flahute

My favorite ski loop … from Moonbeam Lodge up Moonbeam lift, down Main Street to Sunrise lift, Summit Access to Summit lift … then through Summit gate into Honeycomb Canyon, along the Honeycomb Cliffs traverse towards Prince of Wales, then dropping into Woodlawn back to Honeycomb Return lift to Gary’s Glade or Sunshine Bowl, back to Main Street to either do another lap, or cut back over to Moonbeam Lodge.

Also got a chance to play with my new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 compact digital camera. So far, I like it … perhaps even more than my Canon PowerShot G10, and definitely more than my Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX1, although the latter will probably be my go-to camera for a jersey pocket on bike rides, since it’s the smallest of the three.

View Ascent activity on 25-Feb-10 at 02:28PM in a larger map

Honeycomb Cliffs and acres of powder, Solitude Mountain Resort

More powder in Honeycomb Canyon, Solitude Mountain Resort

Dropping through the trees, Honeycomb Canyon, Solitude Mountain Resort

Honeycomb Canyon Panorama

Honeycomb Canyon Panorama

… and Honeycomb Canyon was closed due to avalanche danger. Spoke to a couple members of the ski patrol who said that they may be able to open the canyon Monday afternoon, but more likely on Tuesday. Apparently they have about 15 different spots along 5-6 routes that they need to check and control if necessary.

All I have to say is the first skiers to get in there after the patrol are going to be stoked. Unfortunately, as one of those silly people who have to work for a living, I will not be one of them.

Even so, my legs are worked from today … sushi and Pellegrino from Whole Foods for dinner, Vikings game on the tube. This sounds like a plan for recovery.

Interesting weekend, coming to a close … went out to dinner with a great friend on Thursday night for some yummy goodness at Squatters downtown, then a quiet day at work on Friday.

Saturday was supposed to be a ski day, but unfortunately, the tiny little headache I woke up with on turned into a full-on migraine by the time I would have been ready to walk out the door … not an auspicious start to the day. Loaded up on triptans and headed back to bed for several hours. When I finally got up again around 1:30, my headache was thankfully gone … a good thing since Jennie & Joel’s housewarming party was on Saturday night. Definitely couldn’t miss that.

Sunday was recovery from the party; not significant since I didn’t drink much due to the aforementioned headache, then brunch at Piper Down with a few of my tweeps, watching the Minnesota Vikings stomp all over the Dallas Cowboys … then laundry; mustn’t forget laundry.

Early to bed on Sunday night, and up early this morning to finally get up Big Cottonwood Canyon to get in some turns at Solitude. Conditions weren’t very good, about 2-inches of fresh powder on top of a nice, icy crust. The sun was trying to break through a few times, but generally it was fairly overcast with light flurries, with the wind picking up around noon. Gave it until about 1:30, then decided that even though a bad snow day on the mountain is better than any day on the couch, I’d had enough of this particular bad snow day.

Back down the canyon, then to Whole Foods for sushi packs, then to Firestone to get my belts replaced … the Trooper was starting to remind me of Ned Beatty in Deliverance, but thankfully, hopefully, that is now fixed.

And now, relaxing on the couch, watching CBS Monday night sitcoms, and getting ready to go back to work tomorrow.

Sometimes, the dust makes the crust worthwhile …

Lake Solitude, as seen from Shaft, Solitude Mountain Resort

Lake Solitude, Lo-Mob Version

One of the fun things about having an iPhone is the various apps available for it … especially some of the camera apps. For example, the top photo is a pretty standard shot of Lake Solitude, taking on my iPhone. The bottom version was created using the Lo-Mob app available in iTunes.

I’m going to have to play with these apps some more …

Oh yeah … feet felt much better today, although my right pinkie toe was still getting crushed; my tummy, on the other hand, did not do so well after having a hot italian sausage at Sunshine Grill, which apparently is no longer serving brats. Live and learn. Next time, I’ll either get a brat at Moonbeam, or get something else at Sunshine.

The first day of skiing each season is always a little on the iffy side … and yesterday was no different.

Headed up to Solitude and could pretty much tell right from the start that it was not going to be a fabulous day when I had trouble getting my boots on. I guess I should have spent some time wearing the boots around the house, clomping around, just to get my feet used to wearing them again, because my feet were getting crushed.

Last season, I had the same problem when I first got the boots, but by the end of the season, I generally didn’t have any issues at all; I’m actually thinner this year than I was last year, so either a) the boots shrunk or b) somehow my feet got fatter … or perhaps it’s just been so long since I’ve worn anything that snug that my feet just aren’t used to it.

So next time, thinner socks (my thinnest SmartWool socks, instead of my Euros), and some prep time in the boots for a couple days before heading up. And if that doesn’t work, then back to the bootfitters to have them heat-molded again to try to get a tad more room.

Look … I like winter; I might even go so far as to say that I love winter.

However, this is way too fucking cold for December, and for as little snow that we have on the ground in the mountains right now … neither of which is really conducive to outdoor recreational activity.

Most of the time, I’m really kind of jealous of MT’s chosen career, but today, I don’t envy her in the slightest. Stay warm today, T.

If I can become a tenth as good as these guys, then I will consider my ski “career” a success.

Go out and rent or buy this movie. Then watch it over and over and over for inspiration. Then go ski. And then watch it again. Then ski some more. Ski lots more. Then watch it yet again. And keep skiing.