2009-11-29

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.

2009-11-19

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!

2009-11-18

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.

2009-11-17

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.

2009-11-16

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.

2009-11-13

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

2009-11-10

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