Ski Season!

Holly demonstrates the Mexican Poinsettia.

I love to ski! This year has been a bit of a bummer, but I already have over a dozen days in with lots more to come!

I discovered Silverton Mountain Resort a few weeks back. I only got one run in before they closed the chairlift due to high winds, but it forever changed my perception of what a ski area should be. One slow double chair with 2000' of vert, no groomers, hell no runs, $50 lift tix (it seems cheap compared to the $97 at Vail), mellowest terrain is a rowdy 34 deg, and best of all they check your beacon when you load.

I had one great morning of skiing at Meadows with Jake before it started to rain. One notable thing about that morning was the fact that I was breaking in a new pair of skis, or maybe they were breaking me in? I got a pair of BD Zealots this year and at 192 and mounted tele they sure are a handful! The learning curve was rough, but I think I have them figured out now. They sure do like to mash me headfirst into the snow at 45 mph.

Yesterday was the best day of backcountry so far this year. I have to admit my expectations contributed to the greatness of this particular day. You see, the base at some local ski areas is a paltry 15" and it hasn't snowed in weeks, so I was mostly expecting a workout and some pretty vistas. Boy was I surprised when we found a sweet 32 deg NE facing gully above Brainard lake filled boot high with recycled sugar pow! We also had an extremely funny group of six that hit it off instantly. We spent most of the day doubled over laughing, so how we made four laps is totally beyond me. Days like this are why I ski, I love hanging out with friends outside.

Back from Vacation

I have been taking a little break from the whole blog thing, which didn't go over too well with many folks and they let me know about it over the holidays. I miss it too, so I am going to do a better job updating this page. The evils of FB and my whirling dervish of a social life make finding time to sit in front of a computer, which quite frankly is the last thing I want to do when not at work, a bit challenging. Anyway, I'm back.

What have I been up to for the past four months? Not boating. Lots of time with friends and family over the holidays which was spectacular! I have gotten back into climbing, particularly ice. My rotator cuff seems to be fairly well healed from one of the swims I took on Gore this summer. I am trying to make the most of a ski season that has been sub-par on all accounts. I hosted a friends Thanksgiving here in Boulder. Dated a wonderful woman by the name of Edyn for a couple of months. Went on a run with my sister, rafted with Jake, skied with Josh, paddled with Phil, and climbed ice in Ouray with Brad, Dane, Rainbow and many new friends. Worked a bunch, and am still loving my job. More or less the same old, same old.

Upcoming, I have a couple of awesome trips in the works. On Thursday I am headed up to British Colombia for a two week ski trip. The first week will be spent at the Fairy Meadows Hut in the Adamant group of the Selkirk range. We get dropped of in a heli for a week of backcountry skiing, then it hopefully comes and gets us the following Saturday, or maybe they will just be able to drop food? I am stoked on the group for this trip. Graham and Edyn are joining from Boulder, Andreas is flying in from Germany, Brad is coming up from Salt Lake, Ted Day is cruising up from Boise, and Jake and Graham Melvin are making the trek from Oregon. November of this year will be spent on the Grand Canyon! I couldn't be happier!