We have to make this a yearly pilgramage! This place is amazing. Very cool terrain, steep couliors, short hikes to long ski descents. It is an adventure for sure with crampons and ice ax as a part of the delay kit! You could say skiing here is addictive. We have been skiing with Brian Nestor at La Grave, La Meije and at Montgenevre. Yesterday at Montgenevre we descended into Italy for an amazing Italian lunch! Brian's son Matt will arrive tonight driving from Spain. Tomorrow we will go on an overnight objective up an over La Grave to an unmanned hut making our way back around the next day to ski a sweet line back into La Grave.
Video from Carstensz Pyramid
Here is a link to Geordie's video from Carstensz Pyramid trip! Very cool!
Tips for skiing in the Backcountry in the Spring!
1. Waterproof your skins!
Once the skins get wet, it's over. The snow sticks to the skins and you end up trying to haul an extra 10 lbs. on your feet! It could put an end to your ski touring day. You can use Nikwax Ski Skin Proof that is applied and needs to dry over night, or a rub on product, Black Diamond Ascension Glop Stopper Skin Wax. I keep a bar of this in my pack when touring. It is best to use it before going out! It doesn't work so well if the skins are already wet.
2. Wax your skis!
When using skins everyday, the glue tends to dry out the skis. In the spring with wet snow if your skis are dry, the snow can glop on your skis too! I carry some rub on liquid glide wax that can be applied in the field and works well.
3. Go early!
Things warm up fast in the spring, so get out early. For corn skiing, you can follow the sun starting with east facing slopes in the morning, move south, then west in the afternoon! Make sure you get off the slopes when they get too warm. Look for roller balls to indicate when it is getting too warm. To find the powder stash you will have to go high and ski direct north facing.
4. Sunscreen
Trust me, you will need to reapply every few hours! The sun reflects off the snow 4 times as intense as direct sunlight!
Todd is hiking out of the jungle!
Todd and crew are hiking back from a sucessful summit on Carstensz pyramid! Sounds like the hike through the jungle is arduous and long. They are trying to hike out today in 1 day what took them 2 days to do on the way in to the climb! Here are a few photos of the nearby mine from the internet!
Todd is on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid right now!!!!
After 5 days of grusome hiking through the jungles of Papua New Guinea, Todd and crew have reach the summit of Carstensz Pyramid. They left at 2AM in the morning and climbed for 7 hrs with some deep trail breakign through snow, and rock climbing all day. There were some fixed lines, and tryrolean traverse near the summit. Todd says hello to friends abnd family! He says it is so beautiful there!!! Congratulations to the group!!!!
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