Turns are turns right?

I guess I have to admit it, not all turns are created equal. And while we have certainly had some powder days this year, many of which I've been lucky enough to enjoy, we don't have much of a base. So far, we've had none of those bottomless days where you can ski anywhere and the grin won't wipe off your face for days. Yesterday we had an inch of powder on a wicked crust, and the skiing was, well, sketchy. Not an excuse to stay home though.

Skiing on these sorts of days, for me, means altering my goals. Sure, we spent a lot of time talking about skiing and hopes for powder, but what was it really about? Enjoying all that sunshine!

And taking advantage of the easy skinning (no need to really "break trail") to find some interesting new zones. Plus, any skiing with a view like this is sweet in my book, especially when you have it all to yourself and a few friends.

The trees required some definite survival skiing skills yesterday, but it was fun nonetheless, and we'll be back when the snow is deeper.

Some solid turns...

Pete took advantage of a break in the sunshine to scrape the ice off the bottom off his ski (incurred during a stream crossing). We were only 20 minutes from the car and the sun was shining, so I went swimming. For some reason though I couldn't convince anyone else that it was a good idea.

In the end it's like going on a hike to a new place on a beautiful sunny day with friends, and you happen to get a few bonus ski turns in. Doesn't sound so bad when you phrase it that way right?

Dust on Crust

There's some classic east coast skiing out there right now - yup, our favorite, dust on crust. Fortunately, there is a fair amount of dust. So while the skiing in the backcountry right now is variable and technical, it's also really fun and rewarding if you hit the right zones.

We got out for a pretty extended tour this weekend, and worked in a couple of major descents. Long descents mean long approaches though. There's no question that you spend most of your time hiking when doing this sort of thing.

When you rip this skins off and ski 1500 plus vertical feet of untracked snow it always seems to be worth it though.

There's been plenty of bemoaning the lack of winter this year. I'm as guilty as anyone, but then again, it isn't bad once you get out there, and that's pretty much been the case for a month now.

Plus, the long term weather forecast is looking better than is has all winter. Cheers to that.

An Image for a Rainy Day

The weather today is not doing much to inspire much enthusiasm for backcountry skiing - looks like it will be a day to stay inside and ride the trainer. But as I was scrolling through some photos this morning I came across this one from a couple of weekends ago. The snow was phenomenal then and it will be again soon.

"New people, new places"

Thanks for the title Pete. Saturday was one of those days in the woods that reminded me just why it is that I love Vermont so much. After meeting up with some old friends in the morning, we headed out to meet some new folks to ski a tree stash off a high central Vermont ridgeline. Coffee had us charged up and ready, and after following some nordic ski/snowshoe trails we veered off toward said lines. As is typical of Vermont, getting to the good skiing required some creative skinning through some tight conifer sections.

But once we got there the morning snow clouds moved off and the sun came out. I wish I could spend everyday in spots like this.

And just like that skins came off, layers, googles, and snacks came out of packs, and we caught a sweet untracked line down through hardwoods.

Sure, there was a slight crust below the 6 inches of new snow thanks to last weeks warming event, which made the skiing a little bit trickier than normal. But that didn't keep us from smiling down as we enjoyed some fantastic turns.

Though another foot or two would be really nice, but the backcountry is starting to come into it's own. Good stuff, and a big thanks to the friends who made it happen.

More Weekend Images

A few more images from a phenomenal weekend of skiing in the mountains of Vermont.

Winter Arrives For Real

Well we had to be patient this year, but winter kicked in into gear in a huge way this weekend. With 10-20 inches falling in the upper elevations of the Green Mountains over the course of Thursday and Friday, a wealth of lines were opened up for the first time this season. Clear skies and quick bursts of sun greeted us on Saturday...perfect conditions for seeking out powder stashes and hitting the first drops of the season. Today was equally good, and reports are the temps should be hit a balmy 20 degrees tomorrow for MLK day. Hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy it.

Car House Review: Pontiac Vibe

I've been meaning to throw this one up on the blog for awhile now, so here we go. I spend a lot of time on the road, more than I'd care to admit really. Much of that time is spent traveling to races on a self-financed shoestring budget, which means hotels, and even campgrounds are mostly out of the picture. I spend a lot of nights camped out on the side of the road, at highway rest stops, and on National Forest Land. Which makes having a bed in the car a must. For a little over a year I had a little platform set up in the back of my beloved Volvo 240, which was not very comfortable, but it got me through. Then last spring the Volvo finally kicked the bucket.

I needed a new car. I wanted something that got more than 30 miles a gallon, was reliable, and that I could sleep in. I ended up with a Pontiac Vibe. It's rad. I'm sure that the number of people shopping for cars with the same criteria as me is relatively small, but if you want a smallish car you can travel with, the Vibe is pretty sweet.

Without a roof rack milage is in the upper 30's. With a roof rack it drops to about 30 even, but I can carry a lot more stuff.

The inverter in the dash in incredibly useful on long road trips. I can charge my computer, phone, camera battery, and iPod without adapters or inverters. It's awesome.

The back of the Vibe. Lots of stuff packed in on the left, and the bed is on the right. A 2x4 and plywood base underneath the mattress keeps it level with the font seat (which folds flat), and allows for a little storage underneath.

There is a big, 3 inch thick foam pad in there. I have to say it's pretty comfy and not at all cramped. I usually sleep really well.

From the outside the Vibe doesn't look big enough to sleep in. But the front seat folds flat, which allows me to stretch out and sleep comfortably. When I'm driving the sleeping pad folds back and I can put the seat up.

Stuff sacks, crates, and storage bins galore. Anything to keep everything organized.

Everything packed in. It looks a little cramped, and to be sure, it's no Eurovan. But it works pretty darn well. Three straight months of living out of the Vibe this fall convinced me that, overall, it's a pretty good setup even for extended living. And for the quick weekend trip to a bike race outside of the state, you can't beat it.