Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Opening Day at Beaver Creek...POW POW POW!!!
Opening day at Beaver Creek was November 24th, the day before Thanksgiving, and it was an epic beyond epic powder day!! This year we've had great snow in the early season...we deserve it from how screwed we were last season!! Beaver Creek is one of my favourite mountains...thus I could NOT miss opening day!! I rolled over to the Beav with my girl Autumn to shred some serious pow pow :)
What better to do on a sick pow day than hit up the trees for some awesome stashes...we went up Centennial Express (Chair 6) and then took Cinch Express (Chair 8) up to the top where we then cut into the trees skiers left almost immediately. (For reference feel free to check out the map here: )
We had an awesome adventure through the trees in powder that was as deep as our knees and at some places was up to our waist!! It's definitely a workout cutting through all that snow!! I led the way through the trees...found a cliff that I was excited to huck...but then I found out that there wasn't enough coverage on the cliff and did an accidental flip into the snow below!! Going into the trees takes me into another world where I can be alone with nature and really feel connected to the sport I love...it's magical, you should try it if you haven't (after you have enough skill and control)!
We were in the trees for at least 45 minutes before we came to a trail...we looked around and not only was the trail empty but there were NO tracks anywhere around!! We took a long powder run on an empty slope....it should have been in a movie! When Autumn and I got to a flat right above Red Tail Camp we saw signs that said "STOP! Winching In Progress" Well winching is when they are grooming the run with huge winch cats which are extremely powerful...they have a 350 horse power motor (a Ford Explorer's is about 180). These cats are powerful enough to safely climb up slopes over 50 degrees! These cats are pulled up the hill by huge cables...they could cut a person in half!! We stopped and unstrapped and stood there wondering what we should do...
The cat operator hopped out of his cat and asked what we were doing there and I simply told him that we hadn't ducked any ropes but that we were in the trees a really long time...turns out that the area was closed off because they were preparing it for the World Cup downhill race!! Needless to say it was an amazing adventure...and it was only 11am at this point! We got a ride back to the main base in a sweet truck with tires I'd call caterpillar tires :)
Epic day...hopefully way more to come this season!!
xoxox Summer
What better to do on a sick pow day than hit up the trees for some awesome stashes...we went up Centennial Express (Chair 6) and then took Cinch Express (Chair 8) up to the top where we then cut into the trees skiers left almost immediately. (For reference feel free to check out the map here: )
We had an awesome adventure through the trees in powder that was as deep as our knees and at some places was up to our waist!! It's definitely a workout cutting through all that snow!! I led the way through the trees...found a cliff that I was excited to huck...but then I found out that there wasn't enough coverage on the cliff and did an accidental flip into the snow below!! Going into the trees takes me into another world where I can be alone with nature and really feel connected to the sport I love...it's magical, you should try it if you haven't (after you have enough skill and control)!
We were in the trees for at least 45 minutes before we came to a trail...we looked around and not only was the trail empty but there were NO tracks anywhere around!! We took a long powder run on an empty slope....it should have been in a movie! When Autumn and I got to a flat right above Red Tail Camp we saw signs that said "STOP! Winching In Progress" Well winching is when they are grooming the run with huge winch cats which are extremely powerful...they have a 350 horse power motor (a Ford Explorer's is about 180). These cats are powerful enough to safely climb up slopes over 50 degrees! These cats are pulled up the hill by huge cables...they could cut a person in half!! We stopped and unstrapped and stood there wondering what we should do...
The cat operator hopped out of his cat and asked what we were doing there and I simply told him that we hadn't ducked any ropes but that we were in the trees a really long time...turns out that the area was closed off because they were preparing it for the World Cup downhill race!! Needless to say it was an amazing adventure...and it was only 11am at this point! We got a ride back to the main base in a sweet truck with tires I'd call caterpillar tires :)
Epic day...hopefully way more to come this season!!
xoxox Summer
A few photos (per request)
I haven't been able to find my uploader cord but here come some pics from early season!!
A Basin Opening Day (wearing my onesie in October!):
A Basin Opening Day (wearing my onesie in October!):
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Up to Day 29...
OK so I know I haven't updated this thing since the first blog but I have so much to write about and the Internet been cut off due to insufficient funds...the move and the time in-between golf season and Snowboarding season has made the cash hard to come by! Not to mention a whole lot has changed in my life this week. I got lazy at counting days but I'm doing my best to remember...
Wednesday the 17th I rode at Copper with Autumn, Nikki, Nikki's man, and a few other people :)
The 18th I rode the pass with Autumn & Willow (her dog)...Willow was running so hard through the snow that she ran her sweater off!!
Saturday the 20th I took some early morning laps at Key solo :)
Sunday the 21st I rode in the afternoon at Copper with some buddies...I think Autumn, Hope, and a few more...
Monday the 22nd: Copper
Tuesday the 23rd: Copper
Wednesday the 24th: Beaver Creek opening Day with Autumn!! Met up with Clay for 2nd half of day :) In the top 20 days of my life for sure...details to come soon!!
Thanksgiving (25th): Copper (they opened Super Bee!!)
Sunday the 28th: Beaver Creek
Monday the 29th: Epic pow day in Vail with Kaelyn, Peter, & crew! First cliff drop (~10 feet) of the season!! Fun times with a crew that likes to party :)
Tuesday the 30th: Keystone
Wednesday, December 1st: Keystone
Friday the 3rd: Copper
Saturday the 4th: Copper with Rachel G & Justin Gibbs!! Two people I'd never ridden with before that can keep up!
Sunday the 5th: Snowmass in Aspen...still early season conditions there but I rode with some skiers that were beyond fast...these kids were throwing back flips in the park like it was their job!!
Monday the 6th: Copper
Tuesday the 7th: Sweet morning pow at Copper :)
Wednesday the 8th: Copper
Friday the 10th: Keystone with Strueber and Mark...soft pow pow and sweet runs with my fav ski buddy and a new riding buddy!
I may have missed some days but that's as best as I can do!! Here's the running total...
A Basin: 4
Beaver Creek: 2
Breck/A Basin: 1
Copper: 13
Key: 5
Loveland: 1
Loveland Pass: 1
Snowmass: 1
Vail: 1
Total Days: 29
Wednesday the 17th I rode at Copper with Autumn, Nikki, Nikki's man, and a few other people :)
The 18th I rode the pass with Autumn & Willow (her dog)...Willow was running so hard through the snow that she ran her sweater off!!
Saturday the 20th I took some early morning laps at Key solo :)
Sunday the 21st I rode in the afternoon at Copper with some buddies...I think Autumn, Hope, and a few more...
Monday the 22nd: Copper
Tuesday the 23rd: Copper
Wednesday the 24th: Beaver Creek opening Day with Autumn!! Met up with Clay for 2nd half of day :) In the top 20 days of my life for sure...details to come soon!!
Thanksgiving (25th): Copper (they opened Super Bee!!)
Sunday the 28th: Beaver Creek
Monday the 29th: Epic pow day in Vail with Kaelyn, Peter, & crew! First cliff drop (~10 feet) of the season!! Fun times with a crew that likes to party :)
Tuesday the 30th: Keystone
Wednesday, December 1st: Keystone
Friday the 3rd: Copper
Saturday the 4th: Copper with Rachel G & Justin Gibbs!! Two people I'd never ridden with before that can keep up!
Sunday the 5th: Snowmass in Aspen...still early season conditions there but I rode with some skiers that were beyond fast...these kids were throwing back flips in the park like it was their job!!
Monday the 6th: Copper
Tuesday the 7th: Sweet morning pow at Copper :)
Wednesday the 8th: Copper
Friday the 10th: Keystone with Strueber and Mark...soft pow pow and sweet runs with my fav ski buddy and a new riding buddy!
I may have missed some days but that's as best as I can do!! Here's the running total...
A Basin: 4
Beaver Creek: 2
Breck/A Basin: 1
Copper: 13
Key: 5
Loveland: 1
Loveland Pass: 1
Snowmass: 1
Vail: 1
Total Days: 29
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Day 10, First Real Pow of the Season :)
Today seemed like the day to start my snow blog. I've had so many epic days and awesome adventures on the mountain that it seemed silly to not write about them! I'll be writing for my spiritual growth, to save and share my memories, and for the entertainment of others :)
I've ridden 10 days so far this season (4 @ A Basin, 1 @ Breck/A Basin, 3 @ Copper, 1 @ Keystone, & 1 @ Loveland) and the race to open this year was won by Loveland...they opened on Sunday, October 24th (last year it was October 7th) A Basin opened a day later (and of course I was there) with an epic pow day!!
Copper opening weekend was epic riding with Kellie, my BFF, Nikki (BSG), teaching Karin (long time BFF from Atlanta) how to ride, and a few others :)
I got the flu last week and was bedridden for a fair amount of time thus missing many days...but the snow has been accumulating and we now have a bigger base at most of the mountains than we did last year in February!! I feel an epic season coming on!
This season my goals include: filming a lot, getting sponsored, getting better at riding switch, learning at least one trick in the pipe, improving at boardercross (BX), and learning more about the different waxes for my board and the appropriate times to use which wax.
Today I rode with 4 BSG (Boulder Snowboarding Group) members at Breck for a few hours...soft pow, nice weather, good times! I met a new skiier friend (Julian) and gave an old buddy (Justin) some pointers one one run and he's linking turns now! I love helping people getting better at riding....it's a huge passion of mine! I love snowboarding and I love to share the wonderful feeling the mountain gives me with others :) I can't wait to start my job as an instructor at Copper!
I left Breck around 1.30pm to head over to A Basin...I hadn't ridden there since Lewanee lift opened. I got there and it was windy and cold but I felt good about it...when I got on Lewanee my face was getting blasted by super small intense snow crystals and I just wanted to ride! When I got off the lift it was legit whiteout conditions!! I strapped in and headed down...at times not being able to see even 2 feet in front of me! I was confident on my board and headed to my first black run of the season...it felt great to be making some real pow turns...and to be on a steep slope! Wow. The season has finally started! I got stuck in the powder it was that deep!! Pulled myself out with the help of a tree and headed up again for some more action! When I got done with that top-bottom run I headed to my car and it was whiteout conditions at the bottom by then!!
The drive home was one of the scariest drives I have ever driven but I drove safely and made it home...passed a car stuck in a snow bank and had to call 911 for him. My top speed down the pass was 15mph (I think highest speed limit is ~45mph) and there were no visible cars in front of me. The rest of the way home my top speed was 25mph (and I have a great mountain car!) and the speed limit ranged from 40mph-55mph! I heard on the radio that I-70 was closed in both directions as well as the pass (that I had just come down)!
It was an epic day and I can't wait to wake up early for some more powder!!
xoxox Summer
P.S. A skiier tried to start a fight with me on the lift at Breck...he was ~50-60 years old...I'm shocked I handled it so well...it's a lot easier to walk away from a (potential) fight when you are on the ground!! Among other things he told me that my generation was flawed and when we got off the lift he flicked me off! Wow...I am still somewhat in disbelief...
I've ridden 10 days so far this season (4 @ A Basin, 1 @ Breck/A Basin, 3 @ Copper, 1 @ Keystone, & 1 @ Loveland) and the race to open this year was won by Loveland...they opened on Sunday, October 24th (last year it was October 7th) A Basin opened a day later (and of course I was there) with an epic pow day!!
Copper opening weekend was epic riding with Kellie, my BFF, Nikki (BSG), teaching Karin (long time BFF from Atlanta) how to ride, and a few others :)
I got the flu last week and was bedridden for a fair amount of time thus missing many days...but the snow has been accumulating and we now have a bigger base at most of the mountains than we did last year in February!! I feel an epic season coming on!
This season my goals include: filming a lot, getting sponsored, getting better at riding switch, learning at least one trick in the pipe, improving at boardercross (BX), and learning more about the different waxes for my board and the appropriate times to use which wax.
Today I rode with 4 BSG (Boulder Snowboarding Group) members at Breck for a few hours...soft pow, nice weather, good times! I met a new skiier friend (Julian) and gave an old buddy (Justin) some pointers one one run and he's linking turns now! I love helping people getting better at riding....it's a huge passion of mine! I love snowboarding and I love to share the wonderful feeling the mountain gives me with others :) I can't wait to start my job as an instructor at Copper!
I left Breck around 1.30pm to head over to A Basin...I hadn't ridden there since Lewanee lift opened. I got there and it was windy and cold but I felt good about it...when I got on Lewanee my face was getting blasted by super small intense snow crystals and I just wanted to ride! When I got off the lift it was legit whiteout conditions!! I strapped in and headed down...at times not being able to see even 2 feet in front of me! I was confident on my board and headed to my first black run of the season...it felt great to be making some real pow turns...and to be on a steep slope! Wow. The season has finally started! I got stuck in the powder it was that deep!! Pulled myself out with the help of a tree and headed up again for some more action! When I got done with that top-bottom run I headed to my car and it was whiteout conditions at the bottom by then!!
The drive home was one of the scariest drives I have ever driven but I drove safely and made it home...passed a car stuck in a snow bank and had to call 911 for him. My top speed down the pass was 15mph (I think highest speed limit is ~45mph) and there were no visible cars in front of me. The rest of the way home my top speed was 25mph (and I have a great mountain car!) and the speed limit ranged from 40mph-55mph! I heard on the radio that I-70 was closed in both directions as well as the pass (that I had just come down)!
It was an epic day and I can't wait to wake up early for some more powder!!
xoxox Summer
P.S. A skiier tried to start a fight with me on the lift at Breck...he was ~50-60 years old...I'm shocked I handled it so well...it's a lot easier to walk away from a (potential) fight when you are on the ground!! Among other things he told me that my generation was flawed and when we got off the lift he flicked me off! Wow...I am still somewhat in disbelief...
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