041 - 2009-12-29 Sourdough

Due to the holiday slow pace at work I was able to skate outta work a tad earlier than normal. Thus we made it up to 3.5 miles or so. Run back down was good fun. Hopefully I get outta work earlier tomorrow - Take me to the bridge . . .
Conditions - Very packed and fast, but not icey.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

040 - 2009-12-27 Bohart

Spent the afternoon at Bohart Ranch with Dunc, Mahala and Hayden. Both the kids have a season pass, so I imagine I'll end up there a few more times this winter. A bit of a light ski day, mostly farted around with the kids. Highlight was Hayden straightlining the practice hill.
Conditions - Wonderfully groomed happy trails.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

039 - 2009-12-26 Sourdough Ridge Fields

Me and Niko headed up to the fields at the end of the road that goes up from my place. Idiot shut in that I can be, I never knew that this was a possibility till this fall. Only bad part is that the road is very well plowed so I had to carry my skis up and back. Skied across the field at the end of road and then down an old road towards the McMansions off of Trooper Trail. Was able to get in some turns into a drainage off to the side. Lots of potential here, open rolling fields for miles.
Conditions - 2-3 inches of light fresh on top of a solid base.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

038 - 2009-12-24 Sourdough

After running around doing Christmas stuff and sitting on my butt, got going only a bit earlier than if it was a work ski day. Only made it up to the 2 mile marker, but snow and a grooming run the day before made the skiing was so much better than earlier in the week.
Conditions - Much fresher than before, but it had seen a lot of traffic that day.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

037 - 2009-12-23 Moonlight

After too long of no or limited snow, a storm came through Tuesday night. 2 to 3 inches in town and the Moonlight web site wasn't reporting much more and the parking lot at the Pony seemed in line with that. All of the above were wrong when it came to the upper slopes, I found a foot plus in some places and 6+ in most places - most enjoyable. Mostly stuck to the blues due to worries about the lower right leg, but it was very fun and there were untracked lines to be found on most every run despite starting out at about 11.
Conditions - Proper
Ski - Movement Joystiq 166

036 - 2009-12-21 Sourdough

Dashed outta work expecting to find wet conditions. Boy was I wrong! The valley had been warm, touching the upper 40s and the day before was also above freezing with some rain. This, in combination with a lot of traffic and very little sun making it into the north facing canyon, made for a very hard packed and icy trail. Going up was not pretty, but went by quick. Turned around at the 2 mile marker again and hoped for the best on the way down.

Tried to go slow, but Niko kept going faster and the snowplow of death wasn't cutting it; my left ski was bouncing all over the place at a high rate of oscillation. (Why don't they make skating skis with metal edges? Because everybody is supposed to ski on freshly groomed happy trails). I finally caved to the fact that I did not have control and thought about just putting it down, but that could have been painful or worse. Decided to just let the skis run and while letting out a long "waaahhhhh" somehow made it through the last few turns without wrecking to the flat run out.
Conditions - Treacherous
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

035 - 2009-12-20 S Bracket Creek

Walked outta the house to rain, not what I was looking for on a ski day. Nevertheless one must persist through the good and bad and it wasn't raining that hard. With windshield wipers alternating between slow intermitant and constant, Gibby, Shawn and I headed toward the Bracket Creek parking lot. The rain, terribly close to being snow, let up after 10 minutes of skiing. Skied back in a couple or so miles and parked on a knoll with a view for lunch and cold beverages. Ski back down was fun with Niko kicking snow clods up into my face and Shawn trying hard to provide entertainment.
Conditions - Very packed on the trail, heavy wet off the trail.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

034 - 2009-12-19 Moonlight

Back to Moonlight with Gibby after a week of taking it easy on the lower leg bones. Still tried to stay on the groomers or heavily skied runs, the by-product of which is that I could finally concentrate on technique. Good fun till near the end where I tried some steeper untracked and heavy. Ouch, the leg is not ready yet. Adjourned to Choppers for some medication.
Conditions - Packed in most places with not too much recent snow to freshen things up. Moderate temps were nice.
Ski - Movement Joystiq 166, a full on park ski, with BD 03 bindings. First time out on these, picked them up new for next to nothing, but didn't have bindings till too late last season. Probably a tad too short, but quite enjoyable and they didn't torque the leg. They handled backwards real well, but I couldn't see where I was going.

033 - 2009-12-17 Sourdough

Pretty much same as day before, but the start was a bit later. Turned around at the 2 mile marker, had decent light on the fast parts. Niko pulled her weight, at least on the fast parts.
Conditions - Still warm, it was groomed the night before, but foot and skier traffic made it only marginally better than day before.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

032 - 2009-12-16 Sourdough

Another after work blast up Sourdough with the pup on an ominously warm day. Got going just a tad earlier, so I was able to make up to the 3 mile marker and back before twilight's last call, though I would prefer a bit more illumination on the fast bits.
Conditions - Similar to, but not quite as nice as the day before. Temps got up into the 40s, snow was a bit more dense. Heat wave and icebox alternation reminds me of last year early season, Need snow, need optimual temps and need grooming.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

031 - 2009-12-15 Sourdough

Another after work skate up Sourdough with Niko. Only went to 2 mile marker due to impending darkness. Either I'm starting to get good at this or the snow is prime, because we moving pretty good.
Conditions - Nice and soft, good skating; it had warmed up a bit during the day and had not frozen back up yet. The snow Sunday night helped things after the deep freeze the week before.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

030 - 2009-12-13 Bear Canyon

Turned out to be another lower single digit day after the heat wave on Saturday. Went up the main Bear Canyon trail and then took the trail that vears to the south about 2.5 miles in. Took that a little past the point where it starts going downhill and then turned back. If I knew what I was doing, I would have kept going as it loops around. Ran into Monique, friend and dog on the way out, they weren't too wild about the cold either.

Conditions - As typical here, buffed out due to traffic the first mile and a half or so (see upper pic), then it turned into a cross country trail through the woods.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 185

029 - 2009-12-11 Moonlight

A bittersweet opening day at Moonlight. Me and Gibby boarded the 6-Shooter at 9:15 and plenty of untracked beckoned. Then reality hit going down the main line in Headwaters Bowl; the injury from the previous weekend to the lower tib-fib made any tele turn to the right yucky - I was flailing like a rookie. Had to stick to greens and blues for the day. If I varied from the groomers, I skied like an idiot, going down in ugly ways. OTOH, I gained a greater appreciation for Horseshoe, that run goes forever and doesn't have the flat strechs that Trembler does. Gonna stick to x-c for the next week and avoid undo stress on the right leg.
Conditions - Plenty of untracked, but much of it was breakable wind crust. Groomers were sweet due to limited traffic. It was still cold on the hill.
Ski - K2 Anti-Piste 181 - should have brung short easy turning narrow skis.

028 - 2009-12-06 Lindley

Sunny, cold and windy. Oddly enough, first time I ever skied Lindley. Good fun in the places where there was good snow; winds were pushing an inch or so of cold abrasive crystals onto the track and that did not skate well. Informed by the weather, I donned a layering setup a bit overpowed for skating on this day. I was soaked on the inside by the time I was done and the shades iced up a lot.
Conditions - Recently groomed skating lane that had drifted over in many places with snow that wasn't conducive to skating, gliding or anything else enjoyable. Lower single digit temps.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

027 - 2009-12-05 Big Sky

Last day of free ski week at Big Sky and the first day Andesite was open. Caught some nice snow off to the side of the front side groomers and hit Africa a few times. That was sweet as it wasn't groomed and had not got much traffic up to the point; lots of untracked, or semi tracked. Unfortunately others started to figure this out and by the third run we had to negotiate a few gaggles of skiers. Did a run down Ambush prior to heading in for lunch, on the last pitch over on the left, I took a spill that did some serious rotation on my lower right leg - it hurt. Following lunch, did a run in the Bowl where it became clear that I was done skiing on this day. Headed out and down the hill to Lone Peak Brewrey for some much needed medication.
Conditions - Decent stuff for the picking on Andesite, Bowl and elsewhere was decent. Temps were moving from chilly to cold, not a lot of people on the hill in the PM.
Ski - K2 Anti Piste 181 mounted with BD 01s. First day out on this setup. Jury's still out, but first results are encouraging. Did good in the softer stuff where I would blaze down, crash n burn and repeat. Little worried about how my lower leg was torqued, first time I ever wished I had a releasable binding.

026 - 2009-12-04 Sourdough

No better way to start out the weekend than an after work skate up Sourdough with Niko. This time of year it helps to get out of work a little early and that is more feasible on a Friday. Finally decent snow after the crap before. It had been chilly all week, with new snow and then they finally groomed it a couple days before - no icey stuff!. We were flying, double poled almost the whole way to the water plant. Went about to the 3 mile marker and then the run back was fun rather than the snowplow for life it had been. And I got back to the car before 5.
Conditions - The way it should be.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

025 - 2009-12-01 Big Sky

Took the day off work and began the month by heading to Big Sky with the Gibbinator. There had been some the snow the night before and it was still coming down. Had a couple nice runs in the bowl. Then getting off the triple noticed that the tram was open. Caught THE first tram of the year and then first group of tracks down Liberty Bowl. It was nice, but I didn't ski it all that well. On the long way back to the base I spotted a little shot off the side of the cat track. On the second turn I crossed my skis, went down and Mr. Knee met Mr. Rock. It hurt, but I was walking wounded. Decided to down some frothy painkillers at Mr Hummers and that was pretty much it for skiing that day. A day of the good and the bad.
Conditions - Varying amounts of new over a solid base. As much as 8+ in Liberty Bowl. A tad chilly.
Ski - G3 Rapid Transit 178

024 - 2009-11-29 Big Sky

Hit Big Sky for the first day of free ski week with Gibby. Probably the most coverge I'd seen at this time of the year, plus there had been a bit of fresh the day before. The bowl was decent along with the side stuff under the lift. Challenger wasn't half bad either. A good start!
Conditions - A bit of new over a solid base.
Ski - G3 Rapid Transit 178

023 - 2009-11-28 Window Rock Area

This is the one the best skis in the whole area. Most of the skiing is going up mellow, almost too mellow, 2 tracks, but what makes it great is the killer views around each corner. Its one thing to see Hyalite, but to see the whole basin from above and to have the east wall in your face is awesome. The look over at Blackmore ain't too bad either. Allow 2+ hour on the way up, half that down, total elevation gain 1100-1200 feet. Since its mellow, anyone can do it.
There are some fairly open areas near the top that allow for some turns. Most looks to be less than 30 degrees, so its relatively safe. Best way back down is to skin or traverse back to the road. Going back down through the thick trees is tight, steep and evil.

Parked in a turnout and went up the meadow next the cabin and over the x-c trail on the edge of the meadow. The trail follows on old 2 track. After a mile or so took the 2 track that winds up the hillside. Nearing the top it opens up and I was able to catch a couple turns back to the road. Then it was back down the 2 tracks to the meadow by the cabin for a couple turns and out to the car.
Conditions - 3 - 4 fresh from the night before over an existing base. Mostly nice, a bit heavy in places exposed to the sun.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

022 - 2009-11-27 Bear Canyon

Beating the Black Friday blues. Went up the main Bear Canyon trail about 3 miles to the bridge after the trail divide. A litle warm, but a good day out.
Conditions - Not too bad considering the temp and amount of traffic the trail gets. Nicer after the cattle guard.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

021 - 2009-11-26 Goose Creek

Went up the main 2-track until it opens up and then took the trail that leads to the 2-track going up to the ridge. After going up a bit, took the first 2-track left towards the Christmas Tree clearing. Ran into some downed trees over the road that made progress difficult. Finally made to the clearing and was able to get in a turn or two. Made it to the main trail/road and blasted back to the trail head.
Conditions - Mixed, lower 40's. Main trail/road was nice and soft despite having had a bit of ATV traffic. Away from that it varied from wet and sticky to almost fluff on north facing stuff and in some of the trees.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

020 - 2009-11-25 Sourdough

Cut outta work early and made it up to the bridge for the first time this year. Despite a timely start, the only sunlight was off in the distance. Didn't have the hot skiing mojo going on; pretty much worthless after snowplowing down the fast parts, that might have worked out better if I didn't have a sled dog pulling me. Time for 10 miles was 2 hours, shoulda been better as the snow sucked, but was fast
Conditions - Mostly icy fast, with some chunky from the 4 mile marker on.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

019 - 2009-11-24 Sourdough

Went up to the 2 mile marker after work with Niko. Very fast, even uphill.
Conditions - Fast, some would call it icy
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

018 - 2009-11-22 Hyalite Maxey Cabin Area

Took a short tour through the meadow over to the trail leading back to the Hyalite dam. Went up the trail a bit and had a fun run back down with Niko pulling all the way.
Conditions - Some new wind blown fluff on top of older crust.
Ski -Karhu Dorado 195

017 - 2009-11-21 Hyalite Maxey Cabin Area

A full day started out with some fresh snow that continued off and on for the rest of the day. Took a tour over to Palisades Falls in the morning. Fun rollling trail to the parking lot, though up from there was a bit sketch, as the all access asphalt trail needs a lot of snow to be kind. Had the place to ourselves, on the way down a couple F-15s buzzed by real low - Wow!

After relaxing a bit in the cabin, Shawn pulled up and shortly thereafter it was out to meadow to test Gibby's kite. I skied around the meadow while they messed with the kite, to little success. Then we took the rolling trail over from the cabin again, nice moody views of Hyalite. Following a big dinner, Shawn set up his generator and big lights for some night skiing, good fun.
Conditions - Some nice new snow over a crusty base.
Ski - Kahru Dorado 195 in the morning and at night. Epoke 900 200 in the afternoon.

016 - 2009-11-20 Hyalite Maxey Cabin Area

Another Hyalite cabin weekend. Got into the cabin in the late afternoon and was able to do some Niko assisted crash and burns through the crusty meadow. Then took a quick tour up the trail that goes over to Palisades Falls.
Conditions - Crust on top of 2-12" of older snow, better in the woods.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195, don't turn well on breakable crust.

015 - 2009-11-18 Sourdough

Skated up Sourdough with Niko. Maybe 2.5 miles up. Icy and rutty snow was a pain in butt on the way up and scary on the way down in low light. Again lower flat section was fast and fun.
Skis - Fischer SCS 185
Condtions - Yuck!

014 - 2009-11-17 Sourdough

The first of what will be many low light after work skates up Sourdough with Niko. My legs were not adjusted to skating and I had several awkward balence moments. Went up to the 2 mile marker and then had to apply the brakes on the way down while Niko was trying to pull faster and faster. Lower flat stretch past the water plant went very quick.
Skis - Fischer SCS 185
Conditions - Decent coverage. Snow was freezing and the path was a bit rutty, making the downhill parts a bit tricky.

013 - 2009-11-15 Hyalite Window Rock Cabin Area

Woke up a bit late and did a short tour up the x-c trail that starts on the far side of the meadow with Niko. Broke trail up to the point where we broke out the woods the day before. Then turned around and had a fun glide back, finishing with a few turns in the meadow.
Skis - Karhu Dorado 195
Conditions - Sunny and fluffy.

012 - 2009-11-14 Hyalite Window Rock Cabin Area

Woke up to a cloudy and chilly Saturday morning. After getting smoked out by the stove and a grungy pork breakfest, decided to head up the ridge behind the cabin to see if we could find any open areas for some turns. The whole crew trudged through the woods to some old two tracks and then Andy led a skin track up the ridge. Eventualy the skin track became booting in soft snow. By this point my skins were flopping around at the tails and then some and it looked like any more skinning would an exercise in futility. So I wimped out and headed back down the way we came. Gibby, Andy and the extended canine crew headed up, where they quickly found the hoped for open meadows. To my surprise the ski back down wasn't bad and most of it was fun, but in a tight through the trees kinda way.
After a few turns in meadow by the cabin, I enjoyed some rest and a couple cold beverages before I headed back to the meadow. As I topped out, the jibbers that built a kicker the day before hove into view. Hung out with the jibbers, took some pix and got in 5 or 6 runs - good fun in still fluffy snow. Soon after I got back to the cabin, Niko and the whole crew showed up with tales of the good and not so good that I missed.
Skis - G3 Rapid Transit 178 for the skin up and ski through the woods back down. Real sweet in the places I could get in some turns.
Karhu Dorado 195 for runs in the meadow.
Conditions - Run up and down the ridge was varying amounts of new fluff over a consolidated base. Meadow runs were the same fluffy with a slight crust on South facing slopes.

011 - 2009-11-13 Hyalite Window Rock Cabin Area

Had the Window Rock cabin for the weekend. After a delay getting into the cabin, me, Niko and Gibby headed out for a couple runs in the meadow next to the cabin. We were soon joined by Franklin, Barley and Andy for some fluffy turns.
Skis - Karhru Dorado 195, worked fine for longer low angle turns
Conditions - Light and fluffy. The storm didn't hit here as much as in town, but the snow was lighter, maybe 12" and there didn't seem to be a base.

010 - 2009-11-12 Sourdough Ridge

The Big One hit Bozeman, from nothing around midnight to 16+ by 7AM. Got out a bit before work and it was deep, never thought I'd to need to break trail around the house. Had to put in a track just to get up enough speed for yard turns. 3 or 4 runs, then off to fight the roads. Snow continued throughout the day. Hit it again after dinner and it was a pita trying to break trail, but nice and fun once that was done.
Conditions - Fresh, deep and a bit heavy. Slush near ground did not come into play.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

009 - 2009-10-31 Hyalite

Went up the same two track by the dam with Gibby. Wet and heavy, but still doable. Sun ended up coming out and probably the best day out of the season so far.
Conditions - Wet, heavy and melting, but enough coverage for decent skiing.
Skis - Germina Tour GS 200, these babies are the wet snow kick n glide machines.

008 - 2009-10-30 Hyalite

Tooled up the two track on the east side of Hyalite dam. Mixed rain and snow, but a good day out and I had the place to myself.
Conditions - Heavy and wet, though decent coverage.
Skis - Karhu Dorado 195

007 - 2009-10-28 Battle Ridge

A big dump hit much of the inter-mountain west and produced significant build ups in many local locations. Cut out of work a bit early and headed for Battle Ridge. Turns out Battle Ridge got less snow than much of Bridger Canyon and even home. Skiing sucked, with large amounts of snow caking to the skis, but it was a beautiful day.
Conditions - Fluff on top of slush.
Ski - Kahru Dorado 195

006 - 2009-10-27 The Road

Another storm. Skied up the road and kinda turns in the yard after some colds ones at Specs.
Conditions - Fresh, fluffy and enough to ski on.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

005 - 2009-10-11 Hyalite

Did a few run in the meadows by the cabin. Good fun, but not elegant. However the views were quite elegant.
Conditions - Shallow but turnable and fluffy.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

004 - 2009-10-10 Hyalite

A very cold weekend spent at the Window Rock cabin in Hyalite. Cool temps and a couple storms earlier in the week made for a wintry weekend of friends, dogs, skis and tasty eats. Saturday we skied a couple miles up the old 2 tracks on the  east side of the dam and around the cabin.
Conditions - 2 -12 inches of light snow that was wet near the ground in some places. Mostly good skiing for early October.
Ski -Kahru Dorado 195

003 - 2009-10-09 New Snow New Skis

Another storm, new skis and blue skies make for a Happy Friday! The storm and cool temps made for light snow that was just deep enough to get in some low angle turns on the lawn. New skis are actually new to me used, but in good shape, 195 Karhu Dorado's, a waxless touring and exactly what I need for less than optimum snow. So far so good, the bases are grippy and the 1 1/2 camber keeps them off the snow when gliding and they seem turny enough.

002 - 2009-10-05 Sourdough

Another early snowstorm hits SW Montana. Went 2 miles up Sourdough Canyon.
Conditions - a bit sketch, with almost bare spots, but still good fun for the first week in October.
Ski -Germina Tour GS 200

001 - 2009-09-30

First day of ski season comes early as a very warm September ends with snowy goodness. Heavy snow conditions. A couple days earlier I was hiking in 90 degree heat.
Conditions - Fresh wet and wonderful.
Ski - Germina Tour GS 200