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kimmyt

My Rack Is Bigger Than Yours
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So who's done it? I'm heading down to Great Sand Dunes next weekend and thinking of bringing skis. Anything to keep in mind? I know you have to find steeper pitches to combat the friction and I figure my skis need a good base grind anyway, so that'll kill two birds....
 

Don Duran

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Skis work reasonably well after a good rain but as the sand dries out skis tend to sink into the sand too much to slide. Regardless of the steepness of the dune I would add. A better option is to take your snowboard, or rent a sand board while there. They float much better in all conditions and they don't weigh anywhere near as much as ski equipment. Which may not seem important until you are lugging all of that stuff up the dunes for the fifth or sixth run of the day.
So take some wide powder boards with you but don't be surprised if you wind up on a board. They really are a better tool for the dunes.
 

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KevinF

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View attachment 29972
Skis work reasonably well after a good rain but as the sand dries out skis tend to sink into the sand too much to slide. Regardless of the steepness of the dune I would add. A better option is to take your snowboard, or rent a sand board while there. They float much better in all conditions and they don't weigh anywhere near as much as ski equipment. Which may not seem important until you are lugging all of that stuff up the dunes for the fifth or sixth run of the day.
So take some wide powder boards with you but don't be surprised if you wind up on a board. They really are a better tool for the dunes.

Until just now I had no idea that there was a sport called "sand boarding".
 
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kimmyt

kimmyt

My Rack Is Bigger Than Yours
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Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
518
View attachment 29972
Skis work reasonably well after a good rain but as the sand dries out skis tend to sink into the sand too much to slide. Regardless of the steepness of the dune I would add. A better option is to take your snowboard, or rent a sand board while there. They float much better in all conditions and they don't weigh anywhere near as much as ski equipment. Which may not seem important until you are lugging all of that stuff up the dunes for the fifth or sixth run of the day.
So take some wide powder boards with you but don't be surprised if you wind up on a board. They really are a better tool for the dunes.

We don't have any snowboards anymore! I know they do rent them, so depending on if its too hard, we might try that but we'll give it a go on skis too. Hoping that there will be a frost early in the morning since its fall and the dunes will be nice and firm so we can get a decent run or two in before the sun comes out.
 

Don Duran

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FYI, the Alamosa weather forcast says there is a 40% chance of rain (thunderstorms) Friday but only a 20% chance Friday night. Probably will be a bit too warm overnight (mid 40s) for morning frost but dew usually hangs around until the sun hits it. North and West facing aspects get direct sun later than East facing slopes, so plan your runs accordingly. Also there is a shop in Alamosa that will rent sand boards the evening before and they only charge for the next day as long as you return them before 6pm the next day. Since neither rental shop opens before 8am any pre-dawn starts would require having everything you might need the night before.
Myself I wear aqua socks because they can get wet crossing the river and they fit in the soft bindings on the sand boards and they protect my toes and heels while boarding. My wife ripped up her toes going barefoot last time so don't make that mistake.
It should be fun, hope you post your videos...
 
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Tactical Speed

On the Moguls
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A better option is to take your snowboard, or rent a sand board while there.

I agree with the snowboard recommendation. Lugging skis sounds like more work than payoff--but let us know how it works out anyway.

Here's an old photo of me at the St. Anthony sand dunes in Idaho. The snowboard was still fairly slow but it was worth the experience. Best wishes for a fun trip!

 
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TPJ

Like PBJ, but not as ubiquitous!
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I also sand boarded in St. Anthony ID. It was really fun. I think the snowboard works better than skis and I wouldn't want to use my skis after getting sand in the bindings. Snowboards have no moving parts and if the sand messes the base up, who cares.... They are snowboards:roflmao:!
 
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kimmyt

kimmyt

My Rack Is Bigger Than Yours
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
518
I also sand boarded in St. Anthony ID. It was really fun. I think the snowboard works better than skis and I wouldn't want to use my skis after getting sand in the bindings. Snowboards have no moving parts and if the sand messes the base up, who cares.... They are snowboards:roflmao:!

Valid point! I only have one pair of skis so I'd hate to muck up the bindings.
 

slowrider

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I sandboarded in the 60s! Cut the front off a water ski and fiberglassed it. Dripped wax on the deck with a little sand mixed in. Took a bar of wax and applied it to the base and rode barefoot. Some dunes had a lake at the bottom. Trying to ride across the water was a thrill.
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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Bump for a new article from Nevada Magazine

Who wants to go skiing this weekend???
1f642.png
:) Sand Mountain is ready and waiting!

 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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Holland, MI
Here in MI we grew up sliding, Snurfing & skiing on sand and dry sand is best. You'll get sand in the bindings and whatever skis you use will be ruined for snow. We used to go to swaps & pawn shops for our sand gear.

Every wax will grab snow and slow you down so put acrylic on the bases first.
 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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Oh, use duct tape and gaters to keep the sand out of your boots!
 

crgildart

Gravity Slave
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The Bull City
What kind of avy certification is recommended for BC sand skiing?. Only sort of kidding. When I was a kid we used to go to the sand and dirt quarries and play there. Take off running across the top of a huge mountain of dirt or sand then leap off the edge flying about 50 feet down the hill to land and roll the rest of the way down Saw on the news some other kid died doing that a couple years later when it avalanched on top of him. .
 

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