Mt. Bachelor, Bend, OR

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Martha skiing to the Eurovan!

After a filling homemade pancakes and eggs feast we headed to Mt. Bachelor. It would be one of those storm days where it’s hard to know where you are. Lifts were affected by high winds. We found one upper mountain lift that served some long runs with some treed options. We spend the day here, lapping this lift over and over, sampling varied runs left right of it. The snow deepened each run. Finally, our legs sore, we made our way down to front face and down to the parking lot. We were able to ski right to the van! This was the only photo op of the day given the low visibility above. We then headed down to grab some appetizers and a drink at the Pine Tavern, an old inn by the DeChutes. My friend Dave Rathbun, now COO of Mt. Bachelor met us in town at the local brewery and we caught up along with Doug LaPlaca, formerly of Steamboat, CO who now runs the local tourism association ‘Visit Bend’.  Martha and I then headed to dinner at Zydeco, a trendy place on Bond street. After an exhausting day, it was nice to retreat back to the B&B to get some sleep and ready for the next morning’s trip to Sun Valley. 

Bend, OR

Monday, March 14, 2011

On the way into Bend, we arrived from the side of town that brought us through the strip malls and big box stores. We began to wonder why others told us this place was so special. When we headed into town for dinner at 5 Fusion, a new sushi restaurant. We then found the downtown area by the DeChutes River. Now we were seeing the charm. Although it was getting dark, we could see why our family members who had previously visited raved. We imagined what this area would be like in the summer. 

We had reserved a lovely B&B called Cabin Creek on the outskirts of town. This three-room home was well laid out with fireplaces and jetted-tubs in each. Owners Melody and Dave greeted us warmly and quickly explained house rules as well as the breakfast schedule. We retired to our suite for a nice relaxing evening in front of the fire and a movie on the computer. 

Klamath Falls to Bend, OR

"Honey... I'm home!"

Monday, March 14, 2011

Hopes for a hike around Crater Lake dashed by the snow!

The next morning we pointed the van toward Crater Lake, thinking of some trail hiking around the crater’s rim before our intended destination of Bend. After a coffee stop in a small college town, we climbed up into the park. The travel took us through a lot of open space, scrub pine, sandy areas and open vistas, when clouds allowed us a view. Soon we began to see signs for Crater Lake, and soon the snow banks developed along the roadside. First a foot, then three, and eventually eight to twelve feet, towering over the van. So ended our hopes for a hike! We wound our way up to the Lake, following a narrow slot in the growing snow banks known as the road. We were fortunate enough to follow a plow for the final ascent. We continued higher up into the park until finally the road ended at an old hotel, reminiscent of the Timberline Lodge of The Shining fame. 

We parked at the turnaround and were told by a park ranger that we could scramble up the snow bank path for a view of the Lake. We were glad we did, it was amazing, and quite the snowy setting. Soon other tourists arrived, some American, others foreign, including a school group out for a Nordic ski into the back country. Onward to Bend!

Road trip: Reno to Klamath Falls, OR

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Martha arrived at Reno airport on the 11:10 AM (one-stop, no plane change from Albany) and we loaded her gear into the Eurovan and headed toward Oregon. Our goal was Klamath Falls in time for dinner and a hotel. We arrived in Klamath in a downpour. It was raining so hard that if you were not underneath the portico, you’d be soaked. We checked into our room and decided on a steakhouse in the old downtown. After one wrong turn proclaimed by the GPS, we got straightened out and on the right street. The downtown area was cute, and being a Sunday night, we were about the only party in the restaurant, a few others finished up their meals as we walked in giving us some assurance that we weren’t about to make a big mistake. Our waiter was chatty and full of suggestions. Our meals were wonderful. Mine was the best steak I’ve had in years. Truly. A quiet dining experience in a somewhat-strange town was a nice way for Martha and I to become reacquainted! 

Squaw Valley routes

Skiing on Thursday, March 10, 2011

After 7 am yoga class in The Village at Squaw, I decided to head to the mountain for some morning runs given the wind of the previous night and the promise of windbuff on Headwall. I boarded the Funitel and met up with El Furtney from Snowsports School, and Todd, a fellow ski pro. We decided that Headwall was the choice, but taking the Tower 16 chute route on the way down. We took off toward the Broken Arrow area with El leading the way. This was a completely new route to the Headwall lift for me, so I followed and tried my best to keep up. 

Sunday Valley Serenade

Snowboarding on Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sunday morning arrived and I had planned to explore Dollar Mountain on my Burton Method snowboard. I drove the 2 or so miles, parked right at the lodge and joined into the multigenerational swarms that were enjoying their Sunday morning on the slopes and around Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge. Dollar is the family mountain of the two that comprise Sun Valley. Oddly, Dollar Mountain is completely tree-less and was where the original ski trails were built in Sun Valley in the 30’s. Dollar is also adorned by a few SPT terrain parks, built by Chris Gunnarson of X-Games feature-building fame. I wish Parker were with me to truly evaluate the scene, but to my untrained eye, these parks appeared to have great flow and I noticed one of the features at the bottom had the ability to be lit from within for nighttime fun. On this morning it was clear, somewhat windy and quite cold, temperatures certainly below 10 degrees F. I took maybe 6 or 7 runs, explored the face and the flanks and then headed to Baldy (the treed mountain with little above treeline) to ride for the afternoon.  

Roundhouse Restaurant @ 1936

After a few long runs (and I mean lo-o-ong) on Baldy it was getting well past lunchtime, so I took the stairs up to the Roundhouse, the original on-mountain lodge at Sun Valley, and likely the original on-mountain lodge anywhere in that day. Built in 1936, the inside, much like the people, was rustic, yet well-preserved. The center fireplace is warm and inviting. There was an older gentleman dressed in lederhosen playing the accordion with snippets of tunes from the Sound of Music. Lunch is Bavarian style, specializing in fondue, racclette, with steak and salads adorning the menu choices. This was probably the first time I have 'dined' in snowboard boots. Quite nice, actually. I was as comfortable as my surrounds. It was nice to relax and watch the multi-generational families come in for some fun. Many were not skiers, but rather rode the gondola up from River Run base for a special treat at 8,200 feet overlooking all of Sun Valley's expanse below.

River Run Lodge

My late afternoon was spent on Baldy, riding the long (did I say long?) vertical runs up and down from the Warm Springs side. True to the name, there is a river or creek running through this base area fed by warm, sulphur springs that give off that eau de rotten eggs smell. To the uninitiated, I'm sure the septic systems for the condos around the base are suspect!

The late afternoon on the Warm Springs patio was delightful as the sun dropped below Baldy. A live band played some contemporary folk-rock tunes and families and couples gradually dissipated back to their hovels or their cars. Once the warm sun drops behind Baldy, it's a whole new feeling. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. 

A late afternoon snack of Salmon at Warm Springs Lodge was just the ticket after a long day on the mountains of Sun Valley. On food, they do it right. Quite a special treat, very complete and satisfying for just $11. It made me wonder why more ski resorts don't offer this type of healthy fare.  I realize it helps to have an executive chef with  passion and desire to produce a plate like this, and it probably takes special preparation that most resorts are not equipped to handle, but this was quite a value, one I won't soon forget. See, I'm already telling others! 

Chilled Salmon fillet, dill sauce, green beans, grape tomatoes, fresh berries, hot cocoa - $11 

And as I was leaving, I ran into Picabo Street!

I headed to the original Sun Valley Lodge and the Opera House to catch the 4:30 showing of Sun Valley Serenade. Very timely and appropriate. Following the film, I headed to my room in the Lodge to catch up on this blog. While of very high quality, just like the fit and finish of Sun Valley's day lodges, the furnishings are a bit too formal to engage today’s traveler. Fine quality, but frumpy and austere, as if grandma decorated in her taste. Queen Anne, I dunno. Perhaps for a year-round resort such as Sun Valley, this is fine, but as a skier I had that feeling that I might accidentally break something. There was a flat screen 1080p mounted to the wall above a credenza that hosted a gaming station, coffee maker, safe, and some cabinets for personal belongings. While all very comfortable, I don’t think the thirtysomething family with small kids from Seattle or the Bay Area would be all too comfortable staying here. Their parents maybe… 

When you're ready to treat yourself, head for Sun Valley, Idaho. You won't be disappointed... I sure wasn't!

“It happened in Sun Valley”

Skiing on Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mt. Baldy from Dollar Mountain

I’ve always wanted to visit Sun Valley. The allure of a resort with so much history and heritage beckoned me. Sun Valley has been on my dance card for 20 years and as I get another year older the dance card is becoming a bucket list. I can hear Warren Miller shouting out to me from his old Airstream trailer in the parking lot at Sun Valley, “Ski it now Scott, because if you don’t, you’ll be another year older when you do.” 

From Park City to Sun Valley is about a 5-1/2 hour trek west on I-84 to north on I-15 to Highway 75. I hit the road about 5:45 am on Saturday. Once down from Parley’s Canyon on I-80 traveling around Salt Lake was fairly easy but for tractor trailers and the single cleared lane on I-15. These two factors probably added 45 minutes to the trip. Once off the interstate I travelled through farm land, prairies and changing landscapes, often wondering if I was approaching mountains or not. It was cloudy and therefore long-range visibility was limited to maybe a mile. Eventually the foothills up into the Sawtooth range appeared to the west, along with highway signs mentioning Sun Valley at various mileage intervals. The first town coming into the valley was Bellevue, fairly unremarkable. Then Hailey which has a population of about 6,500. Cute homes, neighborhoods and a long view of the mountain ridge immediately to the west. Once in Hailey, the sun was shining brightly. I had entered 'the donut' as I was later to learn. 

Sun Valley's iconic barn

From there into Ketchum and Sun Valley was just a dozen miles. There’s a certain excitement about snow-covered mountains on a sunny day, promising recreation opportunities and experiences to get me salivating. Once in Ketchum, the lifts at Bald Mtn. were clearly visible with long bump runs plunging into the river. How to reach them was not very clear. Soon I found myself at the junction of Main and Sun Valley Road. A right turn brought me the two miles into Sun Valley. Another intersection at Saddle, and a chose a left to head out to Warm Springs, the furthest outreaches of Bald Mountain and the entry to Sawtooth National Recreation Area (USFS). Now having looped the town, I headed back to the River Run base on the southern end of the resort where I parked and opted for a little skiing. It was a perfect afternoon, not too cold, not too warm. Just right for scooting around and learning a new ski area. I stayed with my policy of sticking to groomers and getting the lay of the land, spanning River Run to Warm Springs, stopping into each lodge, taking in the view, and summing up the place. The facilities are fairly unbelievable, way over the top for what one would expect. Almost to the point where you’re not sure that ski boots are welcomed in the ski lodges. Oriental carpets grace the floors, gilded wall sconces, and furniture that’s on the formal side for ski area dining. 

Soon the day ended and it was time to explore the town of Ketchum. Going on a recommendation, I had dinner at The Sawtooth Club, a steak house very similar to the Sirloin Saloon restaurants of Vermont. Enjoyable, nice surrounds, average steak. From there to the Best Western Tyrolienne lodge for a solid 9 hours of sleep. 

Snowbasin & Powder Mountain – Day Three

Skiing on Thursday, February 24, 2011

While Rob was undergoing shoulder surgery and in Sandy’s good care,  I headed toward Ogden, Utah to check out Snowbasin. I had not been there since the day of the Men’s downhill of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games based in Salt Lake City. On that day, just a few months following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City, the Snowbasin venue (and the Olympic Games in general) were more of a paramilitary state with extremely high security, and limitations on movement. Skiing Snowbasin during the Olympic events was possible but discouraged due to the routing of traffic and the intensive security check points. Our group didn’t bother trying to ski due to the hassles involved. 

This day was different. I arrived about 9:45 am following the drive in from Park City.  It was snowing lightly and fairly cold and blustery. I was able to score a lift ticket from Kent Lyons, the general manager after he first checked with Squaw. Fortunately the receptionist put him through to a voice mail, and I was able to present a business card which was good enough for him. We talked about the season thus far, lift ticket systems, and soon I was on my way up the Needles Express gondola. Rob had advised me to try the John Paul lift (was there also a George Ringo lift?) I saw this quad flanking the gondola and decided to head in that direction from the top. 

The snow surface had some wind pack to it, and the lines were very funky, lots of double fall line, and the visibility was nil due to the flat light. I made a few runs on John Paul, then headed back u the gondola to try ‘Mens Start’ which required a ride on the canister-like Allen Peak Tram to 9,450 ft. Although no visibility to speak of, I headed down the start of the Olympic downhill and veered left toward Easter Bowl and The Burn. By the time I reached the base, it was nearing noontime. On the trip to Snowbasin, each directional sign also pointed to Wolf Creek and Powder Mountain ski areas. Rob, Sandy and Martha had always recommended Powder as a place to try, so rather than eating lunch, I opted for the 30-minute drive Powder Mountain, in Huntsville. As I made the steep climb up to their lodge, snow was falling and I wasn’t quite sure the Eurovan had enough strength left in the tranny to get me there. I lumbered up the pass and eventually came upon some smaller ski area buildings, a ski school sign, and a small parking lot reminiscent of Mad River Glen’s approach on Route 17 in Fayston, Vermont.

With limited visibility, I pulled in, parked, tossed on my ski boots, grabbed my boards and headed for the old double chair.  I didn’t see any place to pick up a trail map, so I hoped for the best. At the top I saw signs for ‘Powder Country’ through an access gate. Looked inviting to me, so I headed through and began making my way down. The snow was amazing, some untracked and over a foot deep in spots. I followed the fall line, though I could not see a lift in site to mark as a destination. Kind of an odd feeling.... torn between the self-responsibility of knowing where you are and the supreme temptation of the untracked powder that lies ahead. Soon to my right I saw a skier swoop past, although on a different line. I headed his way and soon found myself headed down the flank of the access road up to the ski area. On the way in I had seen skiers and boarders waiting near a shuttle stop sign.  I followed the path down and soon was on a full, steamy-windowed bus heading back up to the lodge. We passed by the lot where I had parked and continued up about another mile. Here I was able to grab a trail map and become better–oriented to Powder and to powder! 

Eventually I made my way down through powdery chutes and treed runs to the Timberline lift, then took that to the Hidden Lake Express. The visibility was poor, so I hugged the trees and found plenty of stashes, even after 3:00 pm! On my last run down Mainline, I got over to the left and saw a drift that appeared perfect to pop. As I crested the top, the backside was an abrupt 6-foot drop into a trough. I wasn’t carrying enough speed and down I went, skewering the base of the next windrow and catapulting over my shovels!  Fortunately I didn’t shatter anything but my confidence. 

Next trip up Hidden Lake was my last, so I again followed a pack through the gate into ‘Powder Country’, but this time on the other side of the ravine. Here it was, 3:45 pm and I was still getting untracked snow, down through the vast expanse of aspen trees. Left side of the ravine was soft and fluffy, the right side was stiffer and crunchy as the aspects changed. Soon I was back at the same shuttle stop, although on the west side of the road this time. 

This was the best lunch-skipping decision I have ever made… Snowbasin was nice, but Powder was heaven. 

Billowing Bookends – Day Two

Snowbird, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, February 23, 2011

This would be Rob’s 66^th and last day of the ski season as surgery for his injured shoulder was scheduled for the next day. We got a decent start on the day and arrived at Snowbird around 9:30 am. We dashed out of the car to catch the parking shuttle, but ended up missing it because I was tinkering and a bit disorganized. As it turned out, I left my Leki ski pole straps attached to my second pair of gloves in the back of the car. Of course, I didn’t realize this until the first chairlift ride up the new Peruvian Express. Next time, no bonehead moves! 

Rob rides thru 600-foot tunnel into Mineral Basin

We then headed to the carpet lift through the 600 ft. long tunnel that connects Peruvian Gulch right through the mountain to Mineral Basin. The tunnel is truly a work of modern engineering. The Snowbird folks did a great job of including interpretive signs about the tunnel construction and some clever word games along the way. Once out into the light of day, we jumped right into Double Down, a steep chute with a narrow mouth leading down into the basin. Nothing like taking a warm up run! Or maybe this was warming up Snowbird style? 

Scott rippin' through the pow off The Bookends

From here we headed up the Mineral Basin Express lift and caught The Bookends Traverse all the way out to just shy of the Flora Cliffs. Here’s where we jumped in… at first turn we knew it was the right call. Only a few skiers had hit this slope before us, so half of our turns were virgin, the others maybe crossing one other track. The snow was 8-10” deep, cold and light, almost blower.  Rob mentioned how he was tempted to bounce his turns, powder retro-style. There was a PowderShots photographer strategically positioned about 10 turns in. He snapped away with a motordrive as we hooted past him. I could tell that he was documenting what would be among the best turns of the day, week, month! 

Next run up the other side we took the Little Cloud lift and down the Road to Provo. Here we found some more really nice side-bowl terrain with another fresh 8 to 10” of powder, almost as light as The Bookends run. Another Little Cloud ride to the flanks of Regulator Johnson, then down Organgrinder through Door #1 and Door #2 as we made our way back to the base. We only put in about 2-1/2 hours, but for the terrain we were able to hit, and for the snow we lucked into, the rest of the day would only be compared to the first half, so we decided to celebrate our good fortune by heading down the canyon at noon to grab lunch below. 

On the way out of the lot we picked up a hitchhiker headed down to one of the commuter lots at the base of the Canyon. Her name was Beverly Reidel and she worked in payroll at Snowbird. After pleasantries were exchanged we asked where she was from originally, to our surprise the response was South Londonderry, Vermont on Winhall Hollow Road! And, her parents had lived in the greater-Philadelphia area. Quite the coincidence. She had been in Utah for 14 years, but among people she knew back there were Scott Howe and builder Steve Moody. How we never had met before is quite amazing in itself. Beverly had worked at Stratton but it was a year or two after I had left there for Sugarbush. 

As comedian Steven Wright once said: “It’s a small word, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.” 

Orange Bubbles - Day One

Canyons, Park City, Utah, February 22, 2011

A "Better Way to Mountain" indeed. My brother-in-law Rob Baker and I arrived at Canyons about 9:15. Todd Burnette, VP Marketing set me up with a ticket for the day (Thanks Todd!). Soon we were up the Cabriolet gondola and headed for the Orange Bubble Express (OBX), a brand new hi-speed quad featuring orange-tinted Plexiglas windscreens and heated bucket seats. Pretty plush! This lift was installed just prior to Thanksgiving, so it’s the latest technological offering by CTEC.  I was eager and ready to try a few runs after pulling my left calf muscle the Friday prior at Squaw. We gingerly eased on down a groomer to the Saddleback Express. I say ‘we’ because Rob was heading in for shoulder surgery in two days, so his pole plants probably felt about as good as my first dozen turns. We lapped the Sun Peak Express lift once, then, checking in that we were both feeling good, we headed toward Saddleback on the next run.

We really covered some ground that day, skiing a run or two on just about every lift... which if you know Canyons, that is saying something. Canyons impressed me this time. I had only been there twice before, once right before catching my flight in April 2001 for about a 90 minute quick on-skis tour with Tim Harris, a former intern of mine from back in our Sugarbush days, then again in 2009 for about 3 hours with the whole family, which was a lot like herding kittens because of the varied abilities and terrain preferences. This time it was different, we were on a mission. My favorite run may have been Grande, a wide open powdery trail with a North facing aspect that has a narrowly screened entrance, thereby keeping out those less informed.  The Pines off Elk Ridge, served by Saddleback was a very nicely-gladed run, powder filled and with the right exposure to keep the snow soft and light. Worst run, for me anyway, was a hike-to where you go out of bounds to ski back in. The aspect was wrong and the slope we had to reenter on had been sun-baked the afternoon before and had a few inches of snow on it. I was concerned about getting under the crust and pulling my leg again, so I made very long traverses, punctuated with kick turns until I reached the groomed run out. 

After this workout we sought some lunch. Being the February holiday week, a quick assessment of the number of skis spilling out of the racks in front of each on-mountain eatery had us thinking otherwise… perhaps a quick bite in Red Stone village on the way home.

We skied pretty hard until about 2:30, then headed into Surefoot for a few quick fixes before heading back to N. Bitner Ranch Road for a hot tub and a quick nap. My idea of ‘A Good Day’, to borrow Northstar’s tag line. That evening we watched ‘Waiting for Superman’, a film about the state of American education, the growing incompetence of teachers in our public school systems and the astounding number of students they pass up and on without requisite mathematics or reading skills. A pretty disturbing story with a sobering ending. But I give it Two Thumbs Up as a well done documentary by Davis Guggenheim that chronicles the efforts of social-activist and educator Geoffrey Canada as he tries to make a difference in the Harlem public schools. 

Pure Prairie Fatigue

Driving to Park City, Utah, February 21, 2011

After morning Yoga class in The Village at Squaw Valley (best stretching ever for an aging but active life) I headed back to Mountain House for some straightening, cleaning, organizing and leaving. I had to wait until 1:00 pm for Squaw to have some paperwork ready for me to sign so my notions of a 9:00 am start were quickly dashed. Finally at 1:15 pm I was on my way to Truckee to pick up I-80 East for my 9-hour trek to Park City. The GPS claimed 11 hours, but as my sister-in-law Sandy often does on cross-country drives, I made a game of beating the GPS! Well, it helps to pass the time anyway.

So off we went, the Eurovan and me. New tires, oil changed, two pair of skis and a snowboard in the Yakima box on the roof. Cooler of food from the fridge, Marmot sleeping bag and a few dress shirts for meetings and interviews. My life inside a few cubic feet of silver steel. 80 on 80. What could be better? 

Upon my announcement of my move to California this fall my brother Todd had given me an iPod Classic stuffed full of his music library, mostly classic rock from the 60’s & 70’s. With Reno 100 miles in the rear view mirror, I put on Neil Young’s ‘Harvest Moon.’ Certainly one of my all-time favorites, and at the same time very appropriate tunage for crossing high desert while to melting some miles. Great thinking music too. I invented two products and created three businesses in the next 250 miles to Elko. Plus there’s nothing quite like a long solo drive for self-therapy. After the last notes of Neil’s ‘Natural Beauty’ faded into the speakers I was in the mood for more folk-rock. A quick scan revealed Pure Prairie League’s ‘Bustin Out’ album. Wow! Blast from the past for sure. I had probably played this vinyl 200 times from high school through college. PPL took me to Bob Seger, and Bob drove me from Mackinaw City into Park City on the back of his Harley. 

I arrived at Sandy & Rob’s a bit after 11:00 pm. 

Score: Scott 1,  GPS 0 

Steez, Trees & Fat Skis

Skiing Squaw on Friday, February 18, 2011

The morning did not disappoint! It was still storming a bit, high winds, and Squaw’s ski patrol was busy with avalanche safety. The website said it would be a down low day, so I finished shoveling out the Eurovan, moving it for the plow guy, then Parker and I headed for the hill. Once geared up we rode Red Dog up for some powdery turns. As Parker plunged the Red Dog liftline toward Far East base, I veered right and found a route down to Squaw Creek lift. On the way down I skied my first pillow line at the base of a chute. This will be great terrain to learn since I had taken just one run in this trail pod prior. Once back atop Squaw Creek, I pointed them toward Far East and a few turns into my run I came across Parker. Funny, no one else was around, and the potential to be separated from view by trees and gullies was high, but there he was, shooting across my line! We followed one another down into Poulson’s Gully and found lots of untracked, treed runs spilling out at the top of the Papoose lift, above Far East base. As of this point, the Funitel to Gold Coast still had not opened to the skiing public yet, so Parker and I continued to lap Far East and sample the tree routes into Poulson’s. 

I had scheduled lunch with Dave Schaefer and Paul from House of Air in San Francisco. HOA is an indoor trampoline park with 67 tramp beds, everything from a bounce house for little ones to adult Dodgeball leagues and a Matrix for aerobatics. Ever since I visited their facility in early November, we’ve been talking about bringing an HOA facility to Tahoe. Following lunch at The Arc at Gold Coast, we headed down Mountain Run and took a detour into Spring Bowl. Big mistake. The bowl was four feet of fresh untracked with zero visibility resulting in a stall out on a flat that required slogging out through the same 4 feet of snow, only wind-packed on top. After a slow-mo fall that plunged my right ski under at a 30-degree angle I finally made it out, slogged under Cornice II and Headwall Express lifts to find a groomed patch linking me back to Mountain Run. Whew! Dave and Paul encountered the same. Only Parker took a right line and had enough pitch to make it down to the groomer. 

Following this episode, we unanimously agreed that Far East was going to be the better skiing for the balance of the day, so onward we aimed, traversing the lower mountain, maintaining a high line, then skiing down through the Red Dog complex to the base of Far East. Once up to the top of the gully, we chose similar routes as before, steep treed runs flanking Poulson’s. Parker filmed most of this afternoon adventure with his GoPro helmet mounted. We lapped Far East for three runs before Dave and Paul had to leave for their trip back to San Francisco. Parker and I went back up for another. This time, Parker took a tree slot with a branch that was low enough to clip the camera from the dome of his helmet. After some digging, Parker found the camera still recording as he cleared the snow from the lens and exclaimed his find. 

On our last run down, I took a slightly different line. Somehow I lost my balance over a rise, fell forward down the steep terrain into the powder and as I did, the tail of my ski caught on some snow or a tree trunk and stretched my calf to e-string tension. Thankfully my knee brace prevented hyperextension, so with just a pulled calf muscle, a few days off the snow and I’ll be good to go again. Parker continued to ski for another hour while I plunked myself on the sofa with a baggie full of snow to aide my ills. By this time, the storm was cycling again and dumping at a rate of nearly two inches an hour. Tomorrow was going to be yet another incredible powder day, at least for Parker!
Meanwhile, I’ll catch up on this blog.

The Last of the Woolly Mammoth

Experiences from Thursday, February 17, 2011

The weather abated somewhat, the winds died down and the majority of the upper mountain lifts opened as scheduled on Thursday morning. I headed out at 8:45 am and boarded the Broadway Express outside the Main Lodge. The much anticipated light powder was instead wind-packed chuff. I decided on the steepest route under the top of the lift only to find myself on rubble left behind by avalanche control. This combined with absolutely no visibility and depth perception made this quite a challenge. Not the powder-filled run I had dreamed about. I then headed back up Broadway, and followed a chain of uniforms heading across the top of the bowl and into some trees. This turned out to be some race program coaches and kids out playing on fat skis. I followed suit and at the last moment left the single track to the right as they headed left. I found myself on top of a wide treed run with only two or three sets of tracks before me. Heaven! I jumped in and made gentle turns, floating my skis, letting the depth of the snow be my brakes. This is the rare experience we snow seekers dream about… and pay dearly for. A freedom so unique it has to be the closest thing for man to flight. 

At the base of this pitch I headed down into Dry Creek, a natural gully, halfpipe in shape, much like Dick’s Ditch at Jackson Hole. My run was flawed by some wedge-turners with no business being in there, but a few turns up higher on the ravine walls and I was past them and aimed my K2’s to the base of the next lift. I headed for Chair 22, which, oddly enough serves steep terrain spotted with cliff bands much like Squaw Valley’s famed KT-22. I’m quite sure this coincidence must have been a bit of one-upsmanship between Mammoth’s founder Dave McCoy and Squaw’s Alex Cushing. Back in the day, this was commonplace. 

Two thigh-deep runs here on the steeps, ducking in and out of trees, dodging some rock exposures and I was ready for a break. Down to Canyon Lodge for a coffee and hot oatmeal I went. Parker and I connected via phone and he was making his way up Chair 22. We agreed to meet back at the Inn to check out of our room, and store our things in the car. Once this task was completed, Parker headed back out to ski with his park buddy River, and I went to the marketing offices to meet Howard Pickett and thank him for the courtesies he had extended to us. 

With an exhilarating morning and a 4-hour drive back to Squaw Valley still ahead, I opted for some down time in the lobby before some garage time to fumble with the tire chains. Once secure I drove out into the drifts to pick up Parker down at the Village where he had taken the gondola down to intercept me. A few minutes later with chains flapping an annoying beat against the inner fender well, I stopped off to pick up some cable ties to affix the loose ends. After a little research and some help from the hardware store clerk, I had the wrong type of chains for the Eurovan entirely. $150 later with the correct chain package installed, Parker and I pointed North on 395 for Carson City. A few miles into the journey we were on dry pavement and the bumpity-bump of our new cable-chains at 30 mph was enough to pull into the shoulder and go it without. 

Fortunately, there were only signs directing us to chain up, no CHP patrol or local sheriffs to enforce the advisory. We continued on to Lee Vining, CA the Jct. to Yosemite Valley. By this point, the roads were dry or just spotted with streaks of snow. While the snow falling intensified, the snow itself just seemed to blow across the surface of the road, never adhering. We pushed on up past Topaz Lake to Minton and Gardnerville, Nevada, then into Carson City for the turn West onto Hwy. 50 toward Tahoe. On this climb out of Carson City, the snow was now two to three inches deep, covering the roadway, but there was no traffic. We sailed along effortlessly, chains in the trunk! When we reached the turn off to Hwy. 28 along the Eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, the snow was really coming down hard. The roadway was down to one and one-half lanes and travel was necessarily slow and cautious. Just one other car ahead of us. The snow banks were so large that if not for the graphic display on the GPS, one would never know there was a lake immediately to the left side of the van. Parker pointed this out as he recalled the absence of guardrails on our trip south a few days before.

The Eurovan Awaits

We made it through Incline Village, NV, then Kings Beach, CA, where we fell in behind an aggressive CHP snowplow truck.  We followed him for 15 miles through a power outage in Tahoe City. Thankfully by the time we passed the Alpine Meadows access road power had been restored and the lights were on. At last, Squaw Valley Road, ¼ mile ahead! Over 5 snowy hours from Mammoth, but we made it to our destination safely. As we pulled into Mountain House there was 3 feet of snow in the parking area. I attempted to back in with the loaded Eurovan and promptly bogged down. Within 3 minutes one of Squaw’s bucket loaders arrived and began clearing a pathway behind us. Parker and I shoveled out the remnants then backed the van in as the loader cleared out the front. Perfect! Now, inside with our luggage, sip some green tea and turn in for a fitful night’s sleep. Powder Day tomorrow!

Down low at Mammoth

Image courtesy of Keoki Flagg/Gallery Keoki

A stretch of weather much like Tuesday’s sunshine and warmish temperatures finally lost its six-week-long grip to winter. Wednesday’s storm came in strong with steady, blustery winds and horizontal snowfall that brought this woolly Mammoth to its knees. Lifts remained still until 10:35 am when Chair 8 came to life low down on the mountain near the Canyon area. While communication from staff about this event was sparse, others picked up on this activity on the web cams. Soon word spread among us faithful iPad and laptop clad lobby dwellers of the Mammoth Mountain Inn. Winds howled incessantly, at times right through the lobby as the automatic sliding doors opened leaving the decision to brave the elements to the few. Parker and I opted for a quick lunch before opting for the deepening powder that was sure to greet us. Our pace getting geared up was sluggish and forgetfulness seemed the game of the afternoon. From ski poles left in the van’s ski box, to lift tickets forgotten, left clinging to yesterday’s ski pants in the room, discovered as we waited to board the shuttle. 

Finally, our act seemingly together, we boarded the 1:30 shuttle to the Village where we could intercept the gondola up to the Canyon Lodge and nearby Chair 8, spinning in the distance through driving snow and wind. Parker met up with his park buddy River and the three of us rode the 7-minute fixed triple to some double fall line powder shots. We then headed to Chair 15 for a cruiser that proved too flat for the snow depth, save for two short, steeper pitches. Back to Chair 8. The chutes that crossed the lift line at sharp angles looked to be the best, while most skiers and riders seemed to be sticking to the wide open trails. Fools! Parker, River and I had some of the best shots, zigging and zagging the lift line and finding plenty of untracked routes through the trees, or on the very edges of trails. After about 6 runs like these, including the bonus round the liftie afforded us at 4:05, the cold and wind had gotten the best of us. With numb toes and wind-burned faces, we caught the gondola back to the Village to await the shuttle back to the Main Lodge and the warm lobby of the MMI for hot cocoa and some game room time. 

With the snowstorm still raging outside, we made it an early night in anticipation of diminishing winds and developing snow depths. Back in the room I watched our DVD of Discovery Channel’s Planet Earth, Pole to Pole. There’s something about the Polar Bear and two cubs belly-sliding down the mountain that felt a lot like this afternoon! 

Mammoth, Parks & Parker

     Tuesday morning was clear, sunny and windy, with gusts to 50 mph necessitating the additional layers. Parker wanted only parks since his Elan Puzzler skis have edges with the profile of a ski pole! I opted for my K2 Hardsides 188cm 98mm. Even though longer and wider than the firm snow warranted I knew I would find some wind sluff at the top off Chair 23 and would want these beasts underfoot when I did. We spent the morning lapping the Forest Trail intermediate park and then South Park for some jibbing and a nice three-jump line that Parker favored. We brought the GoPros with us and tried a few laps with the Chesty mount. Since I was not comfortable straightlining the park jumps at Parker’s speed, I made a few check turns which sways the camera and makes it hard to focus on Parker, the subject. We opted for the ski pole mount for the GoPro that was much easier to control. I could use this method without my own ski poles and also without turning. After some trial and error, some coaching from Parker, my downloads were actually pretty good, even though Parker needed to edit two or three runs into one flow. It was fun and good to spend time with Parker doing what he loves. 

     After several laps on the South Park, we headed up Chair 5 for what could only be described as a controlled ice-slide down to McCoys for lunch. The view from McCoy's up to the summit was spectacular. Accented by the backlight I noticed that the skiers in the Cornice Bowl off Chair 23 were producing some snowy spray with each turn, much more so than loose granular. Parker and I parted ways and I headed up to check it out. There was a 30-foot wide band of windblown sluff that had accumulated three inches deep on the skier’s right of the bowl. A few skiers had figured this out, but most were struggling with the steep, or missing the band in the flat light and not fully taking advantage of this bonus. I made three laps to hit this line again. The Hardsides were the perfect tool for the trade. By 3:45 my legs had had enough. I headed down to the Thunder Bound Express and arrived at the top terminal just as Parker was getting off the lift with some newfound park buddies. By now the video cameras were put away and we made a few laps on this lift, catching last chair at 4:00 pm. I lapped Broadway and Ralphies cruisers while Parker lapped the adjacent Main Park a few more times. He was enjoying his buddies and I was enjoying the last few high-speed bombers of the day on the Hardsides. 

     After the bullwheels slowed to a stop, we met up with John Urdi and Matt Gebo at the Yodeler at the base of the lifts, right next to the Inn. A few cold ‘root beers,’ an appetizer, and then to the room for an early night as Parker edited the day’s adventures. 

Reno to Northstar to Squaw to Mammoth Mountain

Sunday, February 13 – Monday, February 14, 2011

     On Sunday, Parker's flight arrived in Reno at 1:30 pm. We had planned to ski Northstar for the afternoon but he was pretty tired and a little beat up from a park session at Stratton the day before, and I was feeling my mountain hike up to High Camp at Squaw that morning. So, we hit the Tahoe Burger and then headed to get him a haircut (at his request!)

     We then pointed the van to Northstar to pick up Parker’s Ski Lake Tahoe Ultimate Ski Pass so that we could spend a few days skiing around the lake following Mammoth. After Reno errands it was getting a little late, but we opted for Northstar anyway to find the season pass office still open after 4 pm. Bonus! Once imaged and signed we headed up the gondola just to see the park and pipe area. Then to Squaw for a Mountain House dinner of ravioli and salad prepared by Chef Scott. We decided to load up the Yakima box (courtesy of friend Rob Furtney) and check all the rack fittings. Good thing we did…The next morning we awoke to some snow and blow. We loaded up the Eurovan and once again headed to Mammoth, wanting to get out ahead of the storm. Heading east into Incline Village then down the east shore of Lake Tahoe until Hwy. 50 to Carson City. By this time, we were clear of snow, the sun was out and the temp had reached 55 degrees. Parker commented how on the right (west) side of Route 395 there was snow covered mountain peaks (back side of Heavenly) and yet on the left side, high desert with blowing sand and tumbleweeds. Quite a contrast. The rest of the trip to Mammoth was clear sailing with sunny skies, clear long valley views, amazing mountain vistas of the Sierra. We arrived at the Mammoth Visitor’s Center and popped in to say hello to John Urdi, a former intern of mine at Sugarbush eons ago. 

     Soon we were pulling in to the Mammoth Mountain Inn at the top of Minaret Road. Elevation 9,000 feet. I knew this altitude would result in less-than-fitful sleep, but there was something about staying in one of the original lodgings at Mammoth that made up for this aspect. Plus, we were right at the base of the Broadway Express lift, and next door to the Yodeler, one of the original bar-restaurants from the late 1950’s. Great location!

     I had booked on Priceline and got what I felt was a great rate for two nights midweek, given the slopeside location. The room was very small, but the fit and finish had been redone recently. Marble bathroom, high beds with thick mattresses, down comforters and about 6 pillows per bed! The windows were original and whistled with the mountain wind, but to me this adds character. I was delighted to see an outlet strip by the desk since we had three phones, a laptop, and three video cameras, all requiring nightly feeding. The common areas were still dated and in need of an upgrade, but I don’t spend much time in the hallway. The lobby was part of the recent updating and was nicely warm and well-appointed, big stone fireplace, leather sofas, alpine décor. 

     This was going to be alright.

Demos, Deals and Driving

Sunday, February 6 - Saturday, February 12, 2011

     My first ski bum weekend of February 5 & 6 turned out not-so. A bout of bronchitis sidelined me from the slopes until Sunday afternoon when Tuck Wilson (formerly of So. Londonderry, VT) gave me a call and talked me out onto Headwall and KT for a few late afternoon sun-baked bombers before joining him and Bev for dinner and Super Bowl XLV. This began the week of my most skiing days of the season. Monday afternoon’s sunshine coaxed me out for a few more solo cruisers on Squaw. Tuesday was the WWSRA on-snow demo at Alpine Meadows. I headed out on the Stockli Rotor 72 for some fast eye openers on the groomed loose granular. Then Volkl Bridge, then some Salomon Sentinels.

     On Wednesday, Feb. 9  it was off to Mammoth Mountain with Tom Murphy for some more WWSRA demos. Huge place! Lots to explore. This time K2 Hardside then the Fischer Watea then the Blizzard Bonafide. All amazing skis, 98mm underfoot, perfect for the conditions of the day. Mammoth enjoyed a bit more recent snow than the Tahoe basin and the surface was terrific. On Thursday afternoon it was back to Olympic Valley for some research and job search, then on Friday morning I headed to Northstar-at-Tahoe for some solo snowboarding for the afternoon. Skiing is my preference but on a warm, sunny afternoon, a relatively boring mountain can be a lot of fun when you explore it sideways. Plus there’s something about the more tactical sensations of the snow through the board, through the thinner boot sole to the foot that is more sensational than a DIN sole on a hard plastic ski boot can convey. You feel the G’s of a carved turn to a greater extent. My Burton Method 158cm seems to handle all conditions well, even though it is so lightweight it still performs.

     After a Friday snoozer at Northstar, on Saturday I had succumbed to the steeps of Squaw’s Granite Chief and skied the middle of the day. The snow was firm and dead, but there were a few exceptional lines to the immediate skier’s right of the liftline, along the berm of the groomed/ungroomed where some wind sluff was trapped. And, no one was on it! After a few laps here on my Salomon Lords I headed back to Mountain House to tidy up for Parker’s arrival, hit the laundry and begin packing for the next excursion. 

Ski Test: RAMp Woodpecker & Groundhog

     Another benefit of my Winter of Wanderlust is the ability to test some skis now and again. Here is my test of the RAMp Woodpecker and Groundhog. 

    In the last week I had the opportunity to test ride both the Woodpecker and Groundhog models from RAMp. The setting was Aspen during the X-Games with runs taken at Buttermilk/Tiehack, Ajax and Snowmass. Conditions were firm corduroy, and temperatures were moderate in the 30's. The Woodpecker was first as I headed to Ajax. Generally I like a beefier ski such as Atomic, Volkl, Stockli, however the RAMp Woodpecker was fairly impressive. It was agile in handling both firm groomers and the piles of sluff that build toward the edges of the trail. When I ventured into new snow, slightly off-piste the ski responded well. I did find that as with some French-designed skis the turn initiation begins with toe pressure and follows the foot through heel pressure and finally back cuff pressure to finish off the turn.although somewhat lacking in edge hold, this was the turn style that got the best performance from the Woodpecker.

     Later that evening my wife Martha and our dear friend Jen arrived, so the next day it was time to try Snowmass and change-up models to the RAMp Groundhog in a 179cm. Love at first turn! Like the Woodpecker, initiation began with the toe but as I rolled the pressure back toward my arch, the second straighter-walled section of the sidecut hooked up and lookout! A nice firm mid-turn platform to stand on, great edge hold. Turn completion was easy, and the ski was extremely stable throughout each arc. I expected a bit less honestly, but the 100mm waist and low-rise rocker tips really made this a one-ski-does-all choice. Next day we headed to Breckenridge where the most new snowfall in the front range was forecast. We arrived in time to catch the last 2-1/2 hours of the day as the snowfall began, then steadily increased in intensity. It was the kind of day where the snow piles up on your forearms and thighs as you ride the slower fixed-grips. Soon there was 2 to 3" of fluff over groomers... One of my favorite set-ups from my many years in Vermont. As expected, the Groundhog ripped and floated accordingly, playing in the soft but acknowledging the firm underbelly. The wind that accompanied the storm kept us on the Peak 8 Superchairs, which also meant that the terrain served by these lifts was a bit steep-starved. We decided that given the late hour of the day and the building storm that looping these two lifts would provide enough fun for the Groundhogs and our posse until the bullwheels slowed to a stop at 4 pm. 

     With the incoming storm, the next day would promise some more freshies, sub-zero temperatures, and it would be February 2, Groundhog Day. How appropriate. The snow stopped during the night leaving snowfall projections a little aggressive, nonetheless it was -10 F, not much wind and 4 to 5" of fresh, depending upon aspect. We chose to lap Peak 10 and 6 Chair for a bit more challenge, about as much as you can find at Breck. The one thing about Breckenridge is that the skier ability is on the lower end of the scale. For us, this meant fresh tracks in the trees all day, and soft, snow-filled troughs on the bump runs like Mar's choice 'Spitfire'. 

     Add up the new snow, great company and beautiful location and I was in Groundhog Heaven. If you couldn't tell, the Groundhog was the most enjoyable ski I have skied in quite some time. Not to mention the lift line comments on the cool cord-of-wood top sheet graphics. (Sales pitch: If you are looking for a one-ski-does-all for east to west coast conditions, opt for the RAMp Groundhog. With a street price south of $700, even Punxsutawney Phil himself may want a pair. (Commercial break: Full story at www.rampsports.com)
     Peace.

What Now?

     As my wife often reflects about life: "When you least expect it, expect it." Well, I didn't but I should have. Suddenly at age 51 I found myself unemployed through a rather strange chain of events. I'm a marketing executive in the ski resort industry with 25+ years of experience and success. Back in September, I left a 15 year stint with Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, Vermont to accept a position as vice president of marketing and sales for Squaw Valley, USA in Olympic Valley, California. On January 20 at 4:00 pm I was informed that my services were no longer required. Wow. I didn't see this coming. While taking a drive along the west shore of Lake Tahoe that evening to absorb, percolate, cogitate, and reflect, I was struck with the notion that this is just what I needed. I needed time to reflect, to explore, to experience what life's circumstances often prevents you from doing. After all this time, I would finally have more than two days off in a row during a snowy winter, and with few obligations. Severance would pay the mortgage for a while. What I needed most was perspective.  A perspective that can only be achieved with road time to think and mountain time to feel.
     I began dreaming of coffee shops in ski resort towns where the knowledgeable locals and dirtbags hang out, sleeping in my van, or in hostels, maintaining a journal of my ski days, and considering which of my 3 pair of skis or 2 snowboards I would ride that day. These decisions I can handle! Snow? Read the forecasts and snow report aggregators, blogs, weather missives and try to stay ahead of the storms with only my notions and GPS to guide me.
     Could I really do this? I called an industry friend and made plans to attend X-Games 15 in Aspen following the SIA trade show in Denver the next week. I then called another friend and ordered a Yakima rack and box. I third call and an online test afforded me 30% off wholesale on a Marmot sleeping bag... this was really starting to come together.