Playing in the snow for fun and profit
Winter sports keep the registers ringing

by Christopher Key

How often have you passed that building and sign in Fairhaven and asked yourself, “I wonder what the American Alpine Institute (AAI) is all about?” It’s about winter sports and a whole lot more as well. AAI was established 27 years ago and is an internationally recognized guide service for mountaineers. They also supply and outfit mountaineering expeditions, but recently have been expanding into areas other than mountain climbing. Why locate in Whatcom County? Proximity to the North Cascades and general quality of life.

Equipment manager Thierry Werderits is working with Mt. Baker Ski area to help train mountain rescue personnel.

“If you spend much time outdoors,” Werderits said, “it’s important to develop ‘mountain sense.’ There are so many variables you have to take into account.”

The staff at AAI has hundreds of years of collective experience at going into harm’s way and coming back alive. They want to train others how to do it.

This time of year, AAI conducts programs in backcountry and glacier skiing, winter mountaineering, and water ice climbing. The latter involves ascending frozen waterfalls and is perhaps the fastest growing of the climbing sports.

“Frozen waterfalls enable you to travel places that are inaccessible in other seasons,” Werderits said. “It also has a very minimal impact on the environment.”

The tools of the trade haven’t changed much in form, but there are innovations in composition.

“The equipment is lighter and easier to use,” said assistant equipment manager Greg Mitchell. “We want to make mountain sports more accessible by providing the right tools and instruction courses that are open to the public.”

AAI staffers also see themselves as stewards of the wild areas.

“When we go on climbing expeditions,” said Mitchell, “we try to clean up the junk others have left behind. We want to minimize human impact.”

There are certain advantages that make winter mountaineering attractive. More snow means carrying less water. You may also elect to take shelter in a snow cave rather than carrying a tent. Food that might spoil in the summer keeps well in Mother Nature’s refrigerator. On the other hand, there are fewer hours of light in which to travel and caloric content of food has to be increased in order to stay warm.

AAI has a retail shop at the Fairhaven location and lots of professionals to advise you on the right stuff. The staff does a lot of product testing and hands out awards to outstanding manufacturers.

You may never have the desire to conquer Everest, but if you’re planning a little stroll up Mt. Baker, it’s nice to know that there are some world-class mountaineers at AAI ready to give you advice.

Bruce Bauer at REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) in Sehome Village points out that there are more climbing options than ever before. There are even artificial walls that get hosed down in winter for ice climbing. Some new trends in equipment make it all sound quite comfortable.

“There are now plastic boots for very wet or cold weather,” Bauer said, “which help prevent frostbitten feet. Boots in general are moving to waterproofed leather with glued on soles. The uppers flex better for more freedom of movement.”

Crampons, those nasty-looking metal teeth that attach to shoes for ice climbing, are also improved. They’re lighter and more flexible.

“Avalanche beacons are huge right now,” Bauer said, “especially at Mt. Baker. Of course, you have to remember to turn them on. They’re more user friendly, but you still need training to use them effectively. In the search mode, they’re more directional, meaning that buried skiers get found faster.”

Those folks who prefer skis that will go up the mountain as well as down will find that the term “skinny skis” no longer applies to Nordic gear.

“The Nordics are shorter and fatter now,” Bauer said. “That makes it easier to turn and to handle at speed. They’re stiffer, to make up for lack of length. New developments in telemark skis have made the sport much easier to learn. Now, basically, all you have to do is lean.”

Even choosing your skis is much simpler these days. There are only three to five lengths that cover the range of weights and heights. There used to be 15 or more. The old three-point bindings are headed for the museum. The more modern slot and pin system is taking over. A further development in that binding has seen the pin on the boot moved back of the toes.

“This makes it more efficient for kick-and-glide,” Bauer said, “and it gives great speed for skating.”

Josh Pitts handles the Alpine department at REI.

“Shaped skis have made downhill a whole new ballgame,” Pitts said. “For starters, you can ski a lot longer without getting tired. Carving is easier and there’s not as much skidding action. The learning curve is much faster.”

The idea for shaped skis came from the side cuts pioneered on snowboards.

“Snowboarding has now established a solid base,” Pitts said. “The manufacturers are making improvements slowly and nothing dramatic is happening right now.”

There are some new wrinkles on sliding down the mountain that may or may not last long. The very short (less than two feet long) skis seem to be a fad that is fading. They’re not very effective in deep snow. A new piece of gear called a snow skate consists of a skateboard with a ski attached to the bottom. Ski bikes aren’t allowed at many resorts yet. Fat powder skis are taking off in popularity as are the twin tips that allow you to ski backward as easily as forward — if you have eyes in the back of your head.

“For snowboarders, both step in and strap in bindings have improved over the years,” Pitt said. “But the most important thing is always how well the boots fit. The best thing in boot technology is the heat moldable liners, which can be custom fit within 25 minutes.”

Waterproof and breathable fabrics continue to improve in the clothing lines and prices may come down as the Gore-Tex patent expires.

“Snowboard jackets basically come in two styles,” Pitts said. “The heavier, insulated jackets are for more casual riders who want to wear the jackets around town as well. Hard core boarders will prefer the lightweight jacket that’s basically just a shell. Snowboard clothes are growing up, but still have a young focus. Some of the jackets feature a pocket for your mini disc or MP3 player along with a port for the wire running to your headphones.”

Helmets are growing more and more popular with both skiers and snowboarders. They not only protect your head, but are also warmer than most hats. There are models that offer both full and partial coverage. Remember that you may need different goggles if you decide on a helmet.

The hottest clothing materials now are called soft shell. They have fleece on the inside and a water resistant outside that is softer than the older materials. Most of these are very breathable and are appropriate for high activity sports like cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

In case you haven’t investigated the latter sport lately, you may be surprised to find out that snowshoes no longer look like tennis rackets with delusions of grandeur. They’re much easier to use and you can operate the bindings with one hand. Women in particular are taking up this sport in droves because of snowshoes that are now designed for female physiology. Snowshoes also help backcountry skiers and boarders get where they’re going.

Ryan Horrell, who manages the winter sports department at Yeager’s on Northwest Avenue, agrees that shaped skis are revolutionizing that sport.

“There’s more flex in the skis,” Horrell said, “so you can pop out of turns better. Some of the new bindings attach to the sides of the skis rather than on top, which improves control. Some of them have damping systems that drastically reduce chatter.”

Some snowboards also have damping systems. Risers built into some boards mean that riders can use a narrower board for sharper turns. Prices have come down sharply. Yeager’s offers a basic board, boots and bindings package for under $300. There are also the new Arbor boards that are made out of Koa wood so that no two are alike.

“The new Boa closure system for snowboard boots makes getting in and out of them a lot easier,” Horrell said. “It replaces the clumsier laces.”

Some of the hotter gear includes Dragon goggles and Da Kine packs for backcountry that feature sections for shovels, probes and hydration systems. If you want to cut down on the amount of gear you have, most ski/snowboard helmets can also be used for kayaking. Large capacity, lockable rooftop carriers that open from either side make transporting all that stuff a lot easier.

Whatcom County offers 300 miles of trails groomed for use by snowmobilers. What it doesn’t have is a snowmobile dealer. Dan Jantz, owner of Skagit Powersports in Burlington, is ready to fill the gap.

“Snowmobile manufacturers have reduced noise and emissions by 50 percent in the last four years,” Jantz said. “The trend is toward four stroke engines, but most manufacturers still offer more two strokes. The current technology will meet federal standards until 2010 when manufacturers will either have to reduce two stroke emissions or go to four stroke engines.”

Snowmobiling is a four billion dollar industry nationwide and the average “sled” will set you back a cool $8,500.

“Improvements in clothing and the development of avalanche beacons and probes means you can get further into the back country,” Jantz said. “Even the Border Patrol is now using snowmobiles in the winter.”

Snowmobiles require an ORV (off-road vehicle) license. Fees from those licenses go to pay for Sno-Parks, trail and facility maintenance. A yearly permit fee allows snowmobilers to use the state Sno-Parks such as Schreiber’s Meadow, Glacier Creek, and Canyon Creek off the Mt. Baker Highway. The North Cascades Highway is also available to snowmobilers once it is closed to wheeled traffic and there are miles of Forest Service roads that can be accessed in winter.

Winter sports are a burgeoning sector of the local economy. They not only provide much needed exercise and fresh air during the gloomy winter months, but also help prevent cabin fever. If you’re starting to cop an attitude from being cooped up with your loved ones, go find some snow and practice preventive medicine.