Friday, January 28, 2011

"Looking For A Little Solitude"

 And I found it! On a mountain that is. This past weekend, we were invited to take a trip to Solitude Ski Resort, UT. As it turns out, Solutide had a higher base than any resort in Colorado. (At the time 92" base and 305" for the year) I was surprised because I didn't think the mountains outside of Salt Lake received much snow. Then I looked at a map and thought about it...I discovered that ALL the known resorts are right there within 5-25 miles of each other! Alta, Park City, Snowbird, Brighton, Canyons...they're all right there, just over a mountain and across a canyon!

Solitude just happened to get dumped on throughout all of Saturday while we were riding. Quite different snow from Colorado. Not that light and crystally champagne type stuff...but heavier, denser. The kind of stuff that when your own powder cloud hits your body, you really feel it. I almost knocks you over and it's impossible to see through! It really is quite amazing snow! I would not say it is, as SkiUtah.com calls it, "The Best Snow On Earth." For I still really enjoy my extra light Colorado powder. As crazy as I am, even though it was blizzarding and I had mostly no visibility...it was a pretty rocking day!
Ironically spent most of the day on the Powderhorn lift...very much different than the Powderhorn Resort I live so close to.
These trees were all over the place. I labeled them, "creepy Utah trees."
The steep and deep started out a little intimidating because of the blowing snow.
I asked my co-rider on the snowboard there at this point, "So here's what I do. I ask myself if I think I might die if I do this. If the answer is no, then I go. Do you think you might die if you do this?" She laughed and said no! So down we went! Intimidation quickly faded into super soft deep snow fluff flying everywhere!
Off the other side of the Powderhorn lift, found some more crazy double black terrain. Fun!
The only area I wanted to make sure I got to...we made it down one side of the bowl, but unfortunately the other side was closed due to high avalanche danger...darn avalanches!
This kids found a little Solitude in the condo watching Toy Story 3 on the iPad.

The Solitude for the big kids was over with nine of us ladies and three kids all piled into one condo for the night. Pour on the daiquiris and drinking games! Good times yep!

So that's what 300" looks like! Solitude is actually very pretty. Had no idea what it really looked like through all the blowing snow! Twas nice to have a bluebird day!
I took the lil guy out for a few runs before we headed back to GJ.
Doing some very hard work on his turning. Teaching him the importance of S turns and how they will make his legs less tired. While I went backward, he made a game of it by trying to stay inside my tracks, like a little road he had to follow.

Those S turns often gave way to the french fries...he likes to straight bee line it and go super fast!
With Salt Lake City being exactly four hours away, the resorts outside of SLC five hours and only one slightly hairy section to drive through, I definitely think I will be planning more trips out to Utah to go play in the snow. I already like their deserts and canyons, why wouldn't I love their mountains too?

Friday, January 21, 2011

"Patience Is A Virture"

Recently I have decided to make a leap into more extreme snow. I have done a ton of research, a ton of drooling and have determined that over the next 5 years (maybe 4 cause I would like to be doing this by the time I am 30) to make the switch from resort skiing/riding to Alpine Touring, which is similar to Telemarking, but you can click and seal your heal back in when you're all done walking. My mission, to seek the solitude and powder in the side/backcountry of the mountains of Colorado.

Below is my wish list. When it comes to the skis and snowboards, I have yet to settle my mind and decide between a couple of them...

My favorite of the uber fats!
2010-2011 K2 Hellbents, 169-172/140/158, k2skis.com/skis/twin-tips/hellbent

The Hellbent's skins...
K2 Hellbent Skins, k2skis.com/skis/skins/hellbent-skins
My other awesome favorite pair of skis, made in Breckenridge, CO
Fat-ypus I-rock (Made in Colorado), 176 - 158/127/150, fat-ypus.com/home/i-rock.php

The skins to go on the I-rocks...
Black Diamond GlideLite Mohair Pure Custom STS, www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/ski/skins?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=black diamond skins&utm_content=BD-SkiSkins_Copy1Deep&utm_campaign=Brand-Ski
Marker Duke, www.markerusa.com/bindings-duke.php
 Oh the decision between boots...just gotta try what feels best. But I really love my Tecnica Agent 80s, so why wouldn't I love the ATs?
2011 Tecnica Agent AT, tecnicausa.com/collection/skiboots/freeride/the-agent-at-1031
Salamon Quest 12, www.salomon.com/us/product/quest-12.html
Why not a super awesome rockers board made in Silverton, CO?
2010-2011 Venture Helix (Made in Colorado), www.venturesnowboards.com/index.php?inc=helix.html
 And because I need to be able to travel up the hills I slide down...why not the a pair of the best snowshoes out there?
MSR Women's Lightning Axis, cascadedesigns.com/msr/snowshoes/explore/womens-lightning-axis/product
And because they now made snowboards that split apart and slide up hill like skis...why not ditch the regular board/ snowshoe idea and simplify by getting a split board?
2010-2011 Venture Helix Splitboard (Made in Colorado), www.venturesnowboards.com/index.php?inc=helix_splitboard.html
 The backcountry pack I have chosen. Like it's space and design and especially like the Avalung system, which recently saved a feller from suffocation in a tree well...
Black Diamond Outlaw Avalung, www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/ski/avalung/outlaw-avalung/
The shovel of choice...
Black Diamond Deploy, www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/ski/snow-saftey/deploy
The probe of choice...
Black Diamond Quickdraw Guide Probe 300, www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/ski/snow-saftey/quickdraw-guide-probe-300
The beacon of choice...
Tracker Avalanche Beacon, www.backcountryaccess.com/index.php?id=57
And two POV cameras I am choosing between to capture my amazing experiences!
Go Pro Helmet Hero, www.goprocamera.com/products/hd-helmet-hero-camera.php?gclid=CI3X_ruRzKYCFcXD7QodKnubFw
Contour HD 1080p, contour.com/camera/contour_hd?gclid=CKOnpNORzKYCFdVf2godFQirJw

Thursday, January 13, 2011

"Wintery Wonder Play Place"

This past weekend, took a little weekend trip to my favorite mountain in CO, Crested Butte.
Pretty much my favorite coffee in all of Colorado, Camp 4 Coffee.
In an old mining mountain ski town, there are a surprising amount of peddlers rolling through the streets with feet of snow piled all around.
And as expected...a lot of history too!
The view...looking down on Mt. Crested Butte.
 We decided to go down Peel.
Little speed racer 5 year old on his brand new skis!
Powered by Grape Soda.
I am powered by multi-colored cookie and PBR. Just as a side note, my coworker Cindy knitted my beanie for me. I wanted it to have to Colorado colors and she wanted it to match my jacket. I think she did a wonderful job!
Guess what I found! The uber fat, uber rockered K2 Hellbents I really really really want to get for those epic powder and back country exploring days! Couldn't find a demo anywhere, but at least I was able to fondle them in person and get a good real life look at them!
I made a reference to the Hellbents in a post back in November...here are the specs again!
A vid of the little speed demon himself! I was skiing switch (backwards) trying to video him, but he kept speeding past me!

Monday, January 10, 2011

"A Batch Of Logos"

©nolasvoboda•accidentalartist


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©nolasvoboda•accidentalartist



Wednesday, January 5, 2011

"Lost Trail"

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Taken while snowshoeing the Pinion Mesa/Glade Park area above the Grand Valley