... they're the 'hok' manufactured by these guys 'Altai' - pictured is the 125cm x 124/110/122 - they make a longer 145cm version as well as another similar 162cm model called a 'kōm' - each equipped with metal edges and a built in climbing skin - think these guys used to work for 'Karhu' before they closed shop - they're basically the same ski as the old 'Meta' but a bit narrower at the tip and a bit wider at the tail - we mounted 'em with the 3-pin boot bindings but you can fit 'em to pretty much whatever ya' want...
... got 2+ feet of snow the previous weekend so we had some good conditions - although, after some much warmer weekday weather, we had since missed the great powder which fell originally and the snowpack had dwindled to about 1 foot of packed snow with a thin icy crust - but still not bad...
... where to go?... hey... never skied up to 'Rob's Knobs' (aka: 'the Knobs') before - that's a good "out and back" - about 3.5 miles R/T and around 750ft elevation gain - probably some fun downhill 'ta boot on the return...
... great time to be out - nice trip up thru the 'Limestone Run' stream valley - tons of "critter tracks" this day - lots of deer, one bobcat, a rabbit, 'subnivian' tunnel activity - was checkin' out a large spot of wild turkey scratchings at the large meadow near the head of the valley when a flock of four or five broke unexpectedly from the adjacent brush - saw the tracks of a single black bear while heading thru the woods and up thru the "steep" along with flushing two grouse...
... end of the trail and the 'Knobs' - so named for a jumble of large sandstone boulders situated atop a wooded knoll ...
... personally found this place (as far as climbing goes) about thirty years ago while lookin' for the 'Lost World' (aka: 'Lost Crag') - which exists opposite the next valley to the west...
... originally did several climbing routes here along with 'Rob Goodman' and 'buddy Matt' over the course of several visits - the place soon caught on and had since become a pretty popular sport climbing crag...
... sports several steep and thin lines...
... some short, hard stuff...
... don't know how many climbers visit here anymore - if at all... can't complain about today, though...
... man!... that "climbers trail" on the way back out is pretty steep and narrow in spots on skis and a bit difficult - goes straight down the fall line - been a few years since we were on skis - was gettin' beat up a bit and "bit the dust" a few times - decided to make our own switchback route thru the woods which was way more fun... for what they were made for combined with the conditions, the performance of the skis was great - however, we're sure that some will ski 'em a lot better and some will ski 'em a lot worse...
... the wide trail joining the upper and lower meadows was lots of fun - was able to link together a long series of decent telemark turns down the slope...
... and thru the meadow...
... snapped a few images of 'Dunbar Creek' after loadin' up back at the vehicle and before headin' out - spooked one trout which darted for cover while stopping along the stream bank to click this photo...
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