Down in a Hole...

...finding my soul. Near heavenly powder has redefined my relationship with frozen water. Gratitude, awe, and excitement are all wrapped up in my heart and mind as we continue to experience such inspiring and gratifying snow. Counting the blessings is a non-stop task...like counting the multitude of six-pointed crystals.

Here is a small map of where we have, mostly, been skiing.

Edelweiss Bowl, Christmas Tree Bowl, Telemark Bowl, Columbia Bowls, then, off the backside of that giant Glory Bowl, we hit up Coal Creek for over 3000' of vertical. Holy Snowflake, it was good! All of it! Some videos below may back me up on that statement. This photo, from near the top of Glory Bowl, shows Edelweiss (big open area with some sun) and the Olympic Bowl etc. in front of that.

The brother's and I have caught the BC bug, bad. Our great host, Ben, has provided us with the information and gear to safely navigate some of the finer and relatively safe(r) back-country skiing at Teton Pass. Skinny Skis hooked me up with some stiff boots and climbing skins, completely necessary for what we were choosing to do.

Is there such a thing as "too fat?"

When isn't Honey digging for something?

It seems that our paths are about to separate, as the lil' bro's are likely to head east soon. The wind under my wings is gently pushing me further west. Having some four (4) different friends in California makes it hard to stop here in Jackson. Oh wait, a few more live in So Cal but I doubt I'll get that far south. Time alone, oh, time will tell.

Mo Chases Co Video

Mo Spins Too Much or Not Enough

 Adam Makes 360's Look Easy

Mo Makes 720's Look a Bit Harder

True Tree Skiing

As my favorite telemark guru says: Ski Hard, Play Fair, Have Fun!!! Can do!

Song Comes True

No Longer "goin' to Jackson." We took the song's advice.

We left CO and headed NE to WY, KWIM? Thats" know what I mean."

The small town  of Jackson glows under moon- and starlight. Very little light pollution, nice. Our host, Sir Benjammin', has thoroughly made sure that we have had plenty of what we need: food, water, climbing skins, avy beacons, probes, shovels, you know, the shtuff you'd need to live on the moon, er, to save a fellow being from pre-mature and impermanent burial (It's a different world when the snow can kill you).

Super host, if he is on a couchsurfing website then surely look him up...that is, if you like cattywompus qweeirdness and good coffee!

It waits....

Choice can be a vice...

Our sherpa, Bailey Hinkle, was loyal, strong, and waaaaaay better than Honey...I'm working on it.

This oblong and flat stuff is hoarfrost, not snow. Sublimation makes it happen...

~~~~~~~

Wild tricky mogully steep creek crossing vid:

Rocky Road, a favorite flavor

Skinless Brother Awaits Fresh Tracks.
Earn Your Turns.

...

Mo, AMC, Zach and Honey

Mount Niwot, named after Chief Niwot, who supposedley cursed his fellow back-stabbing white miner cohabitants/invaders.

 Some think that nearby Boulder's super-trendy glamorous-green eco-ways have undone the curse.  " And the depressed pundit said 'Not as long as coal is burned to produce most people's power, eh?'"

Two days in a row, earning turns on long stretches of back roads in the Indian Peaks wilderness. Sunlight comes strong on day two, yet most of our path is shaded. We love shade; its power to preserve snow is priceless. Likely off to plow through the cowboy state of endless tumbleweeds and barren earth...and a tiny (only in size) anomaly known as Jackson. Reports show they have recieved 30 (thirty) inches of snow in the past day, over 80 (eighty!) in the past few days.

I'm Going To Jackson.

These boys don't pass up on extreme fluctuations in elevation. Not to mention the buzz it gives you...
 

Honey is getting whipped into shape following us up and down and up and down and up and....

TURN DOWN YOUR SPEAKERS...IT'S WINDY!

Head out on the Road!

Honey took some time to figure out that home was actually a transitory vehicle speeding away from police (aka dogcatchers) and the drudgery of the wet east. She only ran away at every other gas or rest stop...thus, our truip took a bit more than we thought. Instead of twenty four (twenty-four) hours, it only took 3 (three) days. Really. That means that we will show up in CO tomorrow. Time travel can be weird like that, esp. when you are racing the sun and going against the earth-rotation grain.

The Boys and Honey making their way west...no laughing or joking happened the whole way. Really.

I woke up in Kansas, after some dreary eeeeearly morning driving, and would you believe it, the place was flat and cold! The nice hay bails made it a bit more familiar..."Look, gigantic Frosted Shredded Wheat!" 

 Well, we made it. The sun shone on the Rockies for a few minutes in the early morning, then the day proceeded to be cloudy...a rare sight, according to Rad Ad. The clouds never seem to stop following us....ah, the storm that can be a life. Will keep any who check posted on the journey. The snow is coming here and further west...the east has been good to us so far though, we still love you! Until next time, keep your head high and feet dancing.

Melting Bliss

The Finest Arses on the East Coast being taught the infamous, and rarely survived, Overlook Jump.

Al and friends made it across the Blackwater River with only a few audible cracks below the feet...yikes.

Ah yesh, the Blackwater gettin' its Mojo frozen.

Tree: half in sun, half not. See.
Chip B. and I had the pleasure to shred Upper Springer with not more than the sunshine and half-blindedness. Get out.

The bros and I are about to embark on a lil' trip west. CO, perhaps some WY, maybe CA, Mexico, Hawai'i, Japan, China, down to Thailand...stay there forever. Nice knowin' ya. It's been good in the land of milk and money.

If snow could drown you...

...we'd all be dead.

While it is a bit late, some old pals and I had a wonderous rip-run below Baldy last night. See below, it ends early due to a crash by the camera man.



Later on in the huge storm that has made the skiing so better than CO, Adam stole Robbie's limelight and scooted down with keen speed. Look out folks, Robbie  has definatley converted to free-heeling it, well, maybe he is still bi, but the bug is deep in his gut! He's got the tele turn down quite nice, to be sure.



Words describe things, yet they are surely limiters, so perhaps I'll put no extra filler to describe how awesome the weather has been lately.

Friends and snow = thankfulness.

   

Robbie flies sk(y)i high

What a great off-season use for Ol' Yellow

Rad Ad flips out at the Springer Pond

Bald Knob shack prayer session: Ullr, more snow, please.

Stay tuned, comment with vigor, ask lots of questions of your self and each day, take my advice and throw it at the wall and tell me what you get, and, for sure, check out your sun.