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February 27, 2006

The smallest GPS in the world: Suunto X9i

I am now the lucky owner of the smallest GPS in the world: the new Suunto X9i!

Suunto X9i.jpg

Have a look for more details...

The improved Suunto X9i is the ultimate outdoor ! It enables all the functions you could expect from an outdoor watch, pretty amazing. Many thanks to Suunto !

I am goiing to test the watch this weekend in the alps and I hope to come back with some nice GPS tracks I can upload to this site.

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Here is some information about the smallest GPS in the word:

Equipped with GPS, a compass, chronograph, altimeter, and barometer Suunto X9i has everything you need for a successful journey. Regardless whether you're hiking, climbing, skiing or heading off for a fishing trip, Suunto X9i will take you through even the toughest situations.

Suunto X9i is not only an essential tool for sports that may require venturing into unknown areas, such as mountaineering or hiking, but it also helps you monitor and analyze your progress.

When traveling in the wilderness, safety comes first Suunto X9i comes packed with solutions enabling safe and responsible hiking. You can use the alarm functions to alert you at certain altitudes, or warn you about upcoming storms. You will be much better off using the compass and altimeter if caught in bad weather. When hiking in an unknown forests or just strolling around a foreign city, the route functions ensure that you know where you are at all times and the Find Home and Track Back functions guide you back.

For those who take their training seriously, Suunto X9i gives direct feedback that can be analyzed to further improve the training program.

The route functions of Suunto X9i together with the advanced GPS system allow you to create accurate routes, and ensure that you always know where you are and how to continue from there.

Accurate altimeter enables you to measure your vertical performance when jogging, hiking, cycling or climbing.

Ideally suited for fast sports, advanced timing functions enable you to record lap and split times of your runs and other similar activities.

When you travel in unknown terrain, it is extremely important to be able to return home safely. The compass, Track Back and Find Home functions make sure you will always find your way when you wish to head back home after an exciting but tiresome adventure.

Suunto X9i_2.jpg

* Altimeter: altitude, vertical speed, altitude alarm, thermometer
* Barometer: Sea level pressure, absolute pressure, weather trend graph, temperature, weather alarm
* 3D Compass: Bearing, graphic compass rose, bearing tracking
* GPS: Resolution 1m / 3 ft, 12 channels
* Watch: Calendar, 3 alarms with date option, dual time, stopwatch
* Menu-based user interface familiar from mobile phones
* Water resistant to 10 bar
* Power supply: USB cable and a universal power supply
* PC interface software + USB cable
* Full access to SuuntoSports.com


Suunto Trek Manager (STM) is software that gives you deeper understanding and better graphical representation of the data recorded and stored by Suunto X9i.

With STM you can create routes on the maps you have uploaded, edit and erase existing routes, visualize the altitude profiles for your routes, analyze and plan your training, and keep a training diary. You can also create your own activity reports by adding photos and text to the profiles.

February 21, 2006

Powder and avalanche danger !

Last week snow fall was finally generous to the Western Alps. France got a good 130 cm of fresh snow at some places, after 4 very dry weeks.

I decided to hit the road to Meribel for the weekend and was very happy to find tons of fresh snow. It was really incredible, waist deep dry powder and relatively empty slopes. I made some huge descents and the powder got completely into my nose, so much snow!

The north oriented slopes were pretty stable on saturday, so I went on skiing steaper and steaper. The avalance danger that day was 4/5 but I was surprised how stable the snow was. I did'nt see any natural avalanches either.

Saturday night there was some more snow (~ 5 cm) and on Sunday the weather was good and some additional lifts went open, like the Col de la Loze. I went tree skiing in some pretty steep slopes and really was having the greatest fun...

20060221 avalanche slab.jpg

...before I got trapped by a slab in a west oriented slope, at around 1900 meters. 4 meters wide, 1 meter deep and it I was really in the middle of it. Fortunately it moved slowly and I managed to stay standing resisting from the force of the snow on my legs. At that time I still did not realise what was happening, everything went by automatic pilot. A couple of seconds later I had skied out of the avalanche and looked at it getting wider, and moving faster. It stopped about 100 meters under me.

Pretty scary experience. First time cought by more than just a bit of snow. I think I challenged the conditions a bit too much that day.

However, I look back at an excellent weekend with some amazing ski descents - full speed, air time, fresh powder and a big smile!

Well, see yah next time!

Greg

February 02, 2006

Jean-C. Lafaille missing, possibly a great loss for mountaineering...

Lafaille.jpg

It is much likely that France has lost one of its last great mountaineers. In an attempt to summit the Himalayan giant Makalu Lafaille (39) has not been heard from for several days. He was attempting to climb, solo, in alpine style, in the winter (Makalu has never been climbed in the winter, the last 8000'er with this status)...

A faint hope was that his satellite phone was down and the reason for lost contact but search with helicopter has revealed no sign of life on the mountain. Lafaille´s tent was spotted at around 7600 m and it is presumed that the renowned climber has perished somewhere between 7600 and the summit.
This was a true solo expedition in the midst of winter and only Jean-Christophe could get himself down.
Jean-Christophe’s wife Katia Lafaille left France for Kathmandu on Wednesday (February 1st). There will be another flight next Saturday in order to bring back Lafgaille´s gear.


France has probably lost one of its 'greats'. JC has performed thrillingly in the himalayas and the alps. The french media hasn't missed this, and so the rest of france neither...

More news:
Google news
Lafaille's website