2010-02-28

077 - 2010-02-27 Jackson Ck

An afternoon jaunt up Jackson Creek with Niko, Gibby and Yatsuko. Went about 2.5 miles up and stopped to hang out in the sun. Traversed up a hillside and got in a few long arc turns in warm but nice snow. Run out was mostly a double pole blast to the car.
Conditions - Warm and mostly clear day. Trail was sled and ski packed. Off trail was nice and turny warm snow.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

2010-02-26

076 - 2010-02-25 Moonlight

Another good Bring a Friend day at Moonlight. Had a fun and strong group with Cody, Gibby, Yatsuko and Jim. It's been about 20 years since I had last skied with Jim. Morning started out well with fresh snow and blue skies and fresh snow shots off the Lone Tree traverse. Would've had first tracks down Obsidian, but stopped to take pix, which weren't any good anyway, and some guy poached my line. Neverthess, it was pretty good. Did a few Headwaters runs where conditions that varied from fluffy to scrapy. Ran into Merick, who is having another good winter. Afternoon was spent linking groomers with tree runs.  Finished off with cold beverages in the Pony parking lot under a late afternoon sun.
Conditions - 4+ inches up high over a firm base. Morning runs skied very well. Early and later had nice clear skies.
Ski - G3 Rapid Transit 178

2010-02-25

075 - 2010-02-24 Sourdough

Snowing! Another quick run after work. Skied a little way with Duke, who is finally starting to skate after all these years. Just went up to the base of the big hill a bit past the 3 mile marker again. Run back down was fast and in control.
Conditions - Enjoyable. About a half inch of fresh over a firm base past the first mile.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

2010-02-22

074 - 2010-02-21 New World Gulch - Mystic Lake - Sourdough

A longer tour through a scenic area. Started at the New World Gulch trailhead with Gibby and Niko and went up the winter run to the big meadow. Stopped and had some eats and beverages in a meadow overlooking Mystic Lake, where Gibby dug a pit that showed some problems in the snow pack, but the slope was too shallow to worry about. On the way down to the lake came to the realization that trying to do turns while attached to Niko just doesn't work. Trek across the lake went well, though it was almost breaking trail. Hit the groomed at Wild Horse Junction. Groomed turned out to be frustrating on a waxless bc setup where I'm used to moving fast on skate gear. Hit the car before 6 in frigid temps.
Conditions - Chilly, much of the day was single digits. A skiff of fresh made the well traveled up trail up to the big meadow enjoyable. After that, there was a lightly traveled trak to the lake. Going across the lake we followed a track that nobody had skied in some time. From the cabin down to Wild Horse Junction was a traveled track. From there to the bridge was freshly groomed and after that it had seen a lot of traffic.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195 - These things are great on FS trails, but totally blow on the groomed. Felt like skiing on molassas, 8.5 miles of it,compared to the skate gear I usually have on this trail.

2010-02-21

073 - 2010-02-20 Moonlight

Just me and Gibby after all the losers bailed on us, but a good day of skiing. Hit a bunch of good stuff off the Lone Tree, the traverse and Headwaters. Mostly skied well with a few long arcs, however it was more aggro than skillful. Needed to get back to town, so headed out early for eats and cold beverages at Wokee.
Conditions - What they call packed powder, some of it was a bit rough, but coverage is getting good. Best was the snowfield above the top of the 6-Shooter lift.
Ski - G3 Rapid Transit 178 - Worked well, but it may be time to bring out the fat boards.

2010-02-20

072 - 2010-02-19 Sourdough

Ugh, late start, but Snowing and Friday! First couple miles Niko was trying to pick up every stick on the trail; hurt momentum. Made it up to the bridge. Saw the groomer dude setting up at the trailhead, but he didn't catch up with us unitl we were heading back. Nevertheless, that made for some totally fresh groomed for the way down. Last mile down it was absolutly dumping, combined with general darkness, I couldn't see a damn thing.
Conditions - Another stealth snow week! Soft and fresh, more so past the outhouse. Last mile was slow, but I couldn't see anyway.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

2010-02-18

071 - 2010-02-18 Sourdough

Three days off and I was wilting, but this was the proper medicine. Got a late start, so I wasn't expecting much, however it turned out to be pretty good. After dog clusterf the first mile, then went well to the base of the big hill a bit past the 3 mile marker. Run down was swift and in control.
Conditions - A couple inches of fresh made for fluffy on top of a firm base. Even better past the outhouse.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

2010-02-16

070 - 2010-01-14 Bohart

Had a great day up at Bohart with Naia, Heidi, Hayden, Dunc, Mahala and Jen. After the last time up there with kids, I wasn't expecting much, but they have been have been out walking the walk since then and we went all over the place. Highlights were Hayden dominating the climbs and Naia just skiing fast. Ended up finishing the day with a long picnic lunch under a wondefully blue sky in the parking lot.
Conditions - The best, unless you like it really fast. They got 12 or so the day before and it was groomed out soft and plush and the sun shone; most enjoyable. Plus I didn't intentialy cause anybody to wreck.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185, low flouro waxed and structured - spot on!

2010-02-14

069 - 2010-01-13 Goose Ck

After a morning of the blahs, headed over to Goose Ck and was suprised to find a good amount of fresh snow. Took the main 2-track around to where a trail goes up the end of Chesnut Ridge over to Bear Canyon. Went a little way up the ridge and tried to get in some low angle turns in a clearing, but the snow was too deep to make any real headway. Quick run out to the car.
Conditions - Holy mini dump! There was only a touch of snow in town, but there 6+ inches here and more higher up.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195 - still rockin, was able to ski up places where I've carried skis before.

2010-02-13

068 - 2010-02-12 Sourdough

Friday is the High Day if anybody can recall the WABX Air Aces. Out of work a bit early and headed out with Niko and Tesch. Almost got some sun for the first time this season before the 4 mile mile marker. Took a spill at speed coming down to the bridge and a couple others on the way down. Went about a mile past the bridge for maybe 12 miles in about 1:45; back to the car with still good light by 6. Fridays are always the best.
Conditions - A warm day in the valley and it was warm soft lower down, then firmed up, was soft on NE exposure past the bridge and was totally icing on the way down.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185 - Need wax, I could feel them pulling back on the down before it got a bit icey.

2010-02-11

067 - 2010-02-09 Sourdough

What seemed to be a nice day in the valley was trending towards fridig by the time we got there. Wanted to descend in daylight, so turned around at the base of the hill a little ways past the 3 mile marker. Great lit up view of the back side of Pallisade.
Conditions - Upper single digits and verging towards icey, but skier fluff helped with the tricky bits. A little better higher up.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

2010-02-09

066 - 2010-02-07 Moonlight

Stoopid Bowl Sunday = No Lift Lines. Never miss it, add in bluebird when the valley was gloomy and everything is in place for a great day. Plus I was on my game, finally hitting some interesting stuff; Obsidian, Upper Horsehoe and Headwaters. A little leg tweakage in the deep on Horseshoe, but worth the punishment. Best I'd done all winter, though that's saying much.
Conditions - Quite good for a non-freshy day, soft most everywhere save for top 10 turns off of Headwaters.
Ski - G3 Rapid Transit 178

2010-02-07

065 - 2010-02-06 New World Gulch

Recon afternoon run up to the big meadow. A good number of skier cars in the lot, seemed like a good vibe. Took the well travelled winter track up the creek bed after the bridge crossing rather than the summer trail that ramps off to the left. Ran into a number of folks coming down off Ellis who appeared to be pleased. Found there was a set track across the meadow and hopefully beyond. Since that was goal, headed back down the creek bed track which was a bit of a bobsled run. Stopped by Jim's cabin when we were done.

Conditions - Best I've seen it on a trail that is often sketchy, fully covered and not icey the first mile in. Things off to the side were wonderfully pillowy. A warm day in the valley and a couple lower spots were sun softened and had iced up on the back. But most was sheltered and just nice.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195

2010-02-06

064 - 2010-02-05 Sourdough

Snowing! Later start than I desired and a clusterf of dogs the first couple miles up, but it sure was good. The groomer sled guy passed us at about the 4 mile marker and after that it freshly groomed down to the bridge. Friday always turns out good. Way back down was slower than I like, time to wax the skis.
Conditions - A great stealth snow week. Inch or so the day before, mini dump early in the week and constant snow made for soft conditions. Almost wanted goggles on the way down.
Ski - Fischer SCS 185

2010-02-05

063 - 2010-02-03 Bridger

A great day at Bridger with Heidi, Naia and a bunch of kids from Monforten School. Spent the morning skiing with Heidi and 5 kids down Hully Gully, Alpine and South Bowl under blue bird skies. Ran into Mahala, who was there with her Livingston class, a couple times, but didn't get to ski with her. After a bite and refreshing beverages at Jimmy B's, the afternoon involved trying to keep up with Heidi on Avalanche Gulch, North Bowl, 3 Bears and some shot I'd never hit before off the Bridger lift. A full day, yet too short.
Conditions - There was a good dump on Monday and plenty of soft snow remained, even a couple shots of untracked. Clear sky all day. Best place in world on a weekday!
Ski - G3 Rapid Transit 178

2010-02-01

062 - 2010-01-31 Window Rock

Something a tad more extended than lately; a fairly mellow ski up, but it takes a while. Still damn good for the views up Hyalite, over to Blackmore and across to the Hyalite East Wall. On the way up we could see and hear climbers over on Silken Skein Falls, but the pocket cam sux at zoom, so I didn't get it. Topped out just below Window Rock by an old mine just as the snow started coming down and it got colder. Stopped to eat and came to the disappointing realization that beer is not the best cold weather beverage, but that didn't stop us. Left the down and heavy mitts on for the trip down. Cut down an open area for a few turns that were iffy in mixed conditions and light gear. Followed the main trail down to the road rather the way up that started in the slopes by Window Rock Cabin.
Conditions - Mixed fluffy with a bit of crust on anything that was south facing. Broke trail after about 2 miles in, but it wasn't bad as far those things go.
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195