Any skiiers on here?

I've added some new (to me) skis and boots to my quiver and heading up tomorrow morning to buy my season pass at Sierra-at-Tahoe.  Should be great skiing; mid week, fresh powder, colder temperatures. 
If anyone wants to join, I've got room in the Subaru.  Leaving Placerville area around 7:30am. 

BTW, a full blown season pass is $289 this year and includes free skiing the rest of this season at Sierra.  Also, Sierra has partnered with a lot of other ski resorts to let their season pass holders ski free at these locations for the 2014-2015 season;
4 free days at Squaw Valley
4 free days at Alpine Meadows
1 free day at Monarch Mountain, Colorado
3 free days at Snow Basin, Utah
3 free days at Crested Butte, Colorado
3 free days at Stevens Pass, Washington (near Seattle)
3 free days at Mountain High, Southern California
3 free days at Schweitzer Mountain, Idaho
3 free days at Angel Fire Resort, New Mexico
3 free days at Timberline Lodge and Ski, Mt. Hood, Oregon
3 free days at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, Oregon
3 free days at China Peak, California (65 miles from Fresno)
3 free days at Arizona Snowbowl, Flagstaff AZ
3 free days at Bridger Bowl, Bozeman Montana

With most resorts charging around $80 for a lift ticket these days, ($84 at Sierra; non-holiday) it only takes 4 trips to more than pay for the season pass. 

I used to ski an average of 40 days season. The last ten years I may have been 5 times. I used to ski with US Ski Team members a lot and learned a thing or two from them. I used to run gates with them when they were training and did pretty good against them. The Ski team at Ca Poly Pomona wanted me and all I wanted to do was party and ski. I declined. Last time out brought back some good memories and I anted to get back to skiing again, but the cost just really deters me now. A season pass would be good. I should consider that again. Problem is I would end up going out and getting the best gear available again and spend a ton of money. Can't go tomorrow, but you got me thinking about heading out maybe next time you do if you let me know a couple days in advance.

I will do that Rob!  Would be my pleasure. 

BTW, ski gear doesn't need to be pricy.
I swung by the Good Will in Folsom last week and got these boots;
Solomon X-Wave 9

I paid $20 for them and they, maybe, had 3 or 4 days on them.  Almost like brand new and fit me perfect!

Then I got these skis;
Rossignol SC97 Phantom


They came mounted with Rossignol Axial2 140 bindings


The skis and bindings I got off craigslist for $150 and had maybe 5 or 6 days of skiing on them.  The guy bought them on a high school reunion trip to Colorado and sat on them for a couple seasons before listing them. 

$170 total for skis, boots and bindings.  This is the time of year to snag great deals on ski gear; the end of the season. 

My boots are pretty high end, back in the day, and they sill fit/work well. I have skis, but would like to upgrade to a more modern design. My skis are good. My last pair were for extreme out of bounds ledge dropping and other craziness. I still have my Ski Team prepped GS skis too. They were very fast GS skis, not a detuned version. Full on US ski team version.

You would have fun skiing with my son.  he likes fast.  Personally, I think he's too lazy to make turns, but it sure makes him fast!  He still skis on his boots from over 13 years ago.  Technia's I believe.  The orange ones.  Back then, if you were wearing orange boots, people knew you were a serious skier. 

I like a cornice jump now and again, a palisade or two.  The back side of Heavenly; Mott Canyon and Killebrew Canyon on a powder morning, Squaw, the places you have to hike to get to, Kirkwood spots you CAN'T ski until there's at least 200+ inches of snowfall or you'll find the rocks. 
Well, I USED to anyways...  I took those new-to-me skis to a shop to have them set up for my boots.  They set the release at 5.5.  WHAT!!??  I'd click out of that just adjusting my goggles!  Ha!  Those bindings have a DIN of 14 for a reason!  They wouldn't adjust them any stouter, said due to my age and all..   Getting old sucks!   

But, in any case, it's dumping up there right now!  A shot of the lodge area live cam;

Turn em up on yur own.

A friend of mine wanted to try my skis and we had the same boots. His were shorter, so I went blasting through the moguls. I made several turns and then a click. Landed the next turn with the skis one mogul above me and my boots on the snow. Thats why I like them tight.

I cranked 'em up to 7 to start.  I can click out just wearing them that way in the house, so I know I won't tear anything. 
Banging the bumps is a great way to find out where the release point is on bindings!!  One of the reasons I went with 178cm length skis is for the bumps. 

BTW, I'll be going up on Wednesday now too.  My son just sent me a message and he's coming by the house with a friend from work tomorrow night, then going up Wednesday.
The invite still stands, and I'll continue to post when I go in case anyone is interested in joining the fun.

I used to ski nordic combined, and a bit of telemark for fun.  I broke my hip on a jump in 2005, and haven't done anything aggressive since.  Linda wants to ski more next season, and we will be buying season passes somewhere.

I cranked 'em up to 7 to start.  I can click out just wearing them that way in the house, so I know I won't tear anything. 
Banging the bumps is a great way to find out where the release point is on bindings!!  One of the reasons I went with 178cm length skis is for the bumps. 

BTW, I'll be going up on Wednesday now too.  My son just sent me a message and he's coming by the house with a friend from work tomorrow night, then going up Wednesday.
The invite still stands, and I'll continue to post when I go in case anyone is interested in joining the fun.

 I just committed to working on Wed.

I cranked 'em up to 7 to start.  I can click out just wearing them that way in the house, so I know I won't tear anything. 
Banging the bumps is a great way to find out where the release point is on bindings!!  One of the reasons I went with 178cm length skis is for the bumps. 

BTW, I'll be going up on Wednesday now too.  My son just sent me a message and he's coming by the house with a friend from work tomorrow night, then going up Wednesday.
The invite still stands, and I'll continue to post when I go in case anyone is interested in joining the fun.

 I just committed to working on Wed.

Yeah, and skiing will interfere with your other recreational goals of the year 

I cranked 'em up to 7 to start.  I can click out just wearing them that way in the house, so I know I won't tear anything. 
Banging the bumps is a great way to find out where the release point is on bindings!!  One of the reasons I went with 178cm length skis is for the bumps. 

BTW, I'll be going up on Wednesday now too.  My son just sent me a message and he's coming by the house with a friend from work tomorrow night, then going up Wednesday.
The invite still stands, and I'll continue to post when I go in case anyone is interested in joining the fun.

 I just committed to working on Wed.

Yeah, and skiing will interfere with your other recreational goals of the year 

Yep. One more thing I don't have time for. Next season its a go. No more fishing goals after this year.

Teusday morning 4-1-14 One inch of snow in Weimar!!!!! (really) Snowing hard right now... Not powder but is that Base building cement we love so well My knees won't take the punishment anymore and I never was very good so... Have fun and don't break anything!!!! Extended season!?!?!? Drought buster!?!?!

I usually get away to Tahoe once or twice for XC skiing. We used to bring the dog along, but she's too old for that stuff now. She was the main reason we started XC again in 2003.
I've used the same beater pair of Karhu Pathfinders for 15 years


This year the snow took too long to arrive, so we did a coastal food & drink trip instead.

Now is the time though, great conditions.

Prior to fatherhood, I used to do 25-30 days a season. No skiing for 4 years now. Next year I hope.

Jerry, I'm sure you have the experience to know what DIN works best for you. At 6'3" 230# I did  a 7-8. Better release  and/or to lose a ski in powder than to blow out a knee with a DIN that's too high