As I’ve mentioned in a few previous posts (find them with the search box in right sidebar), we’ve been messing around with all three models of Silvretta Pure bindings. Many of you know I’m a huge Dynafit fan and no doubt biased, but bias aside I can honestly say that the Pure is a viable alternative for a lightweight setup. Though it’s heavier than Dynafit, it does allow easy step-in step-out and has a nice ergonomic stride. Rather than get into extensive details here, I’ve published a Silvretta FAQ which I’ll add items to now and then. Toward the end of our testing season, I’ll do a blog/review of the Pure.
Lots of interesting fallout from my shovel opinions in yesterday’s post. One guy took me to task for a typo, but the article by Mitch Weber I was commenting on also had at least one typo. Does that mean everything both Mitch and I have written about shovels is invalid? Of course not, but it does mean we might have similar resources when it comes to proof reading (grin). Interesting the stuff people come up with when they don’t like what you write… Though I disagree with Mitch’s overall opinion, I thank him for bringing up an interesting subject that’s fun to blog about and a useful discussion for increasing our safety in the backcountry.
Speaking of typos and writing style, this blog is indeed a BLOG, meaning it’s frequently written quickly in the heat of an opinionated moment. I make every effort to write with a modicum of clarity and to avoid spelling errors, but the nature of blogging is such that mistakes will happen. When they do, I take full responsibility and apologize for any lack of clarity my blunders may cause. And speaking of spelling, please bear in mind that I intentionally spell randonnee in different ways so the search engines can index this website for spelling variations of the rando randonne words.
I’m headed up to Jackson, Wyoming this morning — home of the plastic avalanche shovel. Look for the “Jackson Chronicles” coming soon to a blog near you. Don’t know which shovel I’ll bring to the “Chamonix of North America” (alu or plastic), perhaps both?
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.
