IN THE DEEP

Powder daaaaayyy!  Celebraaaate!

Yeah that was good. We needed that. Big time.

Of course there were 300 locals chomping at the bit, and there still isn't much open, but compared to brown everywhere the white is a winter welcome for sure. It's been snowing since... I forget, Saturday? Literally. Some have told me Sunday was pretty good, but all I know is today - and it was brilliant! They've reported a foot or so in 48 hours, and so I say, Let the Games Begin! 

I'll be the first to admit, prior to today, I wasn't into it. I had no qualms about hiding out, not tuning boards, not embracing the hill until - gasp - January if I had to. But when this storm hit - and stuck to Storm Peak like glue - and piled up snow like icing on my deck railing - I shifted. Finally!  It's winter the in 'Boat! Big fat flakes comin' down!

I repeat, not much is open - so we got a safety announcement in line today from Ski Patrol: "We're blasting the top today, so for your safety, obey the closure lines," and get ready, 'cuz the rest will open later this week!

So I rallied with a boarding bunch today, 8:15 at the Gondy, the line not filling the maze, everyone hooting when we got to the top. It was Alicia's 10th day (homegrown Steamboat girl is all about it! Best facials in town for those of you who come visit!), George's second (and his excitement was barely containable because he's had to take the last two years off!) and my first- and no matter what day it was, we were all ready to rip up some of the good stuff.

We headed to White Out first, but the cat track was too deep - Alicia and I made it as far as Norther, and bombed down the first pitch with a vengeance! I was in shock by the 2nd turn, it was deeper than I expected, fresh tracks, powder puffs, it was glorious.  Again, since none of the top is open, BC lift was all we got.

We laugh at our spoiled-ness here, not waiting in lines, ever... but the massive line (for the Boat) at BC today didn't matter. We charged it thrice, and it was quick, social, and full of smiles.

After Norther, we were temped by BC liftline but passed it up for White Out and while it wasn't quite as good - with 300 locals, 5 runs get tracked up in a heartbeat - it was still very nice.  See?




By the time we took our last mid mountain run -  Velvet to Rainbow - I was realizing I have thought I was in shape, but "powder-shape" I'm not, and I was ready to call it quits.  

The Dayz and Vogue did not fare so well with the new snow... the "machine" snow is what I've been avoiding since opening day - it's not predictable, it ices up quick, and it's just simply not Godly. Like Steamboat's famous Champagne is.  But those first three were worth the last one. Unquestionable.

The skies look like they're quitting for now, so it may be a while before you see me again... but when they unload upon us, you can guarantee we'll see you In the Deep! Hopefully next time with my trusty PowderHound.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season!~

I'll admit, it's been hard to get excited about snow when it still seems like September outside, when the east coast is getting so pummeled that talk of weather seems insensitive, and when there's so much else to think about - events, growth, progress, change; yet when the forecast barrels down on us with something this big, the buzz finally spreads.



It was just 12 short months ago when I posted It's comin' right for us! (11/14/2011),  excited for a new year, that was more of a bust than a boast like the years prior (some seasons we were posting as early as October 4th!). And here we are again, like Groundhog Day, with Craig's monoski loaded into his car for an adaptive training weekend in Breckenridge, telling me, "It's coming right for us!" Just in the nick of time. 

The system looks like the 1500-mile stretch of Armageddon-like weather that's been hitting the east coast. Spreading from north of Calgary to the New Mexico border, this storm is so impressive the Weather Channel named it Brutus. And yea, it's comin' right for us with a Winter Weather Advisory from 6pm tonight to 6am Sunday, bringing 4 to 8 inches, 50mph wind gusts, and starting with snow above 9000ft tonight, then down to the valley floor after midnight. It may even be early, the headwinds just arrived.

So enjoy today's sunshine, it's hopefully the end of it.  We say let the fun begin, it's time to praying for a deeper winter than last year, safe months on the slopes, and lots of smiles.

See you In the Deep!  Bring it on!

A great Bluebird day in the 'Boat and we got to share a few hours on the slopes with Butch, our southern buddy who just plain rips... and for us to say that, you know he's fast!


It was a spring day out there, and it's although a nice change from the cold we've had, the Almanac says nothing major until the 3rd week of March.  2 weeks of warm weather is going to wreck that good February snow.  Snow Dance time!

So the three of us spanked it down Rolex, Flintlock, 2O'clock, Face and Rainbow, as well as making some fast and wide GS turns on Sunshine Liftline and Tomahawk.  It sure was fun skiing with two monos again!




Here's praying for snow so we can see you In The Deep!  Just five more weeks of ski season, and it feels like it just began...