Noooo. Say it ain't soooo. Extended Indian summer down here. Hiked Santa Cruz mtns today, then kayak paddled th Oakland Estuary and now sleeping on the boat. Headed down to Red Rocks and Moab tomorrow for a few weeks then J Tree end of Nov. I soooooo want the snow this year but can you send it down the end of next month? Prudy please?
You guys gotta get with it! Winter is Kickass!!!6!!
Snow changes everything. It's a new World every day!
Wah. It's cold. you wanta live forever? Plunge in.
It's The Way.
It's all in yer mind, anyway. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsW8rXPcnM0
Hi EKat,
What do you do for track and skate skiing? Come down to Stillwater? Nothin groomed up your way is there? Do you know what there is close by in Canada?
hey. . . the last 3 winters I stayed at my little ski house on Mt Shasta . . . the track skeezin there is remarkable. . . there's also a home town Alpine area that I have been known to get top to bottom black diamond runs - TO MYSELF, all day long. . . it's a neat little ski area.
Up here?
Stillwater ROCKS. The people who own/run it are really neat.
Your place is great, too. . . I'll ski there as often as I can.
Been known to run around out at Star Meadow, too.
Izaak is undoubtedly the best. . . they're runnin' a Pisten Bully and almost nobody skis there. I've never seen another skater.
Kimberley Nordic, just north of me is also pretty incredible. . . community owned and operated with KILLER grooming (Bombardier) and get this, STREET LIGHTS for night skiing:
Full on STREET LIGHTS at Kimberley
Credit: eKat
The Nordic area at Fernie is INTENSE. . . I call it the Franz Klammer School of Nordic. I just learned of tracks that are set out behind the Canadian Tire, too. Gonna hafta check that out this season.
I ski set a little course right here on my 20 acres, too.
Missing photo ID#269326
Old, dear friends, and their kids have moved up here (he's the Chief Ranger at GLAC) and we're gonna hit Blacktail a lot this winter. . . we hear it's pretty fun for families.
As for droppin' knee, Fernie, Kimberley, Big. . . and now, Blacktail (never skied there, before.)
I'm giving thought to renting a room in Whitefish to cut down on the driving. . . so if you hear of anybody who'd be into a roommate 2 or 3 nights a week, let me know.
BRING IT!
P.S. Oh, yeah. . . supposedly, Wilderness Club is going to do some kind of Nordic skiing. . . but I don't know the particulars. I'm looking out my loft windows at the place, as we speak. . . it's not even a mile away.
P.P.S. . . . and. . . Arne. . . what ever happened to the tracks at Big Mtn. They used to groom a ~ 10K and it was pretty good. . . now there's no mention of it, at all.
Ekat, Glacier Nordic Club groomed the Big Mt. trails all last winter.
This year we have permission to groom there until December 21- then we need to vacate for the xmas season. Their biggest concern is nordic skiers taking up parking space. Don't get me started...
But the main focus of the Club's grooming efforts is the golf course in Whitefish. We have 4k of lights, 13k of total skiing
WOW. . . teach me to ski on TheMountainShasta for 3 years. . .I'm totally out of the loop at Big Mtn.
RAD that they groom some of the time. Why in the SamHill don't they have a map of their trails on their site anymore? There's no mention of them, at all, anymore.
?
I've skied at Glacier Nordic a lot. . . I think it's a blast. . . especially when I have "NeverEver" house guests who want to play in the woods without pointin' down too many hills.
Do you volunteer to do the grooming or is it a job?
Grooming is a job, my winter gig, a labor of love. I am still looking for the summer equivalent; something other than building, which is what really pays the bills.
Was at Mount Spokane in E Washington today, the last nordic trail work day of the year, and it was a good thing. Started snowing about noon, was sticking pretty well by 4:00. We have ~35K of trails, and are getting a 14' bombardier this year. It's a Washington State Sno-Park, so for $80 a year, you can jam as many people in your car as often as you can and ski all day. Quite a deal. It's the best x-c between Methow and...I don't know how far east.
Stuneberry...I think i skied at mt. spokane back in 85 before they were grooming...if i remember correctly the road to the ski area was long , straight , and steep...? I remember skiing at this funky little bootleg ski area called achilles ranch near Priest River.. The care-taker had turned the property it into a small nordic center...On the sly i think...? wet snow falling here...
Awesome! Thanks for sending the white stuff down our way. I think it's just a teaser but it got me all tingly. I'd love to return from the red southwest to the white mtns. Oh yeah
eKat -
Why do you torment me with pictures of skis and powder? I have spent the better part of the day trying to chew my leg off and escape from this cubicle. Why do you torment me so?
i'm so tired from work (15 hour days like whoa) i've barely noticed the snow but i'm so happy to know it's happening! one day i'll have time to enjoy it!
I didn't know you did that much of it. Yeah, Izaak absolutely rules. Been skiing out there my whole life. You know we have races out there right? Mostly skate.
Big Mtn was up and running last year. It was cool cuz they connected it with Iron Horse so I think about 20K groomed for skate. But it's up to Glacier Nordic to groom it and they don't do it when there's good snow at the golf course in Whitefish.
On Blacktail you can skin runs on Mondays and Tuesdays when they're closed. If it snows on Sunday you got untracked to yourself.
Started in 1968 and have been seriously involved with the industry since 1974 (PSIA Certified instructor, Avalanche Certified, sponsored, guided, coached, raced, groomed, patrolled, tech . . . that kind of stuff). Used to get 160 + days a year (easy to do when you live at the ski area or have your office at one and it's your job) now I'm gettin' 45 - 75 days a year. My place on Mt Shasta is 7 minutes from the Nordic Center and another 3 minutes to the Alpine area.
More driving up here. . . but. . . this place BLOWS THE DOORS OFF SHASTA!
I'm really looking forward to being back up here this winter!
They must have some great big cat grooming though. I've always heard Shasta is one of the very best ski descents.
We're gonna hafta meet up. . .
Yeah but you might have to come climbing too. I know you don't care for Stone Hill that much but some of the routes there are my all time favorites.
How about the OSCAR down in Seely? What a cultural event!
Arne
Mt Shasta Ski Park (Alpine) is tiny (425 skiable acres) . . . you could lose it at Chair 1 on Mammoth. Highest lift tops out at 6,800 feet. . . really small. The rest of the mountain towers above it. . . don't get me wrong, Shasta's beautiful, but living there doesn't hold a candle to living up here and there's way more skiing up here, by comparison.
And. . . TheKook (StoneHill) is only 10 minutes from my place.
You'll have to head this way - I'm less than 5 miles off 37.
I love the early season banter of skiers! Soon I'll be hearing tales of cold 5% Montana smoke and artic wax on squeeky skis in the Teton's! I'm typically driven crazy every year hearing all about it when that mid winter warm Pacific front waters down our home range to 9,000 ft. Our windows to awesome conditions are smaller and farer between.
But you know it's all good, never had a bad day on skis as long as you avoid bad company! Would love to join in up there with eKat and ionlyski in the far north of Montana one of these days. I'll be in Bozeman hiking Bridger Bowl at some point, never seem to go much further north unless it's to the Selkirk's......so many great options, the work thing sure gets in the way!
Have a great winter season everyone, the Tahoe Sierra is off to a great start with 24" as of this morning up on the summit and more expected into tomorrow. Next week more on the way!!!
Ya gotta look it up. Not sure about the spelling. It is an epic 50k race through the woods, one big lap, crossing over a mountain pass. It's been going over 30 years with some years nearly breaking trail along the way. But recently it is quality grooming the whole way. People come from all over for it with some racers logging in 25 or more OSCARS over the years.
Our first taste will be gone soon. The days are just too damn warm yet. It's ok, though.
Winter is just thinking about showing up, in full regalia.
You'll soon behold the Splendor...Might as well dig it. Life is Now.
I'm glad I was there for the first bit.That's always wondrous.
i don't understand the people who are saying they aren't skiing or boarding this winter because last winter we didn't have much snow. every season is different ~ this one's going to be good! i'm STOKED :) :) :)
Got out to see how the snow is doing in Tahoe after work today....
Great Basin
Credit: WML
Followed a skin track to figure out if a line was in that usually gets railed like a sexy grandma during the proper season. No surprise that the line was in given the skin track, wish I had brought the skis with this time.
Great Basin in the background, goofball in the foreground
JOEYF where did you take that picture? Is that out here? Did you know there's about 30" in Tahoe right now at the higher elevations on the west and north.
Here's a Sun Valley real-time shot this morning. Great, great nordic trail system there, and the World's easiest 30 k. race, the annual Boulder Mountain Tour.
Baldy this morning.
Credit: Fritz
and on the other hand. No snow here and we had a great garden harvest yesterday. The last tomatoes, arulgula, carrots, onions, parsnips, and 10 gallons of potatoes.
Started in 1968 and have been seriously involved with the industry since 1974 (PSIA Certified instructor, Avalanche Certified, sponsored, guided, coached, raced, groomed, patrolled, tech . . . that kind of stuff). Used to get 160 + days a year (easy to do when you live at the ski area or have your office at one and it's your job) now I'm gettin' 45 - 75 days a year.
Gee whiz Looeez! Remind me to be out a town when they start looking for opponents for ya in the BJeanKing-Bobby Riggs charity ski-off.
Headed to Bishop ... on our way to Red rocks and Moab....thought we'd go 120.....nooooo....closed. Just last Saturday went through there at 80 degrees! So we'll go 88....at least we can pick up our season passes at Kirkwood.
Hoping to return from mountain biking and going right into skiing. Oh body, please hold out, purdy please.
I heard Bear Valley had a free day yestday or Wednesday to help say sorry for all the confusion about weather thye would open or not this year. . They said it was for Even the lower mountain was open. I am not sure if it is true or just a rumor.
Y'awl are lucky!
You've got snow. I'm visiting on Long Island for two weeks.
Hurricane Sandy on it's way for Tues/Wed.
Got to prepare for high wind, downed trees and possibly multi-day power outages!
I'd MUCH rather have that beautiful High Sierra Snow right now.
Oh my, Fred do be careful. My family is all in Pa. I'm worried about them. Got a 90 year old Dad but he's rather spry and has good neighbors. My brother is down by Philly.
Drove through the East Side of Sierras today....beautiful. More than a dusting, less than a blizzard.
Mt Spokane has 5" right now, more predicted. Discovered on Tuesday that the km of trails at the nordic area is going up by some 10-12 km. The State Park and Inland Empire Paper Company both have x-c skiers as head foresters. All the new trails are ones that the paper company won't let snomobes on anymore because most of the drivers are stupid, so it's all x/c! More trail days coming up to help prepare the new trails. Think snow!
Ekat this beautiful place is what happens when you get Jack Nicklaus to design a world class golf course next to million dollar homes.
These pictures are what you get when a self professed snowboard bum who just happens to own a window washing company 6 months a year goes for a walk around his current property on a snowy fall day with a new iphone armed with a 2.99 hdr pro app which he's currently amazed and enamored with...
And sometimes the peaks pop out of the clouds and make us smile... ;)
EDIT: thanks for explaining. It's kind of eerie to see millions of dollars of investment and absolutely no people. The photos are great, I'll have to look into that gear.
zbrown that would be because it is closed for the season. soon to be a cross country ski haven...
Thanks Capt. This app is so cool. I spend multiple hours in photoshop to capture the snow/sky and foreground effect. this app just takes two pics and stiches them together instantly, adjust your saturation.. bam! i'm playing with brackting on my reble now so hopefully i can acheive that same effect with hdr in photoshop and make my life somewhat easier..
The golf course alone cost $19m to build - not counting all the roads and sub-divisions for condos and homes. . . and it almost immediately went belly up.
Credit: WildernessClubWebSite
It's not even a mile from here - as a matter of fact, I'm looking out my cathedral windows right into the place. . . 525 acres. . . gorgeous. . . owned by oil rich Calgarians, of all things - who picked the whole shootin' match up, from the bank, for a mere $8.2m.
Seems really, really out of place. . . I mean, Eureka, Montana has a population of 1007 people, you can't buy underwear here, you can't buy Levis here, and above all else, there's no place to buy diamond earrings. . . SO. . . what are all the golfer's wives gonna do here - there's nothing to buy!
The place is magnificent - but somehow I don't see it making it.
Hey eKat do you know the Hood family there in Eureka? Charlie & Dixie Hood had a log home building business there, I've skied and climbed with their three sons.
Anyone remember skiing with these long thong bindings? I remember thinking I had died and gone to heaven when I graduated to these in about 1961. I thought I made the big time when I no longer had that funky little cable wire with the snap latch thing in front of the toe. Of course these did hold your heel down so well that a fall could keep your boot secured to the ski, and the heel of the boot (held in with cobbler's nails) stayed with the ski while the upper part of the boot came loose....I know of what I speak! Yes, injuries were rather significant.
ahhh, memories of thinking I had hit the big time.
Monday: shoveled for almost 6 hours. Could not believe the needles due to immense winds. It was like I'd done nothing all summer and into fall. Tuesday skinned up Alpine Meadow and skied down, the first skiing since last May. Some good powder turns.
Wednesday: overcast, flattsh lightning, not motivated -- and tired -- to hike and ski. Shoveled for maybe 4 hours.
Thursday: unbelievable! Made being here worth all the needles and yard work crap. Skinned up Five Lakes Trail from Alpine Meadows Road into Squaw Valley terrain. Made 4 laps of fantastic powder on the Olympic Lady East Bowl. Only a few other tracks, ie. hardly any competition for fresh tracks, followed by a pretty great run down KT's iconic West Face (really, more north facing), arguably Squaw's best line. Other attendant things happened that made it an amazing day.
Friday: skinned back up same trail. Wanted to make one more run near East Bowl. If not for 2 gents I encountered skinning up from a different direction I would have been oblivious to the 6 point buck just below me. I'd crossed its tracks but didn't think deer, only coyote. On my return traverse I saw it again and more of its tracks. It had gone either to the highest point of KT, the "Eagle's Nest" or almost to the very top. I was blown away.
Then I traversed to "The Slot" which I hadn't skied in powder for something like a quarter century. There was one set of tracks -- someone had gotten there before me, possibly the day before. But it didn't matter. Due to the return of summer (hiking/skinning up bare chested) the powder had settled somewhat, but it was still worthwhile...and the buck made the day. Got a ride from the resort parking lot the mile home.
---extract from my very latest email from Rick Sylvester at Tahow.
Cool! Is it legal? I dont think anyone gets arrested for backcountry skiing or snowboarding, don't know about paragliding but it doesn't seem like it would fall into the illegal base jumping category.
Both of the guys I know who do/did it were long time employees at MMSA. . . they'd go off the backside and wrap around from Mammoth Pass then down from Horseshoe Lake, out over Twin Lakes and land there.
One time I was skating up by Horseshoe Lake and saw them . . . I screamed and waved and skied like a maniac to see if I could beat them to Middle Twin. . . and I have that road WIRED. . . skied it like it was a race. . . and they blew my doors off. . . I got to the lake just as they were packin' up their chutes.
It's THRILLING to see in person.
OBVIOUSLY, they don't thread the needle between towers of rock like that video, but it's rad, nonetheless.
Ekat do they let you go skeezin on the local course? Or do they get all lame about it??
They used to get ten kinds of LAME about it.
It was fully private until they went belly up - then the bank opened it to the public. . . it's still public under the Calgarian ownership. . . so MAYBE they'll let people in there this winter.
Their website spews CROSS COUNTRY SKIING as an amenity, but. . . what that means, exactly, remains to be seen.
eKat, I sure like your catchy thread title, mainly because it's convenient to look for it and find it so easily, but also because it's just what it says, there's no trolling, just poling, cajoling, and maybe some post-holing, which can have its moments.
So here's a little drooler of a trip report for yez, kid. Waiting for snow is harder than waiting for Christmas ever was, huh?
ahh comon Ekat.. this is typical and you know it.. ;)
You tell those Calgarians that they better let you guys ski on the snow (aka their golf course) because they do it here in Whistler and we're a world class resort for f sakes!! ;) hahaha.. if not.. just poach... i'm sure you know the deal.. ;)
The old "Yosemite Lodge shower gambit" is the kind he's talking about. shh...
shh...
shh...
shh...
Where's the tenth tee, man, I thought it was right here?
Nah, I think it's over there.
shh...
shh...
shh...
I think maybe you should use the blue. It'll be good for now. When the sun sets below that row of pines we can go for the green.
ahh comon Ekat.. this is typical and you know it.. ;)
I know, BigMike. . . but I'm like a little kid. . . I get SO excited for skeezin season that I forget it takes a while for it to stick. . . I've only been at this for 45 years, maybe it will sink in soon.
One of my neighbors (at my little ski house on Mt. Shasta) told me that she admired my dedication to skiing. . . I assured her it was purely ADDICTION.
Yeah, I missed my chance to make some early season turns on Teton Pass last Friday. It had warmed up too much by Sunday morning. Rats!
The terrain right out our door should be fun, if it ever gets covered! We be at 6,600', at the junction of the Hoback and the Snake.
Ekat I know the feeling!!! I'm a self professed powder whore extraordinaire. I'm still working though and for that reason only I can put up with the rain... It will come!!
Ekat thats the cheap fast way.... these guys ain't gonna pay to get em done by hand so that's their option... Tucker Poling is always our last option. It's best to do it when it's raining for optimum results but they aren't the same as by hand for sure.
alan- warm up there too eh? hmm makes sense.. ENSO is calling for netural to weak El Nino conditions... so warmer..
The Jetstream is also south right now bringing a lot of warm air....
I hope it's not warmer here this winter - last year was the best winter ever, deep record snowfall and no rain, just beautiful winter the way it's supposed to be. Of course, it would have been nice to have a real summer too but that's asking too much...
Special weather statement
National weather service san joaquin valley - hanford ca
444 am pst mon nov 5 2012
...Warm through wednesday then a big cool-down and showers by
Friday...
A strong area of high pressure will remain over california for the
Next couple of days. This will result in warm temperatures during
The afternoons today through wednesday. Highs in the central and
Southern san joaquin valley and the kern county deserts could
Reach the mid 80s monday and tuesday...Some 10 to 20 degrees above
Normal.
The high will be replaced by a strong low pressure system later
In the week. The bulk of the storm will move into central
California thursday night into friday...Though this timing is
Subject to change. Temperatures will plummet with this
System...Dropping between 20 and 30 degrees from wednesday to
Friday. High temperatures friday and saturday may not climb out of
The 50s for some valley locations. Overnight low temperatures may
Approach or fall below freezing in some valley and desert
Locations friday and saturday mornings.
Rain and snow showers are likely with this system. While it is
Very early to discuss total amounts...This will be a cold system.
Snow levels will fall from near 7000 as the system moves in to as
Low as 3000 feet during the tail end of it on saturday. This storm
Has the potential to impact travel and activities in the southern
Sierra nevada and the tehachapi mountains above 4000 feet including
Well traveled passes such as interstate 5 over the grapevine and
Highway 58 through the tehachapi pass.
One of Them, huh? We've got several(!) folks chmping at the bit, just dying to get after it in the Snow.
We await Mom's Good Graces. All in the Fullness of Time.
Yeah. . . I kicked ass getting all the outside stuff ready for a MINIMUM of 6 inches (which I thought would be the REAL start to the season) and. . . let's just say. . . I'm glad the work's all done, but. . . it might have been more fun to enjoy it instead of crankin' like a fiend.
BUTTE, MONTANA! .....bring it on....headed up to Bozeman in a couple weeks to ski at Bridger Bowl and hopefully conditions will be ready in Hyalite Canyon for some ice fun.
Skully, that tree house was built for the only child of an alcoholic father whom died and left the entire property to that minor son in State Custody, weird--too bad, as you're right about the loft...
My all time fav t-shirt. Goes with me where ever I go....if I were a bunch years younger it would probably be a hunk-magnet, 'cause they all stop to ask me about it! I say "just donate"...if not to Bridger Bowl Avalanche Dogs, then to some other worthy animal rescue
My 249 buck pass purchased last season's end was skied off last season's end and is ready for the 12/13 season (my son Ladd's 120 sawbuck pass, too) !!!!
Woke up to a solid three inches. I can't believe I'm getting excited about 3"
I'm just gonn sit back, pour myself some single malt and watch the screen, waiting till Tami happens to get an eyeful of Khanom's post... Talk about a !!!GUFFAW!!!! waiting to happen.
Lasti
(ON topic: it snowed here in Budapest two or three weeks ago, but has been unseasonably warm ever since; no outlook for powdery goodness)
Hells bells....it's even snowing in Moab, well sorta kinda, I could maybe count the flakes on one hand as I walked from the house to the car.....and it's COLD....time to move from the desert to the mountains....been a wonderful time here...catching up with Jaybro et al....aww the nomad life....I rather like it!
Hey, I'm from the great white north. But living in Oregon and California I haven't had a "real" winter in 15 years. I've been deeprived, I tell ya. I don't even own skis anymore. Not even a toboggan!
So to see this stuff in November... it's, well, special.
Dood. . . I think lasti was referring to something a little more off color than the actual amount of snow you got. . . and I thought it was HILARIOUS. . . maybe *I* am the one with the off color mind!
A N D . . . never feel bad about the STOKE that comes from SNOWPACK! I wish I could jump in there with ya. . . but it's SUNNY AND CLEAR AND BONE FRIKKEN DRY HERE!
Six inches at Cedar Ridge this morning, according to my sister Lenna, who called her neighbors. She is in town looking after Dad's place and looking through photo boxes, etc., but they said six inches. The oaks haven't shed there yet, and the trees are all bendy. It will likely melt away by this afternoon, I'm thinking. Looks to be clearing fast over the range of light. Their snow level's around 3,500 around Sonora, likely mushy and bothersome.
From my perch I see snow down to the top of Guadalupe Ridge, the Mariposa foothills. Exactly on time. Keep it coming for Thanksgiving!!!
edit: Quick conversation with Mathis in Greeley Hill--four inches, clear as a bell when he went to bed! It's clearing off, but how warm will it get?
Ironically I was planning to go to Sonora to get more appropriate tires for the truck... ie snow-rated. Guess that'll have to wait.
Oh, and it's sunny and about 40F in my part of Greeley Hill.
SR 120
[IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA]
IS CLOSED FROM CRANE FLAT TO 5 MI WEST OF THE JCT OF US 395 /TIOGA PASS/
(TUOLUMNE, MONO CO) - DUE TO SNOW - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE
ROUTE
CHAINS OR SNOW TIRES ARE REQUIRED FROM 2.5 MI WEST OF GROVELAND TO
GROVELAND (TUOLUMNE CO)
CHAINS OR SNOW TIRES ARE REQUIRED FROM 8.5 MI EAST TO 15 MI EAST OF
GROVELAND (TUOLUMNE CO)
CHAINS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT 4-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLES WITH SNOW
TIRES ON ALL 4 WHEELS FROM 2.5 MI EAST OF GROVELAND TO THE
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK BOUNDRY (TUOLUMNE CO)
[YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK]
FOR YOSEMITE NAT'L PARK ROAD INFORMATION CALL 209-372-0200
hey there say, all.... well, the boston gal has said her snow turned fast to rain... warmed up a tad, too, there....
as to us all, in mich:
we are 63* now... mostly rain and cloudy...
i like having snow late, due to me being so used to sanjose fall, and south texas fall... (both non-snow) so it's like a childhood fall here for me...
will let you all when the snow DOES hit, as from what i learned:
it can be anytime from oct-march... though it's gone on into april and may, as a 'trick' at times, :))
the heaviest however seems to be in jan and feb...
'course the oldtimers around here knew differently...
Wowsa.... Stuck on I70 by Richfield in Southern Utah trying to get to I15 headed back to Red Rocks. Probably too cold and windy down there to snag a few climbs.. We shall see.
Snow plows where are you....Dealing with about 3 to 4 inches fresh on the road. 4Runner handling it pretty good.
Yeah. . . mold, indeed. . . they tried really hard to re-cast Mammoth . . . got so heavy, after 20+ years I had to bail! I ain't complainin'. . . just sayin'!
Sheesh you guys, he said he hadn't gotten any in a while , give him a break.
Just read yours Susan. Safe travels out there! Thanks again. 21° in Moab this morning traces of snow on the ground. Extreme for here, though I'll probably remember it as tropical paradise when I'm in wyo @ Xmas!
Brandon: Jay Peak!!! Haven't thought about that mountain in years. In the late 1980's, I worked as a sales-rep for a now extinct skiwear company that was based near Jay Peak.
The company hosted a annual mid-Jan sales meeting at Jay Peak. We were expected to ski one day during the meeting. I will agree the area is fun and challenging, but at one meeting the ski day was also a rain day. The Colorado rep & I both said "fuk-it we don't have to ski in the rain," and drove to Montreal for the day.
Management was pissed-off at our bad-attitude. We were the two best skiers in the rep-force, and our not being there for the shist-day of skiing set a bad example.
Full disclosure, I haven't thrown a rodeo seven in two years. I'm 33 now, and I'm sure my muscle memory is sufficient to allow me a sick off axis flip. Hopefully my center of gravity hasn't changed drastically enough to preclude this. ;)
Relax, SnowLovers. You know ALL too well the Trials & Tribulations of the dreaded Between Times.
Well, here we are again, just wait yer turn(s).....It gets better. ;-)
I just got back from five days in Summit co. Loveland A Basin and Copper. We had great weather, even six new one day for dust on crust. It was a veritable arc fest. They really know how to farm early season snow in Co. Especially Copper. Two feet of pure chalk, no rocks with the odd patch of frozen liquid just to keep you honest. Ripping good fun to start the ski year. Ski teams from all over the world training full speed GS on the new FIS mandated 35m radius skis for good imagery. Remember folks the lifts are there for a reason. Screw the backcountry! It's all about taping your ears back and going fast, truly fast by fixing your heels and following the path to ski enlightenment by laying down the big arcs. It is all fun, snow sliding, but feeling like you have wheels of steel after an arcathon session is better, yes folks, better than POW. Heh, Heh. You surfers should be able to relate. A groomed hill, 800m vertical, honed and waxed GS skis etc. What's it like? Every turn you are proned out feeling the energy and pressure build , setting up to release and dive into the next turn over and over. Carving clean arcs at 45mph. I'm not a very good surfer but GS reminds me of really clean fast bottom turns, feeling the energy of the wave build and pitch up, going faster and faster pushing the ride. On skis you get it over and over all day and you get to rest your wheels between runs on the lift rides. After near 20yrs working for Rossignol/Rossignol Race Dept, I have not gotten it out of my system. Let it snow!
My longest lasting love affair has been with snow and skiing. My first ski season started in 1956. I’m standing behind my brother holding his poles (I wasn’t allowed poles) in a wool knicker suit, that get this, was a hand down from my Dad who wore it in the 30’s when he learned to ski.
My brother in front, me behind in wool knickers, 1956.
Credit: SCseagoat
Love the look on my brother’s face as he’s probably thinking, “duh, we aren’t ice skating”. Wish he were still around to give me that look. In high school we were allowed to use touring skis to get to school. Where California schools had bike racks, we had ski racks in the winter!
Not successful yet in transitioning from ice skating to skiing. Big brother wondering, WTF is she doing.
Credit: SCseagoat
Since that winter in 1956 I have only missed 1 full and 2 half ski seasons. Half a season because I was hugely preggers, another half defending my dissertation and a full season when I was on chemo and blood thinners. Even though I thought I could lightly ski that year the doctor said a fall could be fatal because of being on blood thinners. That got my attention.
Now, high tech gear and photogs on the mountains
Not sure my ears are flattened back and I'm not roaring down the mtn...somethings do get left behind as we move through life.
Credit: SCseagoat
Over the last ten years every time I bought new skis I thought, “ya know this is probably the last pair I’ll ever buy”…but with a ready supply of Advil and Ortho docs that keep honing their skills in putting back together old bodies, my love affair with snow and skiing just might be, just really might be, the one that lasts until “death do us part”
Hey eKat do you live in Whitefish? It's one of my favorite ski towns with some great sliding. If so do you know my old ski bud Cody Thompson? She raced alpine for years with Team Breck then skied on the US Natl tele team. Raced tele World Cup for a while. We, Rossignol, sponsored her while on the team. I skied with her a bunch when in Whitefish. The Big rules!
Hey, SteveShea. . . I don't live in Whitefish, but my local mountain is THE BIG (unless I turn left at 93 and go to Fernie)
The very best part of living up here is being near ski areas that CARE YOU'RE THERE!
I think they should use that line in their marketing!
:-)
Ya know. . . Big's been bought out and now they TRY to call it Whitefish Mountain Resort. . . HA. . . crack me up. . . there are cars driving around town with DUCT TAPE words stuck on the side that say:
IT WILL ALWAYS BE BIG MOUNTAIN!
And, no, I don't know your friend. . . but if you get back up this way please shoot me some E. . . I'd love to connect!
I'm waxin' and just shoveled the bucks out for the season pass. Good thing my buds told me that Nov. 18th was last day to get pass for Kirkwood...new owners this year, different rules I guess.
We'll be eating more than turkey Thanksgiving!!!!!
A weak weather system will move onshore early Friday and into Saturday, bringing widespread light precipitation to Northern California. Snow levels will range from 6000 to 7000 feet. Saturday, a second system begins to combine with the first and precipitation increases late in the day. This second system is considerably stronger with higher winds and increased precipitation. Winds may gust up to the 30 mph range in the Valley and up to 50-70 mph over the higher Sierra ridges on Sunday and Monday. Snow levels will start out at near 7000 feet then drop to near 5000 feet over the weekend. Unsettled weather will likely continue into next week.
Whistler Mountain opened today with a 10' base + man made on 6 runs. I skipped it. Didn't have my pass yet plus I just can't get all cranked up about crowded groomers anymore..
We did get another 10' during the day though and it's still snowing so i think i might hit up a few runs tomorrow.
Got my pass today.
I've been skiing since I was five, and in high school I switched to snowboarding for powder, and I never looked back.
I moved to Whistler when I got out of high school so I could do stuff like this.
Lapo, Powder Mountain.
Eventually I bought a sled so I could do stuff like this,
Luke Roopin Brohm
And of course jump stuff,
Eric SENDING!
I wish I had the balls to go that big off a hip!
I love snow in all its forms, but powder is the best!!!
Oh Big Mike, NICE NICE NICE.
Anyone with real time, "boots on the ground" info on Bridger Bowl or conditions in Hyalite Canyon in Bozeman please chirp up. I'd like to head up there after Thanksgiving if conditons are good.
Things are looking better on TheBig. . . even though it's sunny to the north of here, raining overhead, and BLACK as the Ace of Spades to the south. . .
This little puppy just popped up in the fantasy charts for next week. Snow levels are predicted to start high (above 7k) to start but lower over the 5 day storm period. Mammoth Mountain is thinking 10:1 ratios out of this monster - woohoo - think 5-6 feet!!!!
Ekat- You got it. Two big yards full o' PB's. One for each hill. I had the pleasure of cruising around with a buddy on his shift one night last year. Pretty sweet! I got first dibs on the 40cms we got overnight!!
No. We were in the Winch cat, so he didn't want to risk it. He said if we were in a normal cat it would have been all good. I did however get to drive our snowmobile clubs PB a little bit last year. Super cool. Thing is like a tank! Ill see if I can scratch up a few pics.
krummholz |ˈkroŏmhōlts|
noun
stunted windblown trees growing near the tree line on mountains.
ORIGIN early 20th cent.: from German, literally ‘crooked wood.’
Actually we got it donated and we did a lot of work on it. We struggle to keep it running every year.
Here is another one.
Our cabin behind it is a lease and we take care of it for the province for a song, but they won't give us a long term lease right now..
We didn't, at Tamarack. Blanchard and Dit had to keep both of them running OUTSIDE at 8,600 feet in the shadow of the Sleeping Giant Herself, Mammoth Mountain. HUGE snow loads, mega wind, gnarly conditions. Guess all that jive just upped the pain threshold for later in life, eh?
Nope. No garage. She sits out in the elements at about 5500feet a lot. Unfortunately. Working on her in the snow sucks. It is what it is, so we try and bring her down to the parking lot for small maintenance and one of our members has a shop in town for the big stuff..
We have tenure to access our cabin via a public forest service road so yes, anyone can come play, not that we wouldn't allow them to if we could. We have people hike up all the time. We just aren't very fond of it when they break into the cabin...
I'm all about the AT gear these day..... and really fat skiis....would love to bring my sled .... I MUST sno-mo up there someday. the terrian is mind blowing. Cheers
Eastside underground...Was that my skis making that chattering eeeyiiii sound the other day or was that you...? Saw Bondo up there looking for ice skating...eeeyyyyiiiiiii
Nah, Brandon...I live for this!!! The only thing I'm freaking out about is that I'm not up north to take advantage of the awesome slope conditions. Should be fun taking the muppet to sled, make snow angels and build a snowman tomorrow -- it's the first time she's of an age to understand what's going on. (Earlier today she told me that she wants to find climbing rocks AND play in the snow tomorrow. So freaking cool.)
Not for nothing, but I'll take this over that heat reflecting off of El Cap any day. (Heresy, I know.)
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