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.

Paul Mitchell World Series of Moguls, Vail, CO, 1995: This was Shane McConkey’s coming out. Earlier in the day, he was banned from the competition for throwing a backflip, so he convinced a patroller to let him go back to the start to get his bag. Instead of picking up his things, he took off all his clothes, did a spread eagle, and was once again banned from Vail.

Freeskier had a cool article on Shane McConkey through the years. Can you imagine hitting the bumps completely nude and throwing a giant spread eagle like that?