First 2 days Sherpa riding

[wjeong]

I finally started my season on Tuesday. Rode at Squaw Valley both days. Snow on Tuesday was very good soft stuff - 6 inches of loose and cutup powder. There was also firm tooth paste like powder in some tree areas. Wednesday was stiff setup powder in the morning changing to nice almost spring snow in the afternoon. About two thirds of Squaw was open. I rode the Sherpa with my drilled out riser setback 3.5 cm. Setup like this the Sherpa is absolutely amazing able to handle such a wide range of condions effortlessly. There is no need to sit back at all in soft snow and no thigh burn. With this setback, I had to even consciously tell myseft to stay centered at times finding myself too far back a few times. I must say it took me almost the full first day to get that muscle memory back and not feel ackward. I loaned my Hagan's to my buddy Neal yesterday. He could not find the carve on them. I recalled someone's advice to Fightingforair on carving - reaching across to touch the opposite knee and told him to do it. That did the trick - great advice to remember. The Hagans have a 13.5 tip which is very wide. One time Neal was skiing it flat footed like he does with his long skis. On the flat, he caught an edge and went down. He commented that he couldn't ski them flat without them catching. I thought about it and realized that skiboards riding correctly on firmer snow are alway on an edge. We do that without even thinking bought it. My sorest muscles are the muscles used locking into an edge on one board or another on the long runouts. Long skiers can be a lot lazier skiing flat footed. This is can make them not like our wide skiboards when trying them. The Sherpa is now my favorite board to ski surpassing my beloved Hagan. I have finally been on it enough times to experience it's huge performance envelope. Ski it how you like it, but every big rider on this formum needs to have one if you don't just ride the groomers all day.

Wendell

Wendell

[SkaFreak]

You should give them a try center mounted. Just be sure to drive them like skiboards and not try to unweight the tails to turn. Makes for an even better ride in my opinion.

[jjue]

Nice report Wendell , glad you had a great time , and are enjoying the Sherpas ! wish I was retired like you and could have joined you .. but I did get to take off this morning to get some backcountry in before work .. will post about that later :)!

[wjeong]

You should give them a try center mounted. Just be sure to drive them like skiboards and not try to unweight the tails to turn. Makes for an even better ride in my opinion.

Ska,

Like I said.... 'Ski it how you like it '

Wendell

[SkaFreak]

Like I said....'try'

Not saying it is the right way to ride it, but you should at least give it a try at some point to try the different feeling (much like how the first time out on the Sherpa, I tried it in two different setbacks and center mount)

[wjeong]

Like I said....'try'

Not saying it is the right way to ride it, but you should at least give it a try at some point to try the different feeling (much like how the first time out on the Sherpa, I tried it in two different setbacks and center mount)

Been there and done that.

Wendell

[valmorel]

That Sherpa sure is some board Wendell. Nothing like it in rough going. The Spruce boards sure have got the whole 'suspension' thing figured. So much less tiring when riding All Mountain. We have the Sherpa, the 120, and from Revel8 the Condor and soft ALP. A suspension board for everyone :)

[slow]

...... I rode the Sherpa with my drilled out riser setback 3.5 cm.

OK Wendell and Jack, I have resisted drilling extra holes in my risers because it is so damn cold here to work in my garage. But I got to do it now for those Condors.

[wjeong]

OK Wendell and Jack, I have resisted drilling extra holes in my risers because it is so damn cold here to work in my garage. But I got to do it now for those Condors.

Slow,

Drilling is really the best way to get a setback. I have the powder plates, but they add so much weight. The 3.5cm is plenty to give one a little extra edge in powder. Before the powder plate, I used to ski my 120 blue board with this. I was really amazed at what just a tiny setback like this would do. I really don't notice any negative effect on hard snow with this little setback. I'll be interested to see how you like it. So go for it!!!

Wendell

[slow]

It will probably be tomorrow's project.

3.0 cm setback based on my binding location on the riser is what I can get out of it.