It was a beautiful day for a race. Another year, another bout of punishing weather at the Breck Five Peaks. We haven’t had much luck timing the conditions at this event. Last year’s race course had to be modified due to cold and wind, which was so punishing we were just happy to reach the finish. It was kind of a bummer because we were looking forward to the cool...
Santa leads the charge across Warren Lakes. We’ve been running a little behind here, but I wanted to share a few photos from an awesome little hut trip we made on Christmas Eve. It’s been an annual ritual to book a nearby 10th Mtn or Braun Hut the night before Christmas, and escape the Aspen holiday madness (if only for 24 hours). This year we found ourselves up at the...
Early season powder? We’ll take it! We haven’t seen this much snow this early in years. Things are looking good. There’s a “major winter storm” heading our way, and if November was any indication, it could be a good year. Check out some photos from the early season skiing last month. (more…)
The third and final climb of the day, out of Lenado to Four Corners and home. In seasons like this, when the steeper backcountry skiing isn’t all that safe, we keep ourselves busy with races. And part of the fun in that is in the training days. Many of the seasons races are already behind us. The Power of Four, the Vail COSMIC (for Christy), and the Highlands Skimo Series...
Making our way up the East Snowmass Creek Valley. [Christy here] It’s been a different kind of winter this year. Not bad, just different. The little snow we’ve received so far has left us with a pretty unstable snow pack, and not-so-desirable ski lines in the backcountry. We haven’t skied any of the peaks were thinking about earlier this fall, have yet to ski with some of our closest ski...
Christy, descending Burnt Mountain towards Buttermilk. Low angle powder is OK, it’s the big backcountry descents that aren’t coming into shape. This winter has not been like those of the past few years. We’re happy the huge early-season dry spell that settled in across much of the west has passed, and that the conditions in the ski areas are finally good. Unfortunately, the instability in the thin snow pack that...
A photo from the start. [Christy here, again] It’s not a good sign when things look like this in January. Sure, we need more snow, but it could always be worse. Even with a not-so-great start to the season, we’re still pretty lucky that we can get out on a nice, long tour and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. With a random Monday off, and a need to unwind from the...
The last ski days of the 2011 spring season in Aspen, including the southwest face of South Maroon and Independence Pass.
I wrote a piece for Powder Magazine online about our 10 day Bugaboos to Rogers Pass Traverse. Read it here!
Christy cuts through the powder on the Congo Trail section on her skinny little race skis. (Christy here) The new Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race is right around the corner, so in an attempt to scout out the complex course and get some time in our new Dynafit ski mountaineering race setups, Anda Smalls and I went out this weekend for a little familiarization. (more…)
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
