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would you rather: break trail or follow a track
- christoph benells
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Taking turns breaking trail with your touring partner is not a valid answer.
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- Charlie Hagedorn
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- dave095790
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- Andrew Carey
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- davidG
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- Jim Oker
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More or less ditto, except I can't help myself but to get out and break if the track I'm following gets particularly boneheaded, unless it is an ultra-deep and heavy sort of day. Especially if we think we might do a second lap, or I have more than one or maybe two people behind me.breaking trail is a way better experience, but if a track is there I guess i usually use it
Answer also depends somewhat on the area and nature of the turnable slopes. I.e. if there is a wide ridge full of great tree skiing where every party can find their own quiet lines, I find myself enjoying a reasonably well-placed uptrack more and more as time goes by!
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- Andrew Carey
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- aaron_wright
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It's the "progression" of the sport. People with no touring experience or mentoring "getting after it" once they've got their "Level I Cert".I've noticed for the 1st time this year, skiers taking a snowshoer approach: breaking trail right up the most skiable slopes, ignoring well set tracks and seemingly breaking trail just for the fun of it, leaving a wasted landscape; maybe it is just the lack of snow this year.
I don't know how many times I've gone out with new folks who will start skinning right next to you in deep snow, like we're taking a walk in the park or strolling through the mall side by side.
That MV article earlier this season in Off Piste about taking a basic touring class is right on the money, just as important as an level one avalanche course.
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- Zap
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www.earnyourturns.com/3779/skinning-tracks-of-the-tortoise/
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- Mofro
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It's the "progression" of the sport. People with no touring experience or mentoring "getting after it" once they've got their "Level I Cert".
I don't know how many times I've gone out with new folks who will start skinning right next to you in deep snow, like we're taking a walk in the park or strolling through the mall side by side.
Well... good on you for taking the time to tour with newbies so often and be a mentor, I guess?
I lack the patience necessary to wait for people on the up or the down so I'm happy to break trail all of the time. Of course, if we are out touring and there is a trail already in place that's not dangerous or ridiculously inefficient (unnecessarily steep or too flat) it makes more sense to utilize it than break anew.
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- Gary Vogt
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I agree with Andy that there is an increasing trend to make multiple skin-tracks around Paradise. Most of these would flunk the Canadian ski guide's exam.
In a busy area I like a mellow uptrack that leaves the best lines for descents. Also consider you will be followed by crowds of sheep-like snowshoers. Saving energy is also backcountry skiing safety, and conserving snow will become increasingly important in a changing climate.
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- aaron_wright
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Well I guess the side by side thing is from both personal experience and observing other parties. I usually suggest that it's a lot easier for them if they follow my skintrack in fresh snow.Well... good on you for taking the time to tour with newbies so often and be a mentor, I guess?
I lack the patience necessary to wait for people on the up or the down so I'm happy to break trail all of the time. Of course, if we are out touring and there is a trail already in place that's not dangerous or ridiculously inefficient (unnecessarily steep or too flat) it makes more sense to utilize it than break anew.
I also don't like overly steep skintracks or tracks that ignore exposure and take up space for descents.
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- filbo
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- Jason4
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I try to set reasonable skin tracks that usually follow the safest line possible to get to a destination but I have been guilty of setting skin tracks directly up fall line for 2 reasons: just for grins on those fun spring days when it seems like skins stick to anything and to intentionally discourage people from following my skin track but I think I've only done that once. Usually I tour with my heel flat on my top sheet.
Edited to add:
I took the question to be "would you feel more comfortable going into an area that you know has other people or would you rather explore on your own?" but some of the answers seem to be leaning towards setting new skin tracks next to old ones which seems to be a waste of space and effort unless there is a problem with the existing skin track (blown out kick turn, icing, poor line choice in the first place, etc).
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- runningclouds
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- flowing alpy
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- Jim Oker
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That's certainly along the lines of why I'd set new track when one is already there. And typically only in places where space is not an issue (i.e. not mis-farming the good turning slopes).... unless there is a problem with the existing skin track (blown out kick turn, icing, poor line choice in the first place, etc).
There is for sure something very fun about planning out and breaking a nice line through the terrain and views.
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- pipedream
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I only break trail when I have to. Or when the person(s) ahead of me have made poor choices the night before. Don't crop dust me, bro.
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- Kyle Miller
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Unless there is a ski lift nearby, I would definitely go for that first.
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- pipedream
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A man after my own heart. Glad to see you survived the land of the rising sun.follow someone's skin track for sure.
Unless there is a ski lift nearby, I would definitely go for that first.
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- Jim Oker
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Not sure I've seen any such argument on this thread; I'm just seeing varied thoughts in reply to the OP, some of which quite naturally reference personal preferences about uptrack styles.Only on TAY would you find people arguing about the beauty of your uptrack.
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- christoph benells
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Edited to add:
I took the question to be "would you feel more comfortable going into an area that you know has other people or would you rather explore on your own?" but some of the answers seem to be leaning towards setting new skin tracks next to old ones which seems to be a waste of space and effort unless there is a problem with the existing skin track (blown out kick turn, icing, poor line choice in the first place, etc).
so the question really is, would you rather enjoy the beauty and solitude of being the only one out there, even if it means breaking trail through fresh snow, or would you rather follow someone else's track and save time and energy, but not have the same quality wilderness feel?
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- Andrew Carey
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so the question really is, would you rather enjoy the beauty and solitude of being the only one out there, even if it means breaking trail through fresh snow, or would you rather follow someone else's track and save time and energy, but not have the same quality wilderness feel?
I much prefer the solitude that is why I mostly ski midweek and mostly alone (and don't post many trip reports LOL).
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- lrudholm
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Would you rather... break trail through deep snow and be the only one out there, or follow someone else's track and have the work done for you but see some other people/tracks on your slope?
Taking turns breaking trail with your touring partner is not a valid answer.
I'd rather follow.
I don't really mind bumping into a few other powderhounds when the snow is deep.
If its bluebird with a foot of blower pow and i'm out in the alpine, yeah... thats when I'd rather have freshies on the way up and down.
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- JibberD
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This Ted Talk theory on intelligence seems to bolster the concept. Skip to min. 5 if you want to get to the heart of the matter.
Not being one with the brainpower of the fellow in the the Ted Talk, I kinda stick to my buddy's wisdom that, "you'll know, when you know."
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- Schenk
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so when skiing alone i prefer to set my own track
- Since I only ski alone about 50% of the time, due to safety reasons, I'll let the young bucks charge ahead and then smoke 'em on the last 100' and poach their line.
- For solitude and fresh tracks I prefer that I, or my party, are breaking the trail.
- If we're going into a popular area then we will save the energy and follow a track as long as it is a smartly set track.
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- RossB
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As far as making my own tracks, it depends on how the first were laid. Sometimes the tracks are made a bit too aggressively for my taste, especially if I don't have my skins on, but I'm depending on waxless. But even then I usually just follow the herd and put on the skins.
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- Schenk
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are you being serious here?
Yes, I am serious, but I apparently worded it awkwardly.
50% of the time I am skiing in conditions and areas not dangerous or committing (at my comfort level anyway), the other 50% of the time a partner(s) is prudent.
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