HBO or Netflix. I don’t need to be the first to see it. After all, there is so much more to see in beautiful Salt Lake City and beyond.
Snowbird Skimums 