Deviation Factory Tour

Some of the first Thermally Modified Modes

The rains have returned to Oregon, and along with them, the first snows have begun to fall at the upper elevations. Hopefully temps will continue to cool, and snow line will continue to drop. In the meantime, it’s time to focus on getting gear dialed in for the season.

This past weekend I stopped off and toured Deviation’s factory in East Portland. Deviation is an innovative boutique ski company entering its third year of production. Deviation’s skis feature unique wood cores comprised of a variety of woods chosen for their even flex and superior dampening. In addition, they do custom top-sheets. 

Following are a few highlights from the factory tour:

Paulina Peak - Northwest Chutes

David Ascending into the Maw

Paulina (Paul-eye-nah) Peak is alpinism concentrate. With an approach of around 45 minutes, you can be below some of the most spectacular technical skiing in Oregon. Located in the Newberry Crater, around 45 minutes south of Bend, Paulina Peak is easy to overlook. Unlike most mountains of interest in Oregon, Paulina Peak is not particularly tall or grandiose from far away. From a distance, the mountain is little more than a bump on the horizon. But as you get closer, you will begin to see why Paulina Peak so special.

The NW Chutes on the mountain are steep, tight, and flanked by imposing basalt cliffs. There are numerous skiable chutes on this aspect, ranging from 10 skis to 2 skis wide. Nearly all the chutes open up onto a wide apron. Snowmobilers call the lower area "the playground"...but they don't even know the half of it. 

Gear Review: The Function, by Deviation

As I mentioned in my review of the Modes, Deviation is an up and coming boutique ski company out of Oregon. They build all of their skis in-house in their factory on the East Side of Portland. I met up with Matt and Tim, two of the company's founders a couple weeks ago at Mt. Bachelor, and had a chance to ride a few of their skis. Today I'm reviewing the Function, Deviation's big mountain offering.

While I enjoyed the playfulness of the Modes, the Functions better fit my skiing style. They are stiff, damp, and are best operated at speed. However, with ample tip rocker, the skis float well in deep snow. While the Function is definitely more at home in the open mountain, they are respectably responsive in the trees, and in tighter terrain.

The Function, 132-108-122

Gear Review: The Mode, by Deviation

Deviation is a boutique ski company specializing in hand-made-in-Oregon skis and snowboards. Though they're only two years old, they already have a respectable and ever-growing line-up. I met up with founders Matt and Tim at Mt. Bachelor over the weekend and got a chance to test some of their boards. Test conditions were classic Oregon: around 18 inches of high-density, warm, wet cement. Call me crazy, but I love Cascade Cement, and I found those conditions to be prime for ski testing.

The Mode was one of the first models Devation began producing, and it is designed to be your daily driver. The ski has a low-profile rockered tip and tail, and ample sidecut. It also has a wood core of  ash, basswood, and locust, which seemed to provide an even and energetic flex. In other words, The Mode is a ski that can handle powder, crud, and groomers alike.

The Mode 143-112-132 (168, 178, 188)