The thermometer just weaseled below 100 deg here in sunny CA and the heat has me thinking about the coming winter and photography in the snowy mountains. Carting my 5x7 Speed Graphic about is an interesting problem in logistics. It packs easily enough and shooting handheld, I've eliminated the need for a tripod, but getting out to where I want to be in deep snow is an issue. XC skis, at least the ones available here, are too narrow---they perform on a groomed track but in deep snow with a heavy pack they are IMHO impossible. Alpine skis work fine--as long as I'm going down hill. Usually not practical when I'm shooting off piste or away from ski areas with lifts. Snowshoes work very well (I've got a beautiful set of those) but they are sooo slooow. When dealing with quickly changing light it can become a heated race at turtle-like velocties. Ideally I'd get a pair of randonee skis with XC bindings with locking heels---that would be real slick! Unfortunately these set ups are very expensive---an investment thats hard for me to justify unless One planning to do the Haute Route or maybe cross Greenland or something like that ;-) So get to the point....OK

I came across Coleman's Surplus eBAy store and they have old swiss army ski packages for sale for a meager $20 (OK add another $50 for shippping to CA) These have bindings with locking heels and (if I understand correctly) no provision for a safety release like modern skis. Presumably they are heavy duty enough to allow the skier to carry a small howitzer. My question is---has anyone here used these kinds of skis in mountain photography? Will the lack of a modern safety release pose a significant hazard---I'd be using them on fairly flat terrain or gentle slopes? OTOH I have the greatest respect for things swiss. Thier quality is justly famous and I'd doubt that anything issued by the swiss army would be "junk." I have a small farriers kit, a k-31---both swiss army surplus and I never ceased to be amazed by the quality (oh yeah, I've got the pocket knife too!)

What do you think?