How To Transition On A Steep Slope Whilst Skiing // DAVE SEARLE
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- Опубликовано: 31 мар 2024
- In this video we look at how to transition on a steep slope whilst ski mountaineering, ski touring or freeride skiing. This is a key skill that can unlock that next level of terrain and help you with the confidence to step a little deeper into the mountains on steeper lines.
Disclaimer: Backcountry Skiing is dangerous and this skill is putting you in a more dangerous position. Seek proper tution before heading out there to try this.
Huge Thanks to Luke Jarmey (@jarmey) for filming and editing this episode. His website: lukejarmey.com/
My website: www.davesearleguiding.com/
My Instagram (find more tips and tricks there!)
/ davejsearle
Links to items I'm using:
Fleece midlayer: rab.equipment/eu/mens-tecton-...
Ski Jacket: Khroma Latok GORE-TEX® Pro Jacket rab.equipment/eu/khroma-latok...
Ski Pants: Khroma Latok GORE-TEX® Pro Pants rab.equipment/eu/khroma-latok...
Insulated Jacket: Xenair Alpine Insulated Jacket rab.equipment/eu/mens-xenair-...
Windproof Jacket: Vital Hooded Jacket : rab.equipment/eu/vital-hoody?...
Guide 2 GORE-TEX Glove rab.equipment/eu/guide-2-gtx-...
Khroma Tour GORE-TEX Infinium Glove rab.equipment/eu/khroma-tour-...
Petzl Fly Harness amzn.to/3JllJid
Petzl Connect adjust amzn.to/4aCoZkQ
Smith Summit helmet amzn.to/4aCoZkQ
Auftriib Cramplifier auftriib.com/product/cramplif... 
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The amount of self-satisfaction you got from “save those grams” was palpable… :)
😹
one thing to add that's more weather dependent is to throw your additional layer on as soon as you become stationary and aren't working up as much of a sweat. Getting cold happens really fast, especially if you have even the smallest bit of moisture on your body. If you're hands go numb because your torso is cold, it becomes a lot harder to transition in an organized and timely manner.
Yeah for sure if it’s cold and blowy you might ski ahead to that part. I find it’s often nice to air out for a few minutes before getting my jacket on sometimes.
They just get better and better, can’t wait to see what’s next!
🙌
Great tips as always !! I personally always leave the ice-axe on the bag as it's quite easy to get it off with mine as well.
Just an idea, I'd love to see a video on testing the snowpack while climbing up steep terrain, particularly in a couloir, what do you typically look for, where do you do the column tests (if any), how do you spot wind slabs and how you deal with them from underneath, same with cornices.
Looking forward to the next video, as I always learn a lot ! :)
Good ideas!
now that's a quality instructional video. KUDOS!
Thanks man!
Nice job Dave - exactly how I learned to do it from an ACMG guide who specialize in couloir skiing in the Canadian Rockies (minus the leash). Goes without saying - take those skins OFF before you A-frame them so you're not fiddling around in an exposed location longer than you need to. You likely already have your boots close to ski mode as it helps with the boot pack. In these cases, speed is often safety ... Dunno how many times I've transitioned, but I never bothered to lock my toe before clicking in since I'm almost always unlocked on the way down - but I'll be adding that to my checklist !
Yeah locking the toes on is a nice addition just to make sure they are fully in.
Thanks for sharing all those little tips and tricks that are otherwise quite hard to find 😊.
Glad it was helpful!
Sweet! Looks beautiful, and your content has been absolutely fantastic as late. The new focus you’ve been putting into quality is showing. Btw, if you’re struggling with the clothes-rustling for audio, Laura Kampf tends to put her mic on the edge of her hats sometimes. Gets it out of the way of the layers. I’d love some of your takes on glacial travel systems and which ones you use in different circumstances. Hope you’ve been having a good season!
Thanks for the tip and I’m glad people are noticing the quality! Glacier travel is something I’d like to talk about soon. Just finding the time and also the budget to pay a filmer for it has been hard!
I totally get it lol, the way you’ve been filming these seems expensive and also very conditions-dependent. Looks amazing and super informative, but I’m sure it ain’t easy. I’m happy to watch whatever you put out tho, here for the content and you!
The quality of the filming is insane, thanks a lot for the tips and tricks !
Thanks very much!
Really appreciate this video. Took my first true outing on steep terrain and transitioning was pretty stressful. Should have watch this first ;p
Glad you liked it!
Great video, on a subject I had not thought very much about. Thanks! Especially the points of making the platform shorter than your skis and of only putting on the second ski at the end.
Glad it was helpful!
Really interesting and informative video. A big thank you Dave.
Nice, thank you!
🙌
Great tips! Those firm/icy transitions really are the worst (actually had one this morning). I did not trust my edges at all while faffing about, so had to do it the tedious way 😅
I will definitely adopt that "work the snow out of your boots" thing, that seems like a good idea 👍 I should also rip skins beforehand (as long as i know i won't need them again on a summit ridge or something). Minimizing time up high, in steep/exposed terrain is always good.
Glad you found it interesting!
One more time kudos for your videos, high quality content and production
Thanks!
This is great! I’d love to learn a bit more about arresting a crevasse fall while on skis. I understand how to do this while on crampons and ice axes but I spend some time traveling with skis and poles on glaciers. I haven’t seen a great technique for this yet.
Yeah it’s difficult especially if the snow is hard. Thankfully people don’t fall into crevasses that much when the snow is hard! Having an axe in your hand is a good idea. Plenty of rope and knots between you helps.
Great video! Step by step was clear and learned some small hacks. Kudos!
Great to hear!
Great video with really detailed explanation. I’m not a skimo guy, but I felt I really learned something from the video anyway. But of course, as an IFMGA mountain guide you know your stuff 👍🏻👍🏻🇳🇴
Glad it was interesting!
Great lesson. Thanks Dave!
My pleasure!
Great great vid, thank you so much for the quality content.
I got inspiration from a vid you did where you explained why you tethered the top of your backpack with the connect adjust to have a high attachment point system. For me, this system also comes handy when transitioning in the steeps, keeps your pack from falling downhill.
Cheers from Switzerland!
Yeah that’s a great point.
Great video Dave, looks like your doing so well out there in Chamonix, you deserve it. Have a great rest of the season. 😊
Thanks, you too!
Amazing video thanks you share this tips ❤
You are welcome!
Proper content! Well done!
Glad you enjoyed it!
In firm snow there is a real danger of dropping and losing a ski. Which is why I like ski leashes. So you can secure them to something, your boot, to each other, etc.
Especially if windy. In fact everything you use should be tied to something at all times.
My problem with ski leashes is you can’t easily take them off when you are in avalanche terrain. I prefer to try and find steep soft snow rather than steep hard snow so don’t really see the point in using leashes. I want my skis to be able to completely come off in an avalanche, not be dragging me down. I also feel that brakes are much easier and better on moderately steep hard snow for putting skis on compared to leashes where you have to bend down to clip them on.
@@DaveSearle of course…if you have the choice. Naturally what you use should suit what / where you ski. And leashes should have a breakaway connection.
Really good, I learned a lot. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent, thanks
You are welcome!
Very well made, super instructive and kudos to the cameraman!! Always clear shots. Btw, you seem to enjoy shooting on the Aiguilles Rouges ;-)
Yeah it’s super easy for me to get into some good terrain for filming. Doing stuff off the other side has drawbacks for sure!
Great job. Thx
Thanks for watching!
Not being a very good skier, I like to practice self arrest quite often!
I have tried carrying a small ice axe strapped to the ski pole, found that awkward, and interfered with my skiing. Now have a Whippet pole, which is much less noticeable. Certainly gives more confidence than just using the ski poles.
I should not have to say it, but of course your hands should not be through pole wrist loops.
I do have light elastic leashes that go round my wrist and attach part way down the pole, so you can drop one without losing it.
ps, excellent video
I’ve never used a whippet but how well can you arrest a fall with one? I thought they were more for side stepping down a steep section or boot packing.
@@DaveSearle Craig Dostie pointed me to them, he recons one has saved his life
Loving your videos, Dave! Probably learn more here than any other channel. Quick question about the ATK bindings. At 11:47 you easily push the lever down to get into ski mode. Do you set the toe piece pressure to soft? I had a couple strange pre release issues and someone recommended changing that to medium or hard to possibly add more pressure to the tech inserts. Mine are pretty worn from climbing too many scree fields. Anyway Im starting to wonder if that setting has anything to do with the pre release. After watching your video I’m guessing I just needed to lock my toe before I took a bad slide on ice and lost a ski. Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers!
Great instructional video, reaffirms and expands on what I've been learning in some local Tahoe courses, thanks!
Question about your ice axe - any particular reason you went for the Literide instead of the Ride or Gully? At 6'2" / 188cm tall, when I took a ski course recently I felt that the 45cm Ride axe would've felt more secure if it was 5-10cm longer 🤔 even on the steps. I do like the curved handle though and having a trig rest when needed (I'll order that regardless of axe choice)
I think the lite ride having a spike on the bottom is a good general mountaineering tool and probably a much better option than the gully for most folks. I bring a gully most of the time when I’m skiing if I’m honest but for this video it seemed to make more sense to show it with a more classic tool.
Great video! How do you stash the ice axe in your bag strap? I have these visions of quiching it on the descent and putting an adze or pick through my jugular 😳
Pick facing away from you hooked over the shoulder strap. Pushed all the way to the back to the shaft is against the back panel. Obviously not great if you think you might fall!
Dave,
Great video, thanks for this.
Can you get Petzl to make a "micro- connect-Adjust"?
With a radline diameter (but dynamic) cord and an accordingly-scaled-down metal part. Something lighter and less bulky...
I find myself not taking mine in the winter, and just using a 120cm sling, but would love to have adjustability.
Yes that would be a nice product for sure. We can dream! Unfortuately they don't tend to listen to me too much, ;-)
In what situation would you put the ice-axe under the shoulder strap versus on the back of it?
I would nearly always put it inside the bag, so it won't hit me in case I fall.
Yeah good question! If I needed it to start with then I wanted to ski down to a safer or easier spot to then put it in or on my bag.
Is you axe so big or your pack so small that it would hit you when it’s on the back of the bag? Most people chose an axe that’s pretty short for ski touring, for this reason.
If it’s between your shoulder straps, it wouldn’t hit you either if you fell, but you would,land on it, maybe a bit of bruising? I suppose, if stuff twisted, you might somehow stick the pick into your shoulder in a bad tumbling fall, that would be really bad.
@@tjb8841 Mine is pretty small. It's a Petzl Gully. I am just paranoid for falling with an ice axe and hurting myself.
Would you be able to get it fast enough in case of a fall where you take it from the shoulder?
I've noticed in your video here as well as in a lot of other videos of skiers and snowboards in Europe (esp. the Alps), people climb (and sometimes tour the whole day) with their goggles perched up on their helmet. I can't say I see this much, if at all, here across the pond. Is this just a regional thing or is there a reason why it's so much more of a common practice in Europe?
Yeah good question, not sure exactly why but if I had to guess and talking from my experience, it’s saves time on transitions. A lot of the time in the alps you are kind of racing against the clock (other people, getting down for last lift down, general warming etc) and also a lot of the climbs we are doing aren’t that long and are often after you have skied down from a lift. Small case study would be traverse if the noire, ski down from aiguille du midi down vallée blanche you need goggles, then short skin of 1h (goggles on helmet). Boot pack then short ski across plateau. Short climb. Long ski down to train. Having them on the helmet ready to go is pretty ideal. Hope that helps!
Can you give some tips for transitioning with a splitboard?
Unfortunately that’s not my area of expertise!
I have self-arrested a slide while skiing with both poles in 1 hand, and the ice axe in the other.
Good effort!
Diy you diy the buckle for the irvis hybrid or is that a new version or something? And would you recommend it?
It’s an add on that you can buy separately. From petzl
It's called the petzl elastic strap. And I love it, 10/10 would recommend
Get Skins on skis before taking snow plates off, then ski goes on ,, stops post holing .
how would you do that in hard snow?
Short answer, not very easily at all. Steep transitions on hard snow would strike fear in anyone. Best avoid at all costs or practice it first. Cutting a big ledge helps.