Alpine Touring Thread

[gefiltephish]

I'm switching from G3 Alpinist to Pomoca Climb 2.0 for this season. Nylon is grippiest, mohair (natural) slides better, the Pomoca is a mix that hopefully performs well and is much lighter. Kept hearing good things about Pomoca, and High Adventure Ski and Bike outside Albany sells them, they also have lots of great BC gear for sale.... 'Waxing' skins during high temp/spring touring can really help from keeping snow from clumping...

NY Snowflake- That's a heck of a setup! I've used my 20L Heli Pro pack for skiing and work for 6+ years now. I'm very happy with my Scarpa Maestrale boots and Kingpin bindings. The binders still work flawlessly at about 150 days!

Any intel on resort policies for uphill this season? That is def. a solid way for new folks to use the gear in a more controlled environment... Hopefully Wyndham still has their accommodating uphill policy from years' past

 

[idratherbskiing]

I'm switching from G3 Alpinist to Pomoca Climb 2.0 for this season. Nylon is grippiest, mohair (natural) slides better, the Pomoca is a mix that hopefully performs well and is much lighter. Kept hearing good things about Pomoca, and High Adventure Ski and Bike outside Albany sells them, they also have lots of great BC gear for sale.... 'Waxing' skins during high temp/spring touring can really help from keeping snow from clumping...

NY Snowflake- That's a heck of a setup! I've used my 20L Heli Pro pack for skiing and work for 6+ years now. I'm very happy with my Scarpa Maestrale boots and Kingpin bindings. The binders still work flawlessly at about 150 days!

Any intel on resort policies for uphill this season? That is def. a solid way for new folks to use the gear in a more controlled environment... Hopefully Wyndham still has their accommodating uphill policy from years' past

I really hope the landowners at hickory have a change of heart and just folks skin up.

 

[Duckbutter]

I really hope the landowners at hickory have a change of heart and just folks skin up.

Who currently owns Hickory? Are there any plans to open it to the public in some capacity. Weren't there rumors that a backcountry model was under consideration? Maybe that was just my imagination.

 

[Harvey]

Hickory is owned by a gentlemen who lives in Texas, who grew up in Warrensburg.

He's considered a few different options, some to grow it and some to shrink it. He had even developed a plan, with permits and easements for snowmaking. (The edge of his property is only 1600' feet from the Hudson River and there is only one property owner between he and the water supply.)

There are two at least things that prevent HSC from reopening. The biggest one is the math. If Hickory was to have perfect luck with weather and was able to open every weekend and holiday in a season, and every Poma disc had a butt in it, it couldn't cover it's cost. To increase capacity, you'd need chairlifts. You're looking at millions (~5?) in snowmaking and lifts for a ski area at 700 feet, while winters seem to be getting less snowy. B is a very successful guy, and he didn't get there by gambling millions on long shots.

The second thing is that he lives far from the ski area, and was willing to lose money on it for a while. (He once told me that he lost less money in a season when he didn't open. Think about that.) To manage the property he needed people on site that he trusted and he got burned more than once.

There is no upside for the owner to allow skinning. For him there is no upside.

It's a rocky hill that needs a ton of snow to cover the steeps. If it snows that much at that elevation there's likely better skiing at other nearby higher elevations. IMO skiers who've enjoyed great days on that hill should cherish those memories and respect the wishes of the guy who made it all possible.

I'll never forget my days there.

 

[Duckbutter]

That all makes sense and sure is depressing

 

[idratherbskiing]

Are there any groups like RASTA or Catamount Trail based in NYS?

 

[MC2]

Are there any groups like RASTA or Catamount Trail based in NYS?

BETA & APSA

 

[Duckbutter]

BETA & APSA

The main difference seems, and I'm sure others on this forum have a much better sense about this than I, is that the US Forest Service seems to be a much better partner for these groups operating in VT and NH compared to the DEC.

Simply backcountry ski trails need regular maintenance and thinning of understory in the NE and NYS seems reluctant to allow that from my understanding. I sort of understand this in Wilderness Areas, but what would it take to, for example, allow a volunteer group to cut glades in Vanderwhacker Wild Forest?

 

[Harvey]

what would it take to, for example, allow a volunteer group to cut glades in Vanderwhacker Wild Forest?

Not sure where in the Vandy you are thinking, as it is a very widespread area, but this is happening, and I don't believe it is clandestine.

Do you ski in the east?

 

[Benny Profane]

Hickory is owned by a gentlemen who lives in Texas, who grew up in Warrensburg.

He's considered a few different options, some to grow it and some to shrink it. He had even developed a plan, with permits and easements for snowmaking. (The edge of his property is only 1600' feet from the Hudson River and there is only one property owner between he and the water supply.)

There are two at least things that prevent HSC from reopening. The biggest one is the math. If Hickory was to have perfect luck with weather and was able to open every weekend and holiday in a season, and every Poma disc had a butt in it, it couldn't cover it's cost. To increase capacity, you'd need chairlifts. You're looking at millions (~5?) in snowmaking and lifts for a ski area at 700 feet, while winters seem to be getting less snowy. B is a very successful guy, and he didn't get there by gambling millions on long shots.

The second thing is that he lives far from the ski area, and was willing to lose money on it for a while. (He once told me that he lost less money in a season when he didn't open. Think about that.) To manage the property he needed people on site that he trusted and he got burned more than once.

There is no upside for the owner to allow skinning. For him there is no upside.

It's a rocky hill that needs a ton of snow to cover the steeps. If it snows that much at that elevation there's likely better skiing at other nearby higher elevations. IMO skiers who've enjoyed great days on that hill should cherish those memories and respect the wishes of the guy who made it all possible.

I'll never forget my days there.

Let's not forget the existence of a heavily state subsidized ski hill just a half hour up 28, distracting possible customers. Twice I drove up to Hickory, learned that they wouldn't be open until at least 10am, and just jumped in the car and I was skiing Gore in 45 minutes.