Conditions Report
Report from May 7-8. 2024
Spring is a beautiful time to try new things, including trading two planks for one. Monoskis are seldom seen on the slopes these days, but occasionally, you might see someone making it look good. A few weeks ago at Mt. Bachelor, OR, I saw someone shredding the Northwest Express lift line on a single plank and thought, “Wow, I gotta get in on that.”
A few Facebook posts later, I had two offers to let me borrow a monoski. On day one, I drove from Portland, OR, to Bend, OR, at 4:00 A.M., picked up a board off someone’s porch for a sixer, and headed to Skyliner Express to try it out. Surprisingly, the transition wasn’t too tricky. As a skier, I do my best to keep my planks as close together as possible. With skis united, I can engage turns rapidly and remain confident in technical trees.
The hardest part of the transition was adding the poles. I don’t ski with poles when I’m riding two planks. But, as far as I can tell, there is no way to ride a mono without poles— getting through the lift mazes would be relatively impossible. That said, I don’t have the slightest idea about what to do with the poles— I kept dragging them too much, catching them on trees, and then not properly using them to get up after a tip-over. There will be a long learning curve for me on the hand-sticks.
The conditions at Mt. Bachelor were prime on Tuesday. There was 4-6 inches of new, relatively light snow on the ground, and it stayed stormy throughout the day. It felt like winter again, and folks were elated to be frolicking in the fresh snow.
On day two, the Mono Dude joined me at Mt. Bachelor. With nearly fifty years of skiing experience— and four Warren Miller film features— Don Paeth knows everything about monosking. He gave me the rundown on the single plank’s history and a tutorial on proper mechanics.
Wednesday’s weather was starting to warm, showcasing the spring to come. Unfortunately, the storm system’s exit brought high winds which stopped the lift operations team from getting the Summit Express open. The monoski held its own in the corn and slush on the lower lifts. I was especially surprised by how much easier on my knees the mono was, compared to having two skis to control. I plan to add the single plank to my quiver for next season.
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How is mono skiing different than a hard snowboard with hard boots like Deeluxe or UPZ?