A few short clips and a good tune(pun intended)

So, I've been pretty busy lately and haven't been very motivated to write here. Although, I do have a good post coming up shortly....stay tuned(to all 3 of you who follow). In the mean time, here is a short video from a few different storms to keep you entertained....

It's all sliding on snow...

One afternoon last week I stopped at the ski shop to grab a pair of skis, poke around, hang out and add some more items to my mental wish list. I started talking with a fellow ski bum who works there. We were chatting about the lack of snow, boring conditions and how we stay interested during the times when the skiing isn't spectacular. She told me she went out snowboarding last week. I was kind of surprised but it wasn't total disbelief. It got me thinking about my brief and fairly lackluster career as a snowboarder. As much as I would like to add some challenge and excitement this season, I don't think snowboarding is the answer for me. I can still ride a snowboard but I'm not at that point, not yet anyway. 

Later in our conversation we were talking about different ways of sliding on snow. I was talking about how I grew up as an alpine skier, snowboarded briefly(mostly because I thought it was cool), went back to alpine and eventually found my calling as a telemark skier. She started telling me that she recently had been Nordic(cross country) skiing a lot lately and I told her that I had never been. This is where she made a point that was worth thinking  a lot about. I don't remember exactly how she put it but it was somewhere along the lines of, "If sliding on snow is that much a part of your life, why shouldn't you be able to do it all.". This had me thinking...

There was a few hours in my schedule today and I was headed over to Pico to run some laps on the Outpost. I knew it was going to be small bumps with icy patches in between and it would be a struggle to keep it fun after 5 or 6 runs. On my way there, the conversation from last week popped into my head, "Why shouldn't you be able to do it all?". Yep, I am going cross country skiing today! A quick u-turn and I'm headed to Mountain Meadows....

The folks at Base Camp Outfitters/Mountain Meadows hooked me up with a set up, gave me a quick rundown on what to do and I was off. Now I've been standing on skis and sliding on snow pretty much since I could walk but this was different. I almost fell down as soon as took my first step! It was a lot like trying to play hockey on the most dull skates imaginable with them untied. I forged ahead, figuring it out as I went. I probably only skied 3 miles today but I went downhill, I went uphill, and I went around the lake. It was a great workout, I was shedding layers every 100 yards until all i had left was a t shirt. The skis were returned and I went on my way with a new found respect for Nordic skiing. Will I be at it again tomorrow? Probably not, mainly because it is snowing and the mountain will be more fun. However, I am intrigued and my ego won't allow me to be just mediocre at something. I will learn to be a proficient Nordic skier! 

"Why shouldn't I be able to do it all?"

It becomes a part of you...

Most people go skiing a couple of times a year. On Friday night after work, your parents pack the car with the luggage, the food, and the skis, meet up with the other family that is going and get on the road headed to your favorite ski resort town. Just over the line in NH you stop at the state run liquor store so Mom and Dad can pick up the libations for the weekend and get back on the road. Late that night you pull into the condo or rental house, unpack all the gear, the adults have a cocktail and the kids head to bed to dream of the great day you are going to have tomorrow. Everybody wakes up in the morning, long before the alarm, excited for the day ahead. After a quick breakfast and one more equipment check to make sure everything is in order everyone gathers around to make the plan for the day. You would think you were in the war room planning a covert operation! Now that all the logistics have been worked out and the trail maps are put away you are finally headed to the mountain, after all, the lifts open in an hour and you NEED to be on first chair. After a quick pit stop at the ski shop, because somebody undoubtedly forgot something, you are finally on the chairlift excitedly looking over the trail map, that you have been studying for 2 weeks prior planning out your runs. Now it's 4 o'clock and you've skied from first chair to last chair, stopping only  for a sandwich that mom made and to check in with the adults. You feel like the most independent kid in the world!!!
With the ski day over, everyone heads back to have spaghetti and meatballs...or steaks cooked in the fireplace because the grill ran out of propane. The adults get into the cocktails and the kids play games and everybody reminisces about the day. Exhausted, sleep comes easy for everyone. The next morning the car gets packed up and you are headed back to the flatland, you can't wait to tell all your friends about the amazing ski weekend you had! It's these times that I will cherish forever and can't thank my parents enough for making them possible. Unknowingly, or possibly knowingly, they were planting a seed that would continue to grow forever.

Fast forward through high school and the college/work/college/work/college years.....I was able to get some days in with bus trips and the occasional weekend with friends. It wasn't the same as the family ski trips of my youth, but it was enough to keep the seed growing....

As I began to make my own way in this world I realized that I wanted, scratch that, I needed, to make skiing an integral part of my life. As it turns out, I made life part of my skiing. Somewhat by happenstance,  I chose a career that allowed me to do so....boats. For the last 6 or 7 years I have been laid off in the winter allowing me to spend my winter skiing 60, 70, 80+ days a season. While that isn't nearly as many days as some of the local bums, it is still respectable for a flatlander like myself. This lifestyle isn't for everyone and requires some sacrifice to pull it off. First off, financial security pretty much goes out the window when you don't work for three months of the year. There have been times where I should have gone home but had to wait for an unemployment check to clear before I had the money for the gas to get home. When everyone in your ski house is going out to dinner or out to the bar for the night, you are staying home to watch TV. It works out most of the time though because you're not too hungover to ski in the morning. You learn to live on free wings at happy hour and half price burritos. It's not healthy, but we're talking about sacrifices and they taste good. Secondly, trying to maintain a lasting relationship with the fairer sex is not easy. Apparently you can't disappear for 3 weeks, come home to pay the rent and head back for another 3 weeks. A lot of women are understanding but not when you cancel date night because there is a storm coming and you have to get there before it does. The point is, skiing becomes your life and your top priority. There are a ton of perks that come with this lifestyle too. You meet the locals and get in on the local beta; where to go first on a powder day, where to find freshies three days later, how to get in to the Pickle Barrel without paying the $20 cover, and which bar has the best happy hour specials, just to name a few. You volunteer for the mountain to get your pass, and you hang around the local shop until they put you on the "Pro Team" to get your gear. A ski bum isn't what you wanted to be, it's just who you've become.

This year I took a new job. I am getting older, the lifestyle, it is a lifestyle, is getting less appealing and I have my future to think about. It doesn't allow me the freedom to be a total ski bum, I might only get to ski 40 or 50 days this year, but it is still in the boating industry and there is always down time in the winter. I am typing this in front of the fire at the ski house in Killington. I may have to cut my day short to send emails and make phone calls or head home for a meeting right before a powder day.  I may be able to go out for dinner or go out to the bar once in a while now. I might even be able to afford my own gear or my own season pass, but I will always be a ski bum. It is who I've become and will always be a part of who I am.......

Let's start using this thing again

So it has been a long time since I dusted off the blog but a lot has changed since then and I spend more time on this computer than I have in a long time. So for the 3 of you that follow it....I'm back!

POWDER DAY!!!! (well not really)

Just like this quick storm, this is going to be a quick post. It wasn't spectacular but considering what we have been skiing on it was just fine! We picked up a good 4 inches of quality base builder. The coverage is still a little thin but it's a step in the right direction at least! More later, but for now I have to trek it back to the flats. Keep a lookout for another ski review.....Blizzard Bonafide=FLIPPIN SWEET!!!!!!!

Head Peak 84 ski review

Thanks to the good people at Base Camp Outfitters, I got out on the Head Peak 84 in a 184cm length for the past couple days. The conditions were anywhere from hard pack(ice) to soft crud(slush). This ski handled it all quite well. It was unbelievably stable at eye watering speed and held on tight during long hard turns on hardpack. In soft wet snow this ski blew through the crud without issue. In bumps it was a little slow edge to edge but that has a lot to do with the length I was skiing. This is a very predictable, unbelievably damp ski that loves to go fast! If you push on it, it doesn’t push back too hard. Personally that isn’t my style but I don’t want to take away from this great ski. If you like to ski in control on a ski that won’t punish you for any mistakes or flaws in your technique this is the ski for you!!!

Done beng lazy with this thing

So I have been slacking for over a year with this blog. But I realize now that I really don't have much else to do after skiing so I will be updating more frequently

Get 'em ready! The ropes are dropped and things are under way!!

     I'm back!! Albeit a little late this year. For all 4 of you that read this regularly; Sorry I'm late this year, things were a little busy in the flatland world of boating. I am still working for another 6 or 7 weeks so the updates will be limited to what I hear from the birds on the hill and a couple of weekend warriors.
     Okay, down to business. Due to the new Peak Walkway or "Stairway to Heaven" if you will, K Town was able to open earlier this season since they didn't have to connect the top to the bottom. How does this work? Ride the gondy up, ski over to the North Ridge, run some early season laps( how many can you do? you know those dumbells you were meaning to use to get ready for the season are still collecting dust) When your done, climb 2 flights of stairs and take the walkway across what used to be Heavenly Traverse back to the peak for a Gondo ride back to the car.
     I know, I know, at first I wasn't happy about  losing the traverse but just think, it will keep Catwalk fresh for only those who are ambitious enough for the "hike" to the top. Hopefully this will come in handy for some late season goggle tanning on the Ridge too.
     From what I've been told, the Ridge is skiing great for early season and they should be blowing snow and dropping more ropes quickly. I should be able to get up there next weekend and have a more detailed report for you, but for now, dust off the gear, tune up the skis, and go check it out for yourself.
     
    

Ridiculous....

There is more snow than you can imagine. Everything is open and amazing. Get some rest, you have three more powder days to go! 'nuff said.

Just get here!

This is going to be short because there is not much to say. There is about 8" on the ground and it is coming down! Tomorrow will start out with at least a foot in the morning and be free refills all day. This is simple...call in sick, call in well, just quit and then beg for your job back on Monday. Do what you gots to do, but get here!

Smiles and Giggles.....

In the words of the great Jerry Garcia-"I spent a little time on the mountain, I spent a little time on the hill. I heard someone say 'better run away', others say 'better stand still' ". So during my time on the hill today I had a moment of total consciousness, which is nice. So I realized that we really didn't get that much snow in the last storm and it was just my longing for snow that made it seem so remarkable. Don't get me wrong, I would never turn my nose up at any fresh snow. Nevertheless, that snow has served it's purpose and things are starting to get a bit thin and tracked out in all but the most secret fun spots. Which brings me to what matters now. There is more snow on the way!!! It looks like this may be the storm we've all been waiting for. My best guess is for at least a foot with the potential for two or more. I love when snow gets measured in feet! So if you live in the flats, "better run away" and if you are already here, "better stand still". For those of you who can't get here, I will try to post every night so you can continue living vicariously through me. You're welcome.

Ski House Chili

This is a quick and easy chili that can be thrown together after happy hour and still have time for a nap after dinner...

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds ground beef or turkey
1 package sweet italian sausage (removed from casings)
1 medium onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 small can of green chiles
2 large jars Southwest style salsa(black bean and corn)
1 large jar regular tomato salsa
2 cans white Cannelini or kidneybeans(rinsed and strained)
2 cans red kidney beans(rinsed and strained)
1/4 cup brown sugar

In a large pot saute chopped onions and peppers until just beginning to get soft( do not caramelize). Add ground beef and sausage. Cook until beef and sausage are fully cooked constantly chopping and stirring to mix beef and sausage. Strain off fat and grease. Stir in all salsa and brown sugar. Stir in all beans. Cover and simmer over medium heat 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve with shredded cheddar, chopped onion and sour cream if desired.

It's about gosh darn,mother luvin time!!!!!!!

Here it is fellers.....K-town got some snow! For the first time in the history of snow reporting, I think Killington UNDER reported its snow total. Maybe it was just the fact that we haven't skied on significant snow since New Years or maybe the snow just drifted in just right, but today was epic.....ish. Killington called it 5, however my last run yesterday afternoon was in at least 5. I'm going to call it 7+. Not exactly what I estimated, but I've been wrong before and 7 is better than 0. I had the chance to get first tracks down OL and it was "tele" waist deep in the troughs. Once I found the rythym it was face shots all the way to the bottom. Unfortunately that only lasted for one run since every Noobtard on vacation clung to OL like ants on a sugarcube. However Iwas able to get 4 or 5 laps on The Fiddle before it got skied out; no rock launches but tons o fun just the same. The trees have filled in nicely and there should be plenty of freshies still to be tracked out tomorrow in some of the lesser known spots, which I purposely skipped today so I would have somthing to play in tomorrow. I am not going to give any "trail of the day" reports just yet because I am selfish that way and I'm not sure who's reading. But I will tell you this, Devils Den is seriously a waste of time and skis. I would not ski in there again with your skis!

Frustrating.....but looking better.

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but my patience in dealing with this recent dry spell is wearing thin. We haven't had significant snowfall since New Years week and it's been difficult to get excited about skiing on groomers. I have tried everything to keep it interesting; I've tried NTN, locked my heels and even skied in jeans! Okay no jeans, but I'm ready to. However, things are starting to look up around here. According to a couple local weather shamans, a hippy who still teles in leather, and a witch doctor, there is snow on the way! Without getting in to the North Atlantic Oscillation Index's positive and negative trends and high pressure blocking ridges, just be aware that a Powder Day may very well be on the horizon. While there is plenty of speculation as to how many glorious inches of goodness will reign down upon us, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we will get 9-13" by Friday here in K Town. That may be a tad overzealous considering nobody else has given a prediction yet, but hey, Go wrong, Go strong! In the meantime, say your prayers do your dances and keep your tips crossed....

Slacking....

OK OK OK, the fan has been asking for it so here it is......

I have always given credit where it is due, so with that being said I have to give mad props(YO) to the Killington groomers and snowmakers. They have done a great job keeping the hill in quality skiing shape. Killington has been skiing well despite the challenging, and extremely frustrating, weather pattern. The northeast has been unusually dry lately.....except for one place :) That's right, Jay Peak folks, Jay gosh darn, motherluvin Peak. I am embarrassed to say when, but we, the hardcore skiing(sorry Alex) members of Sal's Place decided that we were overly bored with the groomers of Killington and decided to make the pilgrimage up to Jay. We left Ktown and the Pickle behind on a Friday night and headed to The Couples House in Waitsfield. Thanks to the generousity of the man, the myth, the legend, Steve Klafky, we were able to crash on his couch and floor(again, credit where it is due). The alarms went off at 5:30 and we were on the road by 6:00. With the exception of a breakfast sandwich/petrol/wrong gas station stop, the ride to Jay was smooth sailing. We were there early enough to boot up, catch first Tram, and get to the goods before anyone else. Damn it was cold, but the goods were great! It had snowed all week, with a at least a foot that had fallen on Thursday. But we went on Saturday, how could we possibly get freshies? You see the mountain was on wind hold on Friday so, ipso facto...Powder Day! It was a little wind slabby in spots, but for the most part every acre of the legendary tree skiing at Jay Peak was full of stoke. I'm not gonna carry on and continue to tell you how epic each run was, but you get the point. We skied from first Tram until well after 3:00, unheard of at Killington. In true Sal's Place representation, we found the bar at the newly erected(hehehe ERECT), Tram Haus Lodge. A handful of Tram Ales later, we loaded into the Dupuis Family Truckster, with a few sodas of course, and began the journey back towards Ktown. Along the way we stopped off at the BBQ joint near MRG to bear witness to the Man vs. Food competition between two Couples House members. The skinny guy lost, but did he really? We finally made it back to Sal's around midnight, completely exhausted, half pickled and still grinning from the epicality of the day. Overall I'm gonna go ahead and call it an 9 on the EI.........

It's only rock and roll but i like it...

I'm back from my tour with POM and Shinedown. I NEED SLEEP!!!! The rock and roll thing is lots o fun but there is whole lot of work that has to happen to make it work. I will post more later, but for now....sleepy time.

Dude, I'm with the band!

My posts are going to be minimal for the next week or so, as I am back in the flatland preparing to go out on the road with a genuine rock and roll band. I was offered a quick gig driving a truck for Puddle of Mudd on the New England leg of their tour. Due to the fact that I am broke(and my desire to show my laminate and say 'I'm with the band'), I've decided to put my ski bumming on hold for a week, let my leg heal, and do this thing. Please feel free to update me on how things are in the world of Ullr and I will update some non-skiing shenanigans as I go.

Weekend Recap

Things went pretty well for MLK weekend up here in K-town. The mountain was as busy as can be expected for a holiday weekend, but all in all wasn't too bad. There were a few sightings of 'Open Jacket Jean Skiers', but that's to be expected and provides entertainement for those of us who don't ski in jeans(and for those of us who do). There is still plenty of snow in the trees if you know where to look. I know I was all,"the fiddle is gonna be great" all week, but the warm afternoon sun finally caught up to it and the snow has set up over there, leaving frozen Vdub sized bumps on the lower half. The "Cliff" is still fun and filled with snow, however the landing is similar to a hardwood floor sprinkled with baby powder(yes Drew, that was funny but I only lost one ski). With about 8" of new snow, albeit wet, in the last couple of days and a bit more on the way, expect things to get better as the week goes on. I was told MRG was real good on Saturday considering that snow has been scarce in these here parts. MRG had decent coverage and nice hero bumps if you were willing to overlook a few thin spots, but hey it's a mountain, not Coney Island! MRG has also picked up a few inches of what they call "micro powder" and should help cover up the moss. All the crowds are gone and we can have or mountains back. I don't expect a 'Powder Day' this week, but without using some tracked out cliche, Enjoy!

Friday's Recap and Weekend Outlook

Today was basically the same as yesterday. It was a little warmer but damp and real windy. The snow was soft and hard pack was scarce. I didn't take too many runs(sore thigh) so I don't have too much to report. Devils Fiddle wasn't as good as the last two days but the guns are off, it is fully covered and that will be huge come April. There is no Pick of the Day today as I didn't ski enough to make a fair pick.

Saturday Outloook

The Liars are calling for warmer temps(mid 30's) and bluebird skies. that should soften up the snow even more and make the bumps fit for heroes. Expect a fairly large crowd for the "holiday" weekend, my sources tell me Killington reservations are 90% booked. Be prepared for a 20 minute gondola line, 10 minute singles, and enough jean skiing to talk about. I'm looking forward to hitting a few spots that I scouted this week that should still be swell. I would be willing to bet that every Noobtard that checked out the Killington snow report will be flocking to The Fiddle like the Salmon of Capostrano, but the snow will be great over there and there will be plenty of entertainment. All in all expect tomorrow to be a great day, although a bit crowded. I'll go out on a limb and say it will be an 8 on the EI.

Is that Mike Dupuis?

These are actually real signs!

Warmer temps and snow guns...

Another nice day at Kmart. The temps topped out at around 25 which felt like a heat wave compared to yesterday. My "job" had me on Skye Peak today so I was able to do a little more exploring on that side of the hill. They are still blowing snow on The Fiddle and it is SWEET! Ran a bunch of laps over there and even launched 'the rock' straight on, stomped the landing and proceeded to go out the front and somersault away. That's always good in a Killington coat in front of ten people, we'll see if I hear about that one... The trees near Superstar are marginal, but Growler, Den and The Stairs are skiing real well. Enjoy it now. The MLK crowd is on its way.

Skippers
Superstar
The Stash(bro)
Stitch Line

Hitters
Vertigo Headwall
Skyeburst
The Stairs

Pick of The Day
Devils Fiddle(still)

The Boat Show is over and Ski Season 09-10 can commence!

I got into town yesterday afternoon and plan on being here for a while. I got out REAL early this morning to fulfill my obligations as an information specialist. It was about 5 degrees this morning but warmed up to about 15 as the day went on and the wind was light, so all in all the weather was good, if not just a little cold. I wasn't sure what kind of shape the snow would be in since I haven't been up in a week+ and there hasn't been any significant snow in just as long. I was surprised to see that mountain was in great shape. The groomers are skiing real nice with a few firm spots and the occasional ice patch. On my first run I took Racers only to find that it was closed at Flush, which turned out to be not terrible,but nothing you want to run laps on. All of the usual fun spots still had good cover and were skiing well. I managed to do a little exploring and found a couple of new spots with a few soft, fresh turns. The buzz on the mountain today was Devil's Fiddle. For the first time in as long as I can remember, they've lit up the guns on the Fiddle. I went over to check it out and ended up making three runs under the guns, soft and buttery is the only way I can describe it. All in all, a really good day. I'll call it a 6 on the EI.

Trails you can skip:
Downdraft
Royal Flush
Cascade Headwall
Ovation

Trails you should hit:
Pipe Dream(skiers left)
Highline(under the guns)
Breakaway
%*^$%^$&(I'm not gonna give that one up)

Pick of the Day:
Devil's Fiddle

Time to get this thing running like it was supposed to.

I've been slacking on my blog updates, big time! In my own defense, my season started real slow. For starters, I had to work right up until Christmas(bullshit!), then I was intoxicated until yesterday, but now I'm back. I will give a quick recap from my last post:
November sucked, skied on brown snow and walked to the gondola.
December: made one weekend trip with RI Joe, BAMM!!!, but had to leave early Sunday morning because someone wanted to get drunk for the Pats game plus we had a blizzard in the flatland(see Tits on a Bull). Then I had to do a family pre-Christmas in NH, snuck away to get a day at Waterville Valley, wasn't bad, real cold, but always fun. I finally made it back here right after Christmas, the hill was more of a rink when I got here but got better everyday, 40" in 7 days. The trees opened up for 'safe' skiing and were skiing great, even Dupuis wanted to ski(unheard of). On the last day of snow I had to leave to go back to the flatland to set up a Boat Show, it was a tough sell, but I was kind of beat up so it wasn't that bad. There is a whole lot of New Year's drunken debauchery that I left out, if you want to read about it check out www.306deanhill.blogspot.com .

Late Start

Winter is taking it's damn sweet time to get here this year and I'm not sure how I feel about that. In my own little fantasy world that means that when it does get here it is here to stay. There is about 10" up top from the weekend and the snowmakers are ready to go. So do your snow dances and pray for cold weather...... In the meantime grab a six pack, an old ski porn and spend a couple of nights getting your gear dialed in for the season.(By the way, the iron you use on your skis doesn't do well for clothes after that....looks like you'll have to use the, 10 minutes with a wet towel in the dryer, trick again.) Be patient, soon it will all be okay.