I couldn't think of a title for today's post, so I decided on a line from the song Black Water by the Doobie Brothers which I heard while getting on the Straightbrook Quad. They always play great music at that lift and as I was getting on I told the liftie, "Nice tunes man!"
Today was another bluebird day at Gore. The rain last week did have its effect, but the snowmakers were hard at work on Chatty and Lies making for great, soft turns. However, today was highlighted by something that my grandfather noticed a few years ago when Gore installed the Topridge Triple, a slow lift that was previously located at Whiteface. He made the observation that every time NYS makes an improvement to Gore or Whiteface, they do the job 80% (100% would have been to put in a high-speed quad). Once again today, typical NYS issues:
1. Gore added 22 new permanent tower guns on Topridge, one of their signature trails. However, these guns weren't on today and the trail was closed. If the addition of these guns is such a big deal, why is the trail not ready to be skied yet?
2. The Straightbrook Quad was down for maintenance in the morning. The only way to access the summit was on the High Peaks chair after taking Wood In. However, this trail was closed, so the lift was running and nobody could get to it. Myself and another skier pointed this out to the ski patrol nearby who had no idea the Straightbrook Quad was closed. I wonder how long this would have gone on had we not inquired. By the time we got to the summit, the Straightbrook Quad finally opened.
All in all though, a great day at Gore, just that typical 80% effort in some spots, but its still good enough to scratch that itch.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Monday, December 29, 2014
Ski Days #13 & #14: Last Call, First Chair (Killington, VT)
Each year around Christmas my best friends from high school and I try to take a ski trip together. Given that Christmas is still early season, we choose to go to Killington since they are experts at making snow. But to say we go for the skiing would be a little bit of a lie, we really head to Killington for the party.
Our first day of skiing was great. A big rain storm had swept through the east a few days earlier, so a lot of the natural snow trails had closed down, but there was more than enough man-made snow to keep most of the mountain open. The groomers did a great job power-grooming and had broken up the ice to make nice frozen granular snow on top of icy crust. As I said to one of the lifties, "The corn is ripe".
At the end of the day we headed to the Umbrella Bar for après. This is a pretty cool bar under an umbrealla (with glass walls during the colder months) that serve great Vermont drinks like Long Trail Ale and Citizen Cider.
That night, we first headed to the Wobbly Barn. This is a pretty unique scene as the ground level is a night club with a great band on stage and the bottom level is a steakhouse. After putting in a our name we headed up to the bar in the club area to grab a drink and listen to the après band, Tony Lee Thomas, that was still killing it until 8 at night. This band was a great cover band playing lots of hits. After they finished up we headed down to eat. Everything on the menu is great, but the steaks are best, I recommend the filet mignon.
After dinner we hit the Pickle Barrel Nightclub. This place is legendary and is one crown jewel of the world famous Killington access road. The band that night was Johnny Drama (I'm not sure, but I think they named the band that because the lead singer looks like Johnny Drama from Entourage). Again, they played lots of great covers, but my favorite was Hey Ya (here's the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw). The whole place was packed; just skiers and riders having a good time. We stayed until last call and didn't get to sleep until about 2:30 AM.
The next morning it was time to earn bragging rights. My buddy was tired and decided to sleep in, but I headed up to the base to catch first chair on the Superstar Express at 8 AM. To make it even more hard-core, it was raining out and the entire mountain was socked in with fog so thick you could barely make out the next lift tower. It was a true #skitheeast moment.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Our first day of skiing was great. A big rain storm had swept through the east a few days earlier, so a lot of the natural snow trails had closed down, but there was more than enough man-made snow to keep most of the mountain open. The groomers did a great job power-grooming and had broken up the ice to make nice frozen granular snow on top of icy crust. As I said to one of the lifties, "The corn is ripe".
At the end of the day we headed to the Umbrella Bar for après. This is a pretty cool bar under an umbrealla (with glass walls during the colder months) that serve great Vermont drinks like Long Trail Ale and Citizen Cider.
That night, we first headed to the Wobbly Barn. This is a pretty unique scene as the ground level is a night club with a great band on stage and the bottom level is a steakhouse. After putting in a our name we headed up to the bar in the club area to grab a drink and listen to the après band, Tony Lee Thomas, that was still killing it until 8 at night. This band was a great cover band playing lots of hits. After they finished up we headed down to eat. Everything on the menu is great, but the steaks are best, I recommend the filet mignon.
After dinner we hit the Pickle Barrel Nightclub. This place is legendary and is one crown jewel of the world famous Killington access road. The band that night was Johnny Drama (I'm not sure, but I think they named the band that because the lead singer looks like Johnny Drama from Entourage). Again, they played lots of great covers, but my favorite was Hey Ya (here's the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw). The whole place was packed; just skiers and riders having a good time. We stayed until last call and didn't get to sleep until about 2:30 AM.
The next morning it was time to earn bragging rights. My buddy was tired and decided to sleep in, but I headed up to the base to catch first chair on the Superstar Express at 8 AM. To make it even more hard-core, it was raining out and the entire mountain was socked in with fog so thick you could barely make out the next lift tower. It was a true #skitheeast moment.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
A classic, tight, tree-lined New England trail.
Saw this sticker on a lift. I agree, Vermont needs to stay New England, not Jersey.
That moment when you lose the top of the lift into the clouds.
Me and the big guy up top.
Tony Lee Thomas at the Wobbly Barn.
Ski Day #12- We're Known as the Snowboard Capital of the World, But We're Gonna Change That (Brighton, UT)
For my last day of skiing in Salt Lake City I headed back into Big Cottonwood Canyon to ski Brighton, commonly referred to as the Snowboard Capital of the World.
Conditions at Brighton were great. After the storm had finished up the prior afternoon, another quick storm moved in over night and left about three inches of new fluffy snow on top of the heavier cement that had fallen during the big storm. In addition, there was a high pressure system sitting over the Wasatch that kept clouds from developing the entire day; it was just bluebird.
Brighton's nickname absolutely makes sense, the entire mountain is filled with snowboarders. I inquired why the mountain was so popular from a few boarders I sat on the lifts with. They each had a little bit of a different spin, but everything boiled down to two basic reason: the terrain is extremely favorable for riding and Brighton has always had a laid-back vibe that embraced the snowboard culture.
Regarding the terrain, I completely agree. Just as one rider told me, the entire area is like one big terrain park. There are a lot of cool lines through the trees. But even more fun are the large boulders that are still out on the trails. These get covered up with snow and turn into little kickers. It is not uncommon to catch air off of four or five of these in a run. In one word, Brighton can be described as "playful".
I also agree with the statement that Brighton is laid back,; it has a real homie-vibe. This isn't like the all-skier area in Little (read my previous post to understand). This place is just a true locals resort where skiers and riders come to just have a good time.
In short, even though Brighton is not in SKI Magazine's top 30 resorts in the west, check it out, it does not disappoint. No trip to Utah would be complete without a visit.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Conditions at Brighton were great. After the storm had finished up the prior afternoon, another quick storm moved in over night and left about three inches of new fluffy snow on top of the heavier cement that had fallen during the big storm. In addition, there was a high pressure system sitting over the Wasatch that kept clouds from developing the entire day; it was just bluebird.
Brighton's nickname absolutely makes sense, the entire mountain is filled with snowboarders. I inquired why the mountain was so popular from a few boarders I sat on the lifts with. They each had a little bit of a different spin, but everything boiled down to two basic reason: the terrain is extremely favorable for riding and Brighton has always had a laid-back vibe that embraced the snowboard culture.
Regarding the terrain, I completely agree. Just as one rider told me, the entire area is like one big terrain park. There are a lot of cool lines through the trees. But even more fun are the large boulders that are still out on the trails. These get covered up with snow and turn into little kickers. It is not uncommon to catch air off of four or five of these in a run. In one word, Brighton can be described as "playful".
I also agree with the statement that Brighton is laid back,; it has a real homie-vibe. This isn't like the all-skier area in Little (read my previous post to understand). This place is just a true locals resort where skiers and riders come to just have a good time.
In short, even though Brighton is not in SKI Magazine's top 30 resorts in the west, check it out, it does not disappoint. No trip to Utah would be complete without a visit.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
A classic ski area sign.
The Brighton Center at the base displays snowboards to show you the evolution of riding.
The Snake Creek Express didn't open up until about an hour after the area opened. I put my poles here to stake out my spot for first chair, but they were only able to load two to a chair due to mechanical issues and two boarders snaked my spot, so I got second chair.
View of Mt. Millicent from the deck of the Alpine Rose at lunch. You can't beat a deck with a warm sun, cool tunes, and great views.
Some of the views from the top.
The sign says it all.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Ski Days #10 & #11- Big Snow, Big Faceshots, and Big Booms (Alta, UT)
On Sunday morning we headed back into Little Cottonwood Canyon to ski Alta. The forecast called for a big storm, so our plan was to stay the night at the Alta Peruvian Lodge in case the highway closed the next morning.
When we woke up it was raining down in the Salt Lake Valley. But as Caroline Gleich, a Salt Lake ski celebrity once said, "When it's snowing in the city, you know it's dumping in the mountains, puking!" Well we knew rain in the valley would mean snow in the mountains too.
When we got out to the lift line, there were a few hundred people already lined up to catch that fresh snow. While waiting for the lifts to open, we could here dynamite blasts all over the mountain. Some of the blasts sounded, and felt, like they were right on top of us. Those blasts were usually followed by a cheer from the rippers waiting to get on the lift.
Both days we skied there was not much terrain open due to the high avalanche danger. We were able to ski in each area of the mountain though. Our favorite was the sweet run off the Wildcat lift. Again, this is an old-school double chair. We couldn't see much and there were a lot of cliffs in the area, so we only took one run off that lift, but it reminded us of the Pali lift at A-Basin, one of our favorites in Colorado. The trees right underneath the Collins lift were pretty dope too with a nice pitch, wide open trees, and tons of snow. But the highlight for me was Bear Paw, I skied it 3 times. The pow was so sweet here that I started to choke on the snow as I got hit with face-shot after face-shot.
The one thing that stuck out to me about Alta is that it is a step back in time. It is one of the oldest ski areas in the country, and aside from the fact that many of the lifts are now high-speed quads, it really felt like you were skiing back in time.
By the way, if you're a snowboarder, don't expect to get on a lift here. That is because Alta does not allow snowboarders to take a lift up the mountain (they are allowed to ride down, and sometimes riders can be seen ripping at the end of the day after coming over from Snowbird; we didn't see any though, the Alta/Snowbird connection was closed due to avalanche danger). When asking a few people why snowboarders were not allowed on the lifts, the answers usually revolved around how the terrain has some flat spots and is not conducive to snowboarders. However, it is pretty clear that the real reason is a little bit of snootiness against boarders. Either way, it didn't bother me, I will never set my feet into a pair of snowboard bindings, I'm a skier for life!
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
P.S. The Alta Peruvian Lodge is a pretty special place and deserves its own blog entry to be written sometime next week.
When we woke up it was raining down in the Salt Lake Valley. But as Caroline Gleich, a Salt Lake ski celebrity once said, "When it's snowing in the city, you know it's dumping in the mountains, puking!" Well we knew rain in the valley would mean snow in the mountains too.
When we got out to the lift line, there were a few hundred people already lined up to catch that fresh snow. While waiting for the lifts to open, we could here dynamite blasts all over the mountain. Some of the blasts sounded, and felt, like they were right on top of us. Those blasts were usually followed by a cheer from the rippers waiting to get on the lift.
Both days we skied there was not much terrain open due to the high avalanche danger. We were able to ski in each area of the mountain though. Our favorite was the sweet run off the Wildcat lift. Again, this is an old-school double chair. We couldn't see much and there were a lot of cliffs in the area, so we only took one run off that lift, but it reminded us of the Pali lift at A-Basin, one of our favorites in Colorado. The trees right underneath the Collins lift were pretty dope too with a nice pitch, wide open trees, and tons of snow. But the highlight for me was Bear Paw, I skied it 3 times. The pow was so sweet here that I started to choke on the snow as I got hit with face-shot after face-shot.
The one thing that stuck out to me about Alta is that it is a step back in time. It is one of the oldest ski areas in the country, and aside from the fact that many of the lifts are now high-speed quads, it really felt like you were skiing back in time.
By the way, if you're a snowboarder, don't expect to get on a lift here. That is because Alta does not allow snowboarders to take a lift up the mountain (they are allowed to ride down, and sometimes riders can be seen ripping at the end of the day after coming over from Snowbird; we didn't see any though, the Alta/Snowbird connection was closed due to avalanche danger). When asking a few people why snowboarders were not allowed on the lifts, the answers usually revolved around how the terrain has some flat spots and is not conducive to snowboarders. However, it is pretty clear that the real reason is a little bit of snootiness against boarders. Either way, it didn't bother me, I will never set my feet into a pair of snowboard bindings, I'm a skier for life!
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
P.S. The Alta Peruvian Lodge is a pretty special place and deserves its own blog entry to be written sometime next week.
This is the sign at the mouth of the highway leading into Little Cottonwood Canyon. The rain changed over to snow about 3 miles in.
This is a t-shirt that they sell at the gift shops. Alta, and Utah in general, is a little snooty when it comes to Colorado, they think their snow is better. However, nothing in this entire country is as great as Vail's Back Bowls, they are legendary. Oh, and they almost never close down for avalanche danger so you never miss out on those epic powder turns when it's snowing.
We had to dig out our rental car after the snow stopped on the 2nd day. No, we didn't get plowed in, that's just 28 inches of fresh that we got over a day and a half. Pretty dope, huh.
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Ski Day #9- Gnarliest Trees We've Ever Ripped Bro (Solitude, UT)
For our first full day of skiing Utah, my ski buddy Ian and I headed into Big Cottonwood Canyon to Solitude. While a little smaller than Snowbird, this place was awesome and had incredible terrain.
We achieved first chair this morning, getting to the lift about 10 minutes before the rope dropped. Our first run off of the front peak was first tracks through about 3 inches of fresh snow. We spent the rest of the morning cruising around the area off of the Eagle Express, a suggestion from one of the lifties we talked to while waiting for the lifts to open. We also hit a a run called Wall Street in honor of our friend Josh.
As we headed in for lunch some weather rolled in and it began to puke outside. After lunch we headed up to the summit where we had a blast. First, Summit chair is an old-fashioned double chair with the bar connecting the chair to the cable in the middle. Riding a double chair in the snow is something special. If you ever get to experience it, enjoy it because there are not many double chairs left out there.
Our first run down through the trees was incredible. We hit some pockets that probably hadn't been skied in 2 weeks so we were treated to blower pow faceshots. Our final run from the summit through Headwall Forest was pretty intense. Once we hit the bottom of the run I looked over to Ian and said, "Gnarliest trees we've ever ripped Bro". I have skied some pretty great glades at places like A-Basin, Loveland, Steamboat, and Gore, but nothing was as steep as what we hit at Solitude.
For après we headed to the Thirsty Squirrel. SKI Magazine recommended the sushi, but they took it off the menu after last season (this is one of the problems with SKI Magazine's reviews, often the places they suggest change their menus when the new season starts). The Thirsty Squirrel still satisfied though. After getting a nice buzz, we had to head back to the Moonbeam Lodge to grab our gear, so we hiked over to the top of Easy Street and popped on our skis to ski down. But we didn't just ski down, we used our poles like guitars and started to sing a new version of Marshall Tucker Band's song Can't You See that I came up with: "Can't you ski, can't you ski, shred that gnar bro, and come ride with me."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCXQycyN_Vs
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected in Powder"
We achieved first chair this morning, getting to the lift about 10 minutes before the rope dropped. Our first run off of the front peak was first tracks through about 3 inches of fresh snow. We spent the rest of the morning cruising around the area off of the Eagle Express, a suggestion from one of the lifties we talked to while waiting for the lifts to open. We also hit a a run called Wall Street in honor of our friend Josh.
As we headed in for lunch some weather rolled in and it began to puke outside. After lunch we headed up to the summit where we had a blast. First, Summit chair is an old-fashioned double chair with the bar connecting the chair to the cable in the middle. Riding a double chair in the snow is something special. If you ever get to experience it, enjoy it because there are not many double chairs left out there.
Our first run down through the trees was incredible. We hit some pockets that probably hadn't been skied in 2 weeks so we were treated to blower pow faceshots. Our final run from the summit through Headwall Forest was pretty intense. Once we hit the bottom of the run I looked over to Ian and said, "Gnarliest trees we've ever ripped Bro". I have skied some pretty great glades at places like A-Basin, Loveland, Steamboat, and Gore, but nothing was as steep as what we hit at Solitude.
For après we headed to the Thirsty Squirrel. SKI Magazine recommended the sushi, but they took it off the menu after last season (this is one of the problems with SKI Magazine's reviews, often the places they suggest change their menus when the new season starts). The Thirsty Squirrel still satisfied though. After getting a nice buzz, we had to head back to the Moonbeam Lodge to grab our gear, so we hiked over to the top of Easy Street and popped on our skis to ski down. But we didn't just ski down, we used our poles like guitars and started to sing a new version of Marshall Tucker Band's song Can't You See that I came up with: "Can't you ski, can't you ski, shred that gnar bro, and come ride with me."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCXQycyN_Vs
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected in Powder"
At the top of Wall Street. If I have to explain my pose, you don't deserve to understand the joke.
Had this beer with lunch. The only reason I ordered it was because the can says "Smooth Flow".
I caught a root in the trees and took a pretty epic fall. Luckily the Utah fluffy stuff kept me from hitting too hard.
Normal man spends his life avoiding tense situations. Repo man spends his life getting into tense situations, Beltzer!
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Ski Day #8- Cup Check in Little Cottonwood Canyon (Snowbird, UT)
Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah is a special place. I have been dreaming about this place since seeing Warren Miller's Fifty at Proctor's Theater about 15 years ago. Located just about 30 minutes from the airport, it is a no-brainer pick for your first day in Salt Lake City.
Since I lived above 6,000 feet in Colorado for about four years, I figured the altitude would have no effect on me. Boy was I wrong. The base sits at 8,100 feet, but being the die-hard that I am I ignored the signs of altitude sickness I was feeling and took the tram up to the summit at 11,000 feet for my first run.
I made friends with a couple locals on the 8-minute ride to the top. Luckily one Salt Lake shredders I was riding with offered to show me around for my first run. We headed over to the cirque. There were a few rocks exposed up top, but it was pure bliss after the few first kick turns. With my legs screaming, my lungs burning, and my head pounding, I was in heaven. But the altitude did get the best of me so when I got back to the base I crushed a Gatorade and bottle of water so I could head back up.
After the next tram ride I ripped through Mineral Basin. This bowl reminded me of Copper Bowl in Copper, CO. It was wide open and had tons of snow. I also found the Alta/Snowbird connection and hoped to be able to ski between the two the next few days (I ended up not being able to later due to avalanche danger). The rest of the day I cruised around Gad Valley and Peruvian Gulch.
This place was incredible. Beautiful views, tons of snow, great people, and an awesome tram. I am already jonesing for my next trip to The Bird.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Since I lived above 6,000 feet in Colorado for about four years, I figured the altitude would have no effect on me. Boy was I wrong. The base sits at 8,100 feet, but being the die-hard that I am I ignored the signs of altitude sickness I was feeling and took the tram up to the summit at 11,000 feet for my first run.
I made friends with a couple locals on the 8-minute ride to the top. Luckily one Salt Lake shredders I was riding with offered to show me around for my first run. We headed over to the cirque. There were a few rocks exposed up top, but it was pure bliss after the few first kick turns. With my legs screaming, my lungs burning, and my head pounding, I was in heaven. But the altitude did get the best of me so when I got back to the base I crushed a Gatorade and bottle of water so I could head back up.
After the next tram ride I ripped through Mineral Basin. This bowl reminded me of Copper Bowl in Copper, CO. It was wide open and had tons of snow. I also found the Alta/Snowbird connection and hoped to be able to ski between the two the next few days (I ended up not being able to later due to avalanche danger). The rest of the day I cruised around Gad Valley and Peruvian Gulch.
This place was incredible. Beautiful views, tons of snow, great people, and an awesome tram. I am already jonesing for my next trip to The Bird.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
At the top of the tram.
First run of the day, pure bliss.
Rippers riding the tram. It's a special moment when you reach the top, everyone starts hootin' and hollerin'.
How can you not smile on one of the country's most legendary lifts.
Me up at the top with the car headed back down behind me. I don't want to ride down though, I think I'll rip down.
View from the top.
A little weather rolling into the canyon. That's the Salt Lake Valley down below.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Trapped in a Ski Lodge
It is 9 AM in the morning on a powder day. Usually by now I would be outside waiting for first chair. However, on this morning I am sitting in the Alta Peruvian Lodge because of "Interlodge", a restriction on travel outside enforced by chaining closed the doors. A storm rolled in on yesterday morning and dropped so much snow that by 8 PM interlodge travel was shutdown. The buzz around the lodge right now is that the lifts will be opening up at 11, so I have a few hours to hang by the fire, meet some new friends, and listen to the dynamite going off about every five minutes.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
P.S. Check in a few days for my reviews of Snowbird, Solitude, and Alta. I don't want to spend my entire interlodge experience behind a computer.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
P.S. Check in a few days for my reviews of Snowbird, Solitude, and Alta. I don't want to spend my entire interlodge experience behind a computer.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Ski Shops- Our Home Away From Home
I recently booked tickets to head out to Salt Lake City to ski for about four days. Since I'm heading out west, I needed to break out my fat-skis. Last summer I had them tuned but never got the wax scraped off so they wouldn't dry out this summer, so I had to bring them into a ski shop to get scraped before I ride them later this week.
Back east, my ski shop of choice is High Adventure in Latham (http://www.highadventuresbp.com/). This is one of the places my grandfather used to bring me in the fall to buy me skis and it has always been my favorite because of the nostalgia. I have been in there about five or six times so far this season for tune-ups and they already recognize me. In fact, when walking into the lodge at Gore last week, one of the ski techs even said "Hi" and gave me a fist bump, so I think it is now safe to say I am a regular.
Out in Colorado my shop of choice was The Ski Shop in Colorado Springs (http://theskishopinc.com/). Being the powder pig that I am, I hit so many rocks and had to get so many tune-ups that the ski techs told me that its actually better to ski on the mountain rather than the parking lot.
But why are ski shops so cool? Well, it's because its filled with people that all eat, sleep, and breathe the same thing you do, SKIING. There is always someone to talk to about the epic day you had last week or to brag to about how stoked you are for your first trip out to Utah. It's the best place to pick up advice on new places to check out, whether it be a hill, a bar, or cheap motel with continental breakfast.
So my advice to any ripper that hasn't done so yet, pick one place and stick with it. It's OK to shop around a little, but once you find your "home away from home" you will know it. If its good, the ski techs will make you feel like family.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Back east, my ski shop of choice is High Adventure in Latham (http://www.highadventuresbp.com/). This is one of the places my grandfather used to bring me in the fall to buy me skis and it has always been my favorite because of the nostalgia. I have been in there about five or six times so far this season for tune-ups and they already recognize me. In fact, when walking into the lodge at Gore last week, one of the ski techs even said "Hi" and gave me a fist bump, so I think it is now safe to say I am a regular.
Out in Colorado my shop of choice was The Ski Shop in Colorado Springs (http://theskishopinc.com/). Being the powder pig that I am, I hit so many rocks and had to get so many tune-ups that the ski techs told me that its actually better to ski on the mountain rather than the parking lot.
But why are ski shops so cool? Well, it's because its filled with people that all eat, sleep, and breathe the same thing you do, SKIING. There is always someone to talk to about the epic day you had last week or to brag to about how stoked you are for your first trip out to Utah. It's the best place to pick up advice on new places to check out, whether it be a hill, a bar, or cheap motel with continental breakfast.
So my advice to any ripper that hasn't done so yet, pick one place and stick with it. It's OK to shop around a little, but once you find your "home away from home" you will know it. If its good, the ski techs will make you feel like family.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Ski Day #7- Blower Pow+Huck =Faceshots (Windham Mountain, NY)
This post is coming a little later than I wanted to write it, but it has been a busy weekend with the Army-Navy Game this past Saturday. Anyway, last Wednesday and Thursday Winter Storm Damon came in and dumped about 2 feet of snow in the Catskills. Here are the take aways from that storm and the ski day that followed:
1. Being a ski bum means texting your boss at 6 PM during a snowstorm asking to use vacation the next day because you just read that 18 inches of fresh fell on a nearby ski area.
2. Having a part-time job doing snow removal makes your body tired before even showing up on a powder day, but it's all good, because those freshies are worth it.
3. Skiing mid-week is pretty tight because the only people that show up are other rippers that skipped work because they know the day will just be killer.
4. Hucking cliffs is pretty awesome, and when your landing in blower pow, be prepared for some pretty big faceshots.
5. Its a pretty special feeling to show up to the liftline and see noone is there to beat you for first chair. That feeling then gets better when the liftie comes by and says "Hey man, we don't open for another 15 or 20 minutes" and you respond by pointing at your beer in the snow saying "Its all good bro, gives me time for that to get cold."
6. Eastern skiers that have not lived out west are afraid of fresh snow because I was still finding freshies well into the afternoon.
-Steve
"Born on Ice, Perfected in Powder"
1. Being a ski bum means texting your boss at 6 PM during a snowstorm asking to use vacation the next day because you just read that 18 inches of fresh fell on a nearby ski area.
2. Having a part-time job doing snow removal makes your body tired before even showing up on a powder day, but it's all good, because those freshies are worth it.
3. Skiing mid-week is pretty tight because the only people that show up are other rippers that skipped work because they know the day will just be killer.
4. Hucking cliffs is pretty awesome, and when your landing in blower pow, be prepared for some pretty big faceshots.
5. Its a pretty special feeling to show up to the liftline and see noone is there to beat you for first chair. That feeling then gets better when the liftie comes by and says "Hey man, we don't open for another 15 or 20 minutes" and you respond by pointing at your beer in the snow saying "Its all good bro, gives me time for that to get cold."
6. Eastern skiers that have not lived out west are afraid of fresh snow because I was still finding freshies well into the afternoon.
-Steve
"Born on Ice, Perfected in Powder"
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Why I Am the King of the East
A week and a half ago we got a great early season surprise...A PRE-THANKSGIVING NOR'EASTER! This storm left 14 reasons to be thankful on Jiminy Peak, MA. Jiminy, the small but satisfying spot in Berkshires saw the biggest dump out of Winter Storm Cato, 14 inches. To make it even better, the lifts were closed while the snow fell that Wednesday and Thursday, so all the freshies were left for those us willing to wake up early and work off our turkey hangovers.
I got to the mountain a little later than I wanted and caught 2nd chair. The Berkshire Express is a 6-pack, so I had alot of people to talk to about the epic day in store on the way up. As we took off out of the loading area a little girl, probably about 8 years old, said in a very upset tone, "Dad, we didn't make 1st chair!" I looked at her father and said "Now that is a kid with her priorities straight."
Once we got to the top, the race was on to North Glade, the first trail open from the summit that was not groomed. About 3 other people got there before me, took a look and moved on (I later found out they thought the top looked icy because the wind hit the crest the night before). I figured they must be crazy and would not trust their judgement so I started down, and boy, did it not disappoint..14 inches of fresh New England Gnar. Since I was the first one down this virgin powder at the mountain that got the biggest dump to date, I had ripped the deepest line in the east and officially became the King of the East.
As I sit here writing this, Winter Storm Damon is just puking outside. Damon could leave up to a foot and a half in the Adirondacks, so after tonight I will no longer be your king. I am saddened to give up the title, it was a great week and a half serving you. I wish the best of luck to the ripper that will be crowned tomorrow morning. This title comes with a big responsibility, serve your people well.
-Steve
"Born on Ice, Perfected in Powder"
I got to the mountain a little later than I wanted and caught 2nd chair. The Berkshire Express is a 6-pack, so I had alot of people to talk to about the epic day in store on the way up. As we took off out of the loading area a little girl, probably about 8 years old, said in a very upset tone, "Dad, we didn't make 1st chair!" I looked at her father and said "Now that is a kid with her priorities straight."
Once we got to the top, the race was on to North Glade, the first trail open from the summit that was not groomed. About 3 other people got there before me, took a look and moved on (I later found out they thought the top looked icy because the wind hit the crest the night before). I figured they must be crazy and would not trust their judgement so I started down, and boy, did it not disappoint..14 inches of fresh New England Gnar. Since I was the first one down this virgin powder at the mountain that got the biggest dump to date, I had ripped the deepest line in the east and officially became the King of the East.
As I sit here writing this, Winter Storm Damon is just puking outside. Damon could leave up to a foot and a half in the Adirondacks, so after tonight I will no longer be your king. I am saddened to give up the title, it was a great week and a half serving you. I wish the best of luck to the ripper that will be crowned tomorrow morning. This title comes with a big responsibility, serve your people well.
-Steve
"Born on Ice, Perfected in Powder"
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Ski Day #6- Run and Tell the Angels that Everything's Alright (Gore Mountain, NY)
I headed back to Gore Mountain today. The one word to describe today: BLUEBIRD! That is until about 2:30 when a snow squall rolled in, but still, visibility and conditions were almost perfect. Great frozen granular on top of hard pack, a true eastern ski day.
The only parts of the mountain open were still just Bear Mountain and the Northwoods, but these spots skied great. Sunway and Showcase were the picks of the day. The groomers didn't quite knock down all the whales after snow-making was complete on these, so there were some pretty dope bumps to catch some good air off of. That is what inspired this post's title, it's a line from the Foo Fighters hit Learn to Fly which I sang in my head most of the day while hucking these mini-kickers.
One interesting thing I noticed today, it is easy to determine if a skier is a part-timer or a die-hard. At the top of the gondola are some of the most incredible views of the High Peaks that an Adirondack Mountain can offer. Part-timers look at these. While these views are beautiful, its not what we die-hards were looking at. Instead, we could be caught gawking at the snow-makers blowing snow on Pine Knot and Uncas as if it was a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition photo-shoot. The sight of those man-made crystals settling of those trails was what we were interested in because we know that next week these trails will ski great. I'm already jonesing for some Topridge turns.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dwuzqF6huc
The only parts of the mountain open were still just Bear Mountain and the Northwoods, but these spots skied great. Sunway and Showcase were the picks of the day. The groomers didn't quite knock down all the whales after snow-making was complete on these, so there were some pretty dope bumps to catch some good air off of. That is what inspired this post's title, it's a line from the Foo Fighters hit Learn to Fly which I sang in my head most of the day while hucking these mini-kickers.
One interesting thing I noticed today, it is easy to determine if a skier is a part-timer or a die-hard. At the top of the gondola are some of the most incredible views of the High Peaks that an Adirondack Mountain can offer. Part-timers look at these. While these views are beautiful, its not what we die-hards were looking at. Instead, we could be caught gawking at the snow-makers blowing snow on Pine Knot and Uncas as if it was a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition photo-shoot. The sight of those man-made crystals settling of those trails was what we were interested in because we know that next week these trails will ski great. I'm already jonesing for some Topridge turns.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dwuzqF6huc
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Ski Day #5: Sunway, Snow, Shots and the Birth of Two New Rippers (Gore Mountain, NY)
Today I had the opportunity to give the greatest gift off all, an introduction to skiing. Two of my co-workers came with me to Gore, neither of them ever setting foot into a pair of ski boots.
The entire drive up the Northway was filled with rain. While skiing in rain can be enjoyable due to the soft goodies it gives you, I worried these two would get wet, cold, and lose interest really fast. After a short demo and practice in front of the lodge, we got onto the Sunway lift and as if it were through some divine intervention, the rain changed over to snow and suddenly we had perfect conditions.
This first run off the lift was a little aggressive. Jamboree, the green to looker's right at the mid-station can be a little steep for someone with no experience. We made it down, but after a number of falls we hit the Greenway Conveyor and Bear Cub poma. This bunny hill proved to be a better place to learn the magic of turning.
After a break for lunch, it was back to the Sunway lift, this time to the top to ski Lower Sunway. Again, some slightly steep sections and the double fall line near the end proved difficult, but all in all, these were great runs. By the end of the day, one of the new shredders even rode the Northwoods Gondola to the top of Bear Mountain and skied all way down with only a few falls, an incredible feat.
Of course, any intro to skiing is not complete without some après-ski, so it was off to the Tannery Restaurant and Pub for some shots of GM and beers.
A great day of shredding the gnar. On behalf of our community of die-hards, I am happy to welcome our two newest rippers.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
The entire drive up the Northway was filled with rain. While skiing in rain can be enjoyable due to the soft goodies it gives you, I worried these two would get wet, cold, and lose interest really fast. After a short demo and practice in front of the lodge, we got onto the Sunway lift and as if it were through some divine intervention, the rain changed over to snow and suddenly we had perfect conditions.
This first run off the lift was a little aggressive. Jamboree, the green to looker's right at the mid-station can be a little steep for someone with no experience. We made it down, but after a number of falls we hit the Greenway Conveyor and Bear Cub poma. This bunny hill proved to be a better place to learn the magic of turning.
After a break for lunch, it was back to the Sunway lift, this time to the top to ski Lower Sunway. Again, some slightly steep sections and the double fall line near the end proved difficult, but all in all, these were great runs. By the end of the day, one of the new shredders even rode the Northwoods Gondola to the top of Bear Mountain and skied all way down with only a few falls, an incredible feat.
Of course, any intro to skiing is not complete without some après-ski, so it was off to the Tannery Restaurant and Pub for some shots of GM and beers.
A great day of shredding the gnar. On behalf of our community of die-hards, I am happy to welcome our two newest rippers.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Friday, December 5, 2014
La Vie Grand Marnier
Après-ski is a vital part of any ski good ski outing. For those of you that don't know what it is, here is the definition.
après-ski (noun): a time to sit back, relax, and get totally obliterate after a hard day of skiing
My first experience with après-ski came on Ian's Birthday Weekend at Keystone, Colorado. When walking back through the village to the parking lot, we noticed a bar called 9280'. I said to my ski buddy, "Hey, that place looks pretty cool, want to go grab a drink?"
Well when you walk into this bar, there is a huge advertisement for Grand Marnier, so obviously it is the first thing we ordered. GM is an orange-flavored cognac and taking a shot of it is the perfect way to start your next après experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJIuRas1fOo
Na Zdrowie!
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Where I Find My Heaven
Ski tunes are a necessary part of any ski day. Last year while pulling into Breckenridge, my ski buddy Ian started a tradition. Each time we pull up to a ski town or to the parking lot of a local's hill we play Where I Find My Heaven (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57p2uOK4g6Q). You may recognize this song from Dumb and Dumber, it is played when Harry and Loyd get on their new motorcycle and head into Aspen.
This song is perfect for two reasons. First is that it lets any skier recreate that epic moment when Harry and Loyd come over the pass and head into Aspen (don't worry, we don't actually pee our pants while driving, though bathroom breaks are not recommended when driving to get first tracks). Secondly, the song perfectly describes my heaven, any ski area in the world.
Enjoy!
-Steve
"Born on Ice, Perfected in Powder"
This song is perfect for two reasons. First is that it lets any skier recreate that epic moment when Harry and Loyd come over the pass and head into Aspen (don't worry, we don't actually pee our pants while driving, though bathroom breaks are not recommended when driving to get first tracks). Secondly, the song perfectly describes my heaven, any ski area in the world.
Enjoy!
-Steve
"Born on Ice, Perfected in Powder"
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Meaning Behind the Name
This was an easy decision for me. There is a legend in the ski community named Warren Miller. In 1950, Warren produced his first ski film, Deep and Light. For those of you not familiar, his films are shot at various locations around the world. There is no plot, just footage of skiers and riders ripping sick lines set to music. In the early days, Warren narrated in person. Things have changed since that first movie, but his witty, dry humor, choice of tunes, and epic footage have created a following.
Snowriders, Warren's movie in 1996, opens up at Copper Mountain, Colorado. Copper sits just off of I-70, an interstate highway that runs east-west through the middle of America. The stretch of that road that runs through Colorado is legendary. Just off of that road sits not only Copper, but also Loveland, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Vail, and Beaver Creek. Because of all these ski areas, Warren made a joke in that Robert Redford was directing a movie called "A Highway Runs Through It", a pun on his 1992 film "A River Runs Through It".
Now that I have moved back to New York, you may think this name no longer applies. However, my two favorite ski areas in the east, Whiteface Mountain and Gore Mountain, both lie (some miles) off of I-87, The Adirondack Northway. So while this season I don't get to drive on I-70, the best stretch of 50 miles of road in the world, I do get to get back to my roots and drive The Northway like I did as a kid.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Snowriders, Warren's movie in 1996, opens up at Copper Mountain, Colorado. Copper sits just off of I-70, an interstate highway that runs east-west through the middle of America. The stretch of that road that runs through Colorado is legendary. Just off of that road sits not only Copper, but also Loveland, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Vail, and Beaver Creek. Because of all these ski areas, Warren made a joke in that Robert Redford was directing a movie called "A Highway Runs Through It", a pun on his 1992 film "A River Runs Through It".
Now that I have moved back to New York, you may think this name no longer applies. However, my two favorite ski areas in the east, Whiteface Mountain and Gore Mountain, both lie (some miles) off of I-87, The Adirondack Northway. So while this season I don't get to drive on I-70, the best stretch of 50 miles of road in the world, I do get to get back to my roots and drive The Northway like I did as a kid.
-Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected In Powder"
Welcome to A Highway Runs Through It
This is a blog about skiing. I have been skiing since I was 3 years old when my parents put me on my first pair of planks in Stowe, Vermont. Since that moment, every ski day has been the "best day of my life".
For the past 4 years I had the privilege of living in Colorado. Those seasons with my ski buddies have been incredible. It is the realization that these epic experiences, and inspiration from my friend and West Point classmate Katie (she write a wonderful blog on decorating called at www.lifewithadashofwhimsy.com), that have pushed me to want to write this.
I have a little catching up to do, but I will give review of each ski day I have all season (right now I already have 4, those reviews are coming shortly). But I won't only write about each day, I'll give a review of restaurants, bars, parties, gear, culture...anything that relates to skiing.
Now this is my first attempt at writing a blog. I have absolutely no experience, so bare with me, but if you do, I think you will like what you read.
Hope you enjoy,
Steve
"Born On Ice, Perfected on Powder"
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