The Official Skiing / Snowboarding / Playing in the Snow Thread

[Nbarbar]

I love Telluride. Really want to get a ranch in Placerville. Maybe one day. I try to go to Telluride for a couple weeks a year.

I have a reservation with Telluride Heliski, and a guide to take me into Bear Creek/Alta, depending on how things go . I've been re-reading some avalanche books, which always give me a healthy dose of caution.

Grandfather couloir looks absurd. While I may have the ski skills, don't really have the mountaineering skills to tackle that one. I have always been interested in the San Joaquin couloir. Just gorgeous.

Bring it on @Newcomer ! I’ve always looked at ranches around there and make a point of staring wistfully at the RRL ranch if I fly into Montrose.
Where are you staying, in town or on the hill.
Have fun with telluride Heli, photos please!

this was my last trip

 

[Newcomer]

Bring it on @Newcomer ! I’ve always looked at ranches around there and make a point of staring wistfully at the RRL ranch if I fly into Montrose.
Where are you staying, in town or on the hill.
Have fun with telluride Heli, photos please!

this was my last trip

Awesome!

I am actually staying in an apartment on Colorado Ave., a few doors down from the Last Dollar Saloon. Last time I stayed in MV, and I'm not sure I would do that again.

 

[Nbarbar]

I’m with you. I’ve never seen the attraction of MV. Telluride to me is the town and the canyon. It’s what makes it so unique. You want that history.
my standby is the New Sheridan for exactly that Reason.
Im really keen to get out there in summer and do part of the Colorado trail up from Durango to Telluride. Hiking that country would be awesome.

Awesome!

I am actually staying in an apartment on Colorado Ave., a few doors down from the Last Dollar Saloon. Last time I stayed in MV, and I'm not sure I would do that again.

 

[otc]

I think these two kind of missed the point of visiting an experts-only low-frills resort during covid...

And here's her husband:

 

[Nbarbar]

I think these two kind of missed the point of visiting an experts-only low-frills resort during covid...
View attachment 1558689

And here's her husband:
View attachment 1558687

That resort sounds like my idea of heaven. If you guys want to vortex spend some time Googling the Japanese kids who live in their vans and follow the storms around Japan. There is a whole subculture of backcountry hobo life. Kind of like Kapital x Burton x Apocalypse

 

[otc]

Meanwhile in Minneapolis....this is apparently what my dad is doing on skis

 

[Newcomer]

Earned some turns this AM!

 

[Nbarbar]

Earned some turns this AM!

View attachment 1564034

Bear creek?! How has it been?

 

[Newcomer]

Bear creek?! How has it been?

Nope, this was in Ophir. So, apparently no one is entering Bear Creek right now (well, no one with much in the way of brains). Avalanches everywhere. When you look into bear creek or Alta, all you can see, on so many classic lines, are avalanche remnants. The entire apron on the San Joaquin couloir fell off. It’s bonkers.

On resort was OK. Just not much in the way of snowfall this year, a lot of the resort was closed (well, the fun stuff). And the day I arrived, temperatures were nearing 50, which melted some coverage. I did have 2 touring days, which were awesome. That’s kind of my focus going forward, so I’m willing to put in the investment (I hire ski patrol/professional guides).

 

[otc]

Hit the little 100' tall rope tow hill in the suburbs for some 44F spring skiing and had a lovely time.

They actually had quite a nice park built up. Got there early enough to beat the critical mass of teenagers and ski while the snow was still running fast enough to hit the biggest jump.

They'd even just tapped a keg of 3 Floyds Zombie Dust that I got to enjoy at a picnic table with a plate of cheese curds.

All in all, quite a nice little time. Might try to make it out on a weeknight, otherwise this may have been my last day on the snow*.

*I'm not sure how very-late season conditions are looking in Colorado. My vaccine will be fully effective by the end of the month, and maybe I'd be willing to take a test, n95-up, and head out to A-Basin or something for a weekend. Turned down a chance to go to Aspen next week (before I got my shot, but it wouldn't be fully kicked in anyways) and stay in a hotel owned by my friend's professor...just wasn't comfortable with the idea of travelling and going to a resort during peak spring-break time...plus damn, Aspen is expensive, even with lodging discounted.

 

[Numbernine]

PSA west slope sierra nevada. point forecast kirkwoo ca

Monday
A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 31. South southwest wind 17 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Monday Night
A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. South southwest wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
Tuesday
Snow showers likely, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. South southwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Tuesday Night
Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Wednesday
Snow showers, mainly before 4pm. High near 26. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Wednesday Night
A chance of snow showers, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15.
Thursday
A slight chance of snow showers after 10am. Sunny, with a high near 33.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 15.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 38.

 

[otc]

Oh yeah, and at the rope tow park, there was this guy in shorts, a backpack, and touring skis.

He was just banging out lap after lap uphill. He'd get to the top, rip his skins off, and basically bomb the hill....didn't even seem interested in throwing in turns. Slap the skins back on and repeat.

Must be training for...something...I'd look over and sometimes he'd be full on jogging his way up the hill.

 

[otc]

Taking the snow kiting to the next level I guess:

Its one thing to do that when your landing is water...not sure how I'd feel about being that high up over snow/ice.

 

[imatlas]

Oh yeah, and at the rope tow park, there was this guy in shorts, a backpack, and touring skis.

He was just banging out lap after lap uphill. He'd get to the top, rip his skins off, and basically bomb the hill....didn't even seem interested in throwing in turns. Slap the skins back on and repeat.

Must be training for...something...I'd look over and sometimes he'd be full on jogging his way up the hill.

Skimo racing or just plain training for a really big climb.

I used to ski backcountry with a guy who was just a climbing monster. 3,000 feet of climbing is a pretty big day for me, 5,000’ is my single day max ever. The day before we skied that 5,000’ day he did 10,000’ so that he’d be slow enough for the rest of us to keep up.

 

[otc]

It is tentatively official: I'm moving to Whitefish.

My wife has job opportunities and the president of my company is on board with my plan to go with her while she completes her clinical hours to become a licensed therapist.

Both the property and rental markets are thoroughly fucked thanks to covid, but this past year of remote work might be the only thing that convinced the president to be OK with it (though I haven't yet discussed the details with HR) so I guess it is a toss-up.

Probably won't realize our old dream of buying an inexpensive house that could continue to serve as a ski house/mountain cabin even if we move away after my wife finishes, but at least my budget is high enough that at the very least we should be able to find a decent rental and then see what the market looks like in a year...and in the meantime I get to ski and mountain bike and all that.

Meanwhile Whitefish Mountain is in the midst of some nice upgrades. This summer they are moving a lift and to a better location and expanding gladed areas and next summer they are supposed to put in a new high speed 6-pack in place of an awkwardly located (built before the base was moved down mountain) fixed 3:

Whitefish Orders a Sizable Six Pack

With strong visitation and record season pass sales, Whitefish Mountain Resort today announced major lift projects for each of the next two summers. The big news is a deal with Leitner-Poma for a s…

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