Books books books!

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Johnny
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Location: Quebec / Vermont
Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
Occupation: Full-time ski bum

Books books books!

Post by Johnny » Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:14 pm

I *love* ski books... I'm always looking for some good pre-bedtime literature. Here's a few classics I already have... Any suggestions for my next read? I'm not really into kids apres-ski beer-drinking tales or extreme skiing crap. I'm more into hermits, huts, philosophy, mountains and wilderness kind of stuff... : )

Wine, Women, Warren, & Skis, Warren Miller
Nobody Owes You Tomorrow, Todd Stuart
Cross-Country Downhill, Steve Barnett
Free-Heel Skiing, Paul Parker
Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast, David Goodman
Backcountry Skiing, Martin Volker
Deep Powder Snow, Dolores Lachapelle
Allen & Mike's Really Cool Telemark Tips
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."

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bogon
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Re: Books books books!

Post by bogon » Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:30 pm

I suggest You to scan them and anonymously share (pdf) on thepiratebay. AFAIK majority of this list isn't available in digital form. I refuse to pay for paper books from eco PoV. Moreover, they're heavy, while my ebook reader can carry a small library, can search, has backlight and is light. Even with small solar battery, which in reality is not necessary to carry along cause of e-ink.
I like all kinds of snow. The only poor snow I know of is ice. That better be climbed.



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xkyzero
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Re: Books books books!

Post by xkyzero » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:42 pm

If you can find a copy:

The avalanche enigma
by Colin Fraser


Well worth the read just for his history of avalanches and their place in mountain culture. He is a great story teller.



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kesroberts
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Re: Books books books!

Post by kesroberts » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:59 pm

I like Allen & Mike's backcountry ski book. I'm not much of a backcountry skier, but enjoy this one.

Thanks for the list - I picked up a couple that I didn't know about.



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Johnny
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Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
Location: Quebec / Vermont
Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
Occupation: Full-time ski bum

Re: Books books books!

Post by Johnny » Thu Jan 16, 2014 11:21 am

Hey thanks!

I just got my hands on this one yesterday:
(Yes, sometimes I do judge a book by it's cover.. and title... : )
xclove.jpg
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."



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anrothar
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Re: Books books books!

Post by anrothar » Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:15 pm

Trails That Never End by Tim Kelley

Trip reports from a bunch of long distance, lightweight Alaskan ski trips, mostly on snowmobile and dog mushing trails. Including the 1000 mile Iditarod Trail(he and Bob Baker still hold the ski record set during the trip described in the book), Kobuk 440 mile, and Yukon Quest Trail. Really great book if you like reading about camping and backpacking, via xc skis.

http://crust.outlookalaska.com/TrailsThatNeverEnd/



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Johnny
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Posts: 2256
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
Location: Quebec / Vermont
Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
Occupation: Full-time ski bum

Re: Books books books!

Post by Johnny » Sat Feb 08, 2014 10:31 am

Just a few words to say that I just finished that small Cross-Country ski, cook, look and pleasure book I mentioned before... I can't help telling you how great it is. Without a doubt the best (and funniest!) ski book I ever read...

It will definitely make you wanna move to Vermont or Montana, build an igloo over there, make love in the snow, start smoking pot again and ski your life away...

It's funny, the book sells for like 100-200$ on Amazon... I paid mine 2$.
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."



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Raventele
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Re: Books books books!

Post by Raventele » Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:01 pm

LoveJohnny wrote:I *love* ski books... I'm always looking for some good pre-bedtime literature. Here's a few classics I already have... Any suggestions for my next read? I'm not really into kids apres-ski beer-drinking tales or extreme skiing crap. I'm more into hermits, huts, philosophy, mountains and wilderness kind of stuff... : )

Wine, Women, Warren, & Skis, Warren Miller
Nobody Owes You Tomorrow, Todd Stuart
Cross-Country Downhill, Steve Barnett
Free-Heel Skiing, Paul Parker
Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast, David Goodman
Backcountry Skiing, Martin Volker
Deep Powder Snow, Dolores Lachapelle
Allen & Mike's Really Cool Telemark Tips
Have Allen and Mikes, Parker's and XCD..Love them all though
I think there's about as much confusing and even inaccurate ( call
me a lite-skiing heretic if you like) in XCD as there is beneficial..
"Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind, on the road to Shambala"



User avatar
Johnny
Site Admin
Posts: 2256
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
Location: Quebec / Vermont
Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
Occupation: Full-time ski bum

Re: Books books books!

Post by Johnny » Sat Feb 08, 2014 1:29 pm

Heretics are cool. I am a ski and music and girls and 'life-in-general' heretic myself. People (and their ideas) are stupid most the time. That's for sure.

But to me, XCD is very simple: it's free. You're free to do whatever you want as long as you stay in the woods. It only implies love, respect and nature. It doesn't matter what kind of skis or bindings or what brand of gloves you wear, whether you have a beard or not, whether you double-plant or not... But there's got to be some direct spiritual connection with the trees and the snow and nature that surrounds you.

You just go downhill as fast as you can, linking as many turns you can without stopping to meditate about your own shitty life? You talk about your job when you climb? You drink tap water from your Black Diamond bottle instead of
kneeling down the brooks? Then that's not XCD.

In my opinion, there's only 3 major rules to respect in order to be true to the real XCD dogma:
1- Nothing fatter than 109mm (110 is strictly forbidden. One-o-nine, not 110)
2- Absolutely no plastics.
3- Avoid skins if possible (Some may allow kickers)

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/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."



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Raventele
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Re: Books books books!

Post by Raventele » Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:34 pm

Well, I think there's true BC, slogging-up-the-hill Alpine, and then there's true XCD..
and then there's some odd blend of thongs on Glittertinds
dashing across 5 degree slope changes..But under any category and
under appropriate circumstances, Anything goes!!
I am such a heretic as to say T4's and Excursions are just fine..even if
a 2-buckle leather is sacred! :lol:
"Everyone is helpful, everyone is kind, on the road to Shambala"



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