Resort skiing is what most people think of when someone says “Let’s go skiing”, and for good reason, it is how the vast majority of us enjoy the sport. Regardless of how deep one’s passion for skiing runs, the minutia involved with resort skiing will start to deter even those who define themselves with skiing. In recent years with the surge of popularity in our sport, the resort has worked to erode my love of skiing. There have been countless times I found myself waiting it a lift line or riding a chair with some form of resort irritation (insert the typical gapper rant here) and have to consciously remind myself that I’m outside in a beautiful environment doing what I love and everything else doesn’t matter. The crowds, stratospheric prices, rushing to snag your piece of untracked, create an atmosphere that feels closer to a day at a theme park then an adventure into nature. A few years ago, Ben and I decided to quit complaining, and take action to do something about our resort frustrations. After some education and gear adjustments we were able to access a world free of crowds, pay parking, and seven dollar hot chocolates.

Finally, after skiing resorts all season long we took a day to earn our turns and have a true skiing experience. The destination was Rocky Mountain National Park, more specifically Hidden Valley and the zone called the Terrain Park. We started at Hidden Valley, skinned up the old lift line and skied in the north facing trees. The snow was pretty crusty and wind whipped, but it was still pretty fun. After a run in the Hidden Valley trees we hoped back in the truck and headed to the Bear Lake trailhead to hit the Terrain Park zone. In the Terrain Park we were able to get a few small drops and a pretty cool pillow line (all untracked, of course). Skinning with the Marker Duke bindings and alpine boots was impressive, well worth the added weight when it came time to pull the skins and slash the pow. We did learn that a properly sized skin is paramount, as mine were not, and it severely increase the amount of energy it took for me to climb.

A day of skiing consisting of only two runs may sound weak compared to a resort day, but driving there in zero traffic, no rush, the fact that it was free (save for my National Parks pass), skiing untracked all day, and we saw a grand total of 4 other skiers makes those two runs so enjoyable and gives a feeling of accomplishment like nothing I’ve ever had at a resort. Returning to skiing in a pure form, free of the fashion show and headphone wearing drones was both figuratively and literally a breath of fresh air.

Disclaimer:
Backcountry skiing and travel requires proper avalanche safety gear, knowing how to use that gear, and knowledge of proper decision making skills when in avalanche terrain.

Resources:
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Colorado Mountain School

Beer, Fire, a Snowmobile, and a few cameras make for an entertaining Friday night here in Jackson Hole!

Check out RC’s blog Eyeini for a killer action shots.

It was only a matter of time with this blog before before some my philosophies and diatribes on skiing would come out, today is that day. The past two weeks have been some of the worst I can remember as a Colorado skier, we have had almost no snow. The conditions in the middle of January resemble something more akin to late April, its just sad out there. Last Sunday I was riding lift 5 out of the Sun Down Bowl at Vail. Myself, Jeny, and our friend Andy were discussing how depressing our current surroundings were, pointing at dirt patches, and commenting on the distant sounds of riders slip sliding on two week old ice when Andy said something that really put all our whining in perspective, he said

It’s the sour that makes the sweet even sweeter.

That one resonated with me for a while, just as the summer makes the ski season that much more cherished, as can poor conditions when the sky decides to puke again. Einstein’s special relativity speaks to much more then time dilation and length contraction. Our ski season may be letting all of us pow hounds down right now, but thinking back to some of the “land on your head deep” days of yore and viewing them from my seat in the 09/10 ski season, just makes me that much more stoked on what I had, and what’s still to come.

PS: Looks like things may turn around this weekend -> Colorado Powder Forecast for the details

Shout out to Colorado Powder Forecast for posting this first

The Syncro 180 is hugely under rated, it takes serious talent to do well, but when successful everyone in the park know just how cool you are – Brandon

The jump was almost too slow to hit, so Brandon and I had to improvise. We both feel strongly that style is not a result of the number of rotations that you can fit into a single jump. Style is about using what is at your disposal, big or small, to create something that looks clean, perfect, and easy. Brandon and I watch as a number of little chump kids threw 540’s off the tiny jump. Sure, I could have done that too, but what’s the point. Throwing spins off such a small jump makes a man look like Taz from the looney tunes. You never heard anyone call him graceful, did you? So, Brandon and I improvised and what we came up with was, as with most things we do, like dipping a finger into a basin filled with awesome, and getting a single taste.

The whole day was absolutely beautiful. Perfect weather mixed with a great crew led to a great experience. We had a few funny highlights. While buttering, yet again, Brandon managed to lose a ski and eat shit, pretty hard. (Edit – Brandon was attempting a tip spin, and when dialed will blow the entire crew away!) I caught an edge at high speed buttering over a lip and managed to put on a powder filled yardsale (only one ski off, but I didn’t have poles so I think that counts). Rachel somehow forgot that she isn’t a beginner anymore and ate it getting off the lift. Jacob pretty much fell every time he tried to ride switch on his snowboard. Only Ben and LiBo made it through the day without any mishaps.

The Switchskier season has begun. The farmer’s almanac calls for a bitter cold winter. The weather so far has confirmed the prediction. If the farmer’s almanac is the Nostradamus of our time, then I think we should all sleep well knowing that our future doesn’t hold bare slopes, or slushy conditions. This is the year for powder. This is the year for cliff drops, park hits and big mountain lines.

This is the year for the Switchskier crew.

I’m more about living in the vacation then spending the year working to come out and ski for two weeks when you can ski here everyday.

Moab, Utah if you were unaware is billed and the “Mountain Biking Mecca” however unlike the Saudi version is not nearly as exclusive. Mountain bikers from across the globe make the Hajj, and once you are there it is easy to understand why. If brake modulation, bunny hopping, track standing and manualing are the first four pillars of mountain biking, then I would certainly have to say Moab’s marketing department got this one right.

The Switchskier Team decided it was time, as all able bodied mountain bikers are required to do, to make the trip out to Moab and leave a rubber mark on a piece of slickrock for ourselves. Ben and Nick, were ambitious enough to leave Wednesday evening and stack up four full days of riding, Danny and myself were not quite so ambitious and only put in one and two days respectively.

Nick and Ben went wheels down on Thursday morning on the Amasa Back Trail then secured an amazing campsite in Moonflower Canyon. Danny arrived on Thursday night to meet an already battered, Ben and Nick. Beers were drank, meat was grilled and morning brought a sore Nick and Ben, and a happy birthday to Danny.

The three set out for a ride on the Sovereign Trail, and spent the next five hours fighting to keep their bodies off the rocks. Several endos, high sides, and low sides later they finished, patched up their wounds and hit the town to celebrate Danny’s birthday.

Danny shot some video with his Flip Mino HD, and pieced this little short together:

I rolled into Moab around 10:30PM Friday night and headed straight to the campsite. As I was walking up the sandy trail to find everyone else, Ben and Danny were coming out to meet me, they had timed my arrival from when we last spoke on the phone while they were in town. I was amazed at how awesome of a spot they had scored, Nick was sitting by the fire and began to explain how Moab had taken skin off their bodies and paint off their bike frames. Everyone was pretty beat from their ride that day on Sovereign Trail and the night ended fairly early.

The next morning Danny packed up about 75% of his things (if you know Danny this makes perfect sense) and took off to coach some soccer games. Ben, Nick and myself headed into town to grab some breakfast and to decide on the trail du jour. Some mindless wondering up and down main street took place while looking for a bike shop and we decided on Porcupine Rim as our fate for the day.

Porcupine Rim is known as perhaps the second most infamous trail in Moab, of course next to Slickrock, it is a 4 mile up hill grind followed by an 11 mile downhill to the base of Negro Bill Canyon. If you want to be a hero this can be done as a 32 mile loop via paved roads back thru town, but who wants to push fat tires on pavement?! We shuttled my car to the base of the trail and piled into Nick’s car and headed for the top.

The trail held up to its end of the bargain and delivered a great ride full of very technical sections both up hill and down, and amazing views of the greater Moab area. A few spills were had, and I got my first taste of the abuse that Moab riding will throw at you.

Some clips from my camera:

Everyone made it out alive and after undoing the car shuttling, we headed back to the camp site to cook some burgers and brats. Nick’s brother Brant had been in Fruta riding and made the trip 2 more hours west to meet up with us. It had been decided that we would wait for Brant to ride Slickrock.

Sunday morning after a rousing round of hot chocolates, we packed up camp and head for the Slickrock trail head. Slickrock pretty much needs no introduction as this is the primary reason people come to Moab, if clarification is needed click here. Brant spent some time in the parking lot trying to correct the last 3 days of abuse Nick had put his bike thru. Once Nick was rolling along smoothly again, it was time to have our minds blown. This trail is unlike anything in the world, its not as technical as Porcupine but it is physically more demanding. Steep uphill and downhill sections, chew away at your physical resolve worse then Nick’s “your girlfriend” jokes. I would feel confident saying that Slickrock is definitely one of the most unique and fun trails I have even ridden.

Moab will become an annual trip for the Switchskier Team. The drive from Colorado’s front range is certainly justified and with the help of some red bulls and 5 hour energies really is not too bad.

Hungry for more photos from the trip click here for the full set

Have you been to Moab? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Q: Do you need a $10,000 camera system to shoot like a pro? A: No, I don’t think you do. A camera is essentially a tool, just like a hammer. You can take pictures whether it’s just a simple point-and-shoot or a serious professional camera. It’s just a matter of knowing what to shoot, when to shoot and how to shoot it…Having better equipment can give you better control over how to take the photo, but I don’t think it necessarily makes you a better photographer. Someone who’s a good photographer can take a photo with their telephone nearly as good as they could with a professional camera.

Travel Photographer Robert Caplin