IN THE DEEP

Today was one of those sweet surprises that only locals can truly appreciate for its goodness... there were many factors about today that would have made any visitor or occasional skier an antsy Nancy. The snow report said 5" at 5am and still snowing with minimal 9m/h wind and a balmy 20°. We knew it would make for some strange conditions, and we were right.

Driving up to the hill we could only see the bottom of the mountain, the top was socked in and the clouds were a very dark shade of charcoal. . . STILL snowing. You all know what 3 hours can do to the 5am snow report, and sure enough there was easily 10" in spots, and thick, like freshly churned butter.

We made it to Four Points in time for its opening, BC and Storm weren't running yet and we were antsy to make some turns. We teamed up with Doug Enochs at the lift and skied with Douglas all day. Sunset was barely touched and we carved big down to Duster, making our way slowly down into the Moonlight trees. A ride up Sundown showed the top in full glory- dumping styrofoam-like pellets by the bucketload, and visibility of only 4 chair lengths. It got darker the higher we went, and it was like skiing blind on Keith's Ridge, feeling our way down Sunshine Liftline and through the trees to High Noon. From there we took One O'clock to 1:30 trees, smoothing along this barely touched run like narrow boats on a glassy lake.

After that we did a top of Three O'clock taste over to Pumphouse trees, both with wide open freshies abound, and down Fawn to Southpeak for a taste of a groomed Rolex. There's nothing quite like a just-tilled Rolex with nearly a foot of fresh on top.

This time we traversed the top to Storm, and over to another fresh-till on Cyclone, but both were pretty chewed up by 9:30, so we bombed down Vortex and hit the bottom of the lift line on the right, not a track in sight. LALALA!

Doug suggested Pony, he hadn't been there this year yet, Craig hadn't been there in a couple years, and I was a Pony virgin. Seriously. Here is where we found the mid-morning goods, however, and now that Craig and I are more familiar with some of Dougs favorite Pony spots, we'll surely be back. Thanks Doug! We hit the trees on top of Longhorn to the left above Nash Junction, an untouched glade of goodness that started this neverending run out nicely. We cruised in and out of Longhorn's left side, and found a completely untouched WJW at the bottom. Someone should rename that W-OHHH-W, as it was definitely wow. We dumped back into Drop out and decided it was maybe time for a top-to-bottom... we had some work to do!

Sunday is the start of our annual ski camp for disabled vets and friends, so if we have time to post, we will. Otherwise, we'll see you IN THE DEEP sometime after the 16th's 1st Annual Legends of the Deep Powder Invititational!!

Oh! And we hit the slopes today with the new camera (Canon EOS XSi)... still ironing out the kinks of new technology and settings, but today's pictures came out better than they used to, no question there! Thanks to the Jehn Foundation for that!

It's early November and many locals are saying they "aren't ready for this snow...."

It comes every year at Halloween, you know it does, and it breaks for the Sun's vitaminD charge in between storms. It doesn't get booger-freeze cold (as best a description as I've ever had for it, that's where you inhale through your nostrils and they stick together) until mid or late December, and only stays that way for 4-6 weeks when the Sun has gone to Mexico for Winter Solstice. So why the denial for some? I don't understand.

This is when Craig and I enter the short, 4-month-mode of Permanently Awaiting the Next Storm, and if we're lucky, the wait is never long. Like holding your breath while diving for shells or touching sea turtles in your snorkel gear, or better fitting, like holding your breath between face shots of Pow', we like -and need- the break between storms. Don't gasp at me like that, we do. It's a recharge for the legs, or the arms and tummy for Craig, and we do need a day or three to get some work done.

We're not fair-weather skiers. Blue bird days are for the Texans in jeans, the grandpas and grandmas, the New York ladies in fur-necked Prada, and only a select few locals who strive for 100+days on the mountain. They aren't picky. We are. We don't need the views, although nice, we've seen 'em. We don't need to see the run before us, we know every turn, every tree, every stash. We don't need clear goggles, we bring an extra pair.

So when it's early November and storming like this, we're chomping at the bit. Awing at our new skis, bringing down the rig and tuning it, getting out our ski gear and washing it, staring at the mountain and counting....

And luckily this time, according to Weather Channel's Mike Bettis, we won't have wait too long.


(NOTE: Too bad the Broncos aren't playing at home this Sunday, it's always good for ski areas' bookings when they play in the snow... )

Right on time as always, October 31st brings precipitation to the 'Boat. Check in on Tuesday, it's supposed to turn cold then, and as we hope, not stop snowing until mid-April.

What can we say, we're powder hounds.... Bring it!

If you want to follow along on the best satellite we've found, go to:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/ and scroll down to infrared, western US, 4km, animation... and watch it roll.

-See You in the Deep