Sources of Good News
…Always make me smile. Thank you WASATCH SNOW FORECAST!
http://wasatchsnowforecast.com/
Storm Forecast:
Monday Morning: Cold, quick moving system gets us started. Could affect morning commutes for those unfortunate enough to have to work. Snow levels are not an issue given its cold nature. Accumulation 2-5″ mountains, Trace-2″ Valleys.
Wednesday PM-Thursday AM: First warm impulse will move into the area, bulk of precip will stay to our north. Snow levels 8,000 feet. Accumulation above 7,500 ft., 4-8″
Friday night-Saturday: Stronger, but still fairly warm impulse will enter the region. Snow levels 7-8K feet. Accumulation above 7,500 ft, 10-20″.
Sunday PM-Monday: Another fairly strong impulse, will move through, looks a bit colder at this time. Snow levels 5,000 – 5,500 feet. Accumulation above 6,500 feet, 12-24″.
Looking forward to more of this…
VIRTUAL HIGH FIVE!
Posted by Kim Kircher on her site “Strength from the Top of the Mountain.” She is a phenomenal writer and I am honored to have SheJumps make it to the VIRTUAL HIGH FIVE of what she does. Thanks for the support Kim!
Post here> http://kimkircher.com/2012/01/10/weekly-high-five-report-shejumps-empowers-women-to-get-outdoors/
Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition Interview
Interview with myself and SheJumps co-founders on OIWC’s current newsletter! Check it out here
Suicide/Country Lane January 3rd, 2012
Happy New Year! 2012 has got “Nowhere-to-go-but-up” (snow-wise) written all over it! So we decided to boot UP Suicide chute (or “Country Lane” as it’s known once you ski it) with buddies and awesome locals Laura Dewey (North Face Masters Champion) and J-Rey (Champion of LIFE).
View of Suicide or Country Lane from the road
The first pitch isn’t really that bad, but it’s super FUN! Ice/rock maneuvering…We’ll call it “Soft Ice.” Happy to have a whippet on hand…Crampons wouldn’t have been a bad idea…Vibram soles make me happy
A Pic a snapped with my phone…
Bottom of the chute
Almost there…
Self-portrait with my sweet new helmet (Thanks SMITH OPTICS!) and Little Cottonwood canyon in the background…
Dewey and J-Rey getting ready to drop in…
Laura snapped a pic of me making some turns in the surprisingly nice snow…Nothing moving either. Didn’t feel like I was running from a bank with money bags hanging out of my pockets and the cops on my back. Yeah, that’s what the Wasatch feels like right now (if you’re out there….)
I definitely wasn’t taking any pictures while I was semi-gracefully balancing my ski tips between rocks and trying to find a wide-enough part of the choke to put an edge in. It ended with a sweet little straightline over blue ice. YAY! SOMETHING EXCITING TO SKI!! Yeah, this picture definitely doesn’t do justice!
And, Dewey on the APRON making it look easy. Good luck at the North Face Masters, Dewey! AWESOME corn snow (January corn snow, that is) on the lower apron.
So yeah, everyone and their grandma apparently has skied this line. That’s OK, it’s something to ski that isn’t a crowded groomer or fingers-crossed-wind-buff…Might just have to go back tomorrow and do it again! A short, but great, mission. Now, if it could please snow, that would be awesome!
Early (?) Season Wasatch
I got to meet some awesome new people (Robby and Mikey) and get to know a fellow-SheJumper LIZ DALEY when we went up to ski the north side of Mount Superior. Here are some pictures from the mission. Mind you, these guys had already shredded the Suicide Chute on the SOUTH face of Superior in the same day. I was stoked to go along with them for the 2nd part of their 5,000+ vert day! First off, I ran into a New Mexican who was drinking Happy Camper IPA, a damn good IPA IN A CAN!!
Robbie keeping the stoke alive with an awesome THUMBS UP!
He insisted that I take a picture of him skiing….
What our entire snowpack is made of right now….SCARY!
Liz getting ready to set the boot pack for the last pitch up Superior.
Super windy on the ridgeline…
The inversion is gnarly but makes for great photos!
FULL ON MONTE CRISTO!!
Robbie on the summit looking happy!
Me making Liz turn around awkwardly in strong winds so I can snap a picture
Mikey super stoked to SHRED!
That was a fun day! Another fun day had was with J-REY…icy switchbacks on slippery vegetation with no objective in mind at all, just skiin’ around and checkin’ stuff out…Had a funny hue setting on my camera but went with it…
Iciest. Switchback. Ever.
Cool view of Cardiac Ridge
View down Mill D
More fun turns to be had here still…
Got to see SheJumps Board member Liz Cunningham on the Cardiff saddle! Had to show off my new Hot Chillys…ZEBRA!
Noodling the S*&% out of that low angle pow!!!
All in all we are making the most of it here in UTAH! Makes you appreciate a snowpack and a season like we had last year that much more! Merry Christmas everyone and I hope you make 2012 the best year ever!
Alta’s Avalanche History!
Stumbled upon this in the haystack that is the Teton Gravity Research forums!
http://www.avalanche.org/moonstone/TAR/avi%20review%20articles/The%20Avalanche%20History%20of%20Alta.htm
December 14th, Happy Birthday Christopher!
My younger brother turned 19 yesterday, Happy Birthday CHRISTOPHER! In honor of his birthday, ULLR brought us an additional couple of inches during the unsettled northwest flow that just passed over Utah. It was a cold day with not much wind; the light kept going in and out but with a soft sunshine glow in the background. I had a great time skiing with an old friend, Taylor, from New Mexico! We used to go to the same high school and we played in an orchestra together at Hummingbird Music Camp in New Mexico. So rad to connect with old friends, and especially on a serene, beautiful Alta afternoon!
We had “the band” back together for a few runs in the Westward HO! GB, JB, LG, COLTER, and Mikey Wray! GB actually broke his pelvis after this run! Super sorry GB, heal up SOON and WELL!
Colter! Congrats on all your sickness this year! (Cover of POWDER, Photo Annual too!)
The COACH of the Little Cottonwood Canyon Girl’s Freeride Team…
Makeshift NOboarding!
The ALTA PERUVIAN LODGE looking rather majestic
Getting to the good’s…Bring your A-Game and your rock skis??
But as you can see from Exhibit A & B, it was worth it!
Ran into MEREBEA, HUGE SheJumps supporter and general local badass!
And some “Ahhhhh” moments from the soft afternoon sunlight
Last run of the day…Taylor ripping it up!
We are hoping for another dusting of snow this weekend, but who knows! I hear it’s going off in New Mexico and that makes me really happy! My home state has been in a serious drought the last couple of years, so I’m glad my homies down there are getting some soft white turns in! I am gearing up for a BIG week of cooking for the local Doctor and his family, as well as a couple of other cooking gigs. Also trying to get the SheJumps.org merchandise online store set up, no lack of things on this girl’s to-do list.
Why this place is special
Because 4″ on hardpack somehow equals faceshots?!
It’s no secret that the West is a little, shall we say “anticipatory” for new snow. I believe the forecast called for less than half an inch, but luckily for us it was an unsettled northwest flow and “less than half an inch” turned into 4! We get pretty spoiled in Little Cottonwood Canyon but so far everyone is much more appreciative of every flake this season! First run yesterday I immediately ran into another BRO shredder! Here we are showing off our awesome planks made in the USA! The SheJumps skis (My skis) are for sale from PMGEAR for $899.99, with $100 going towards SheJumps! email sales@pmgear.com to PAYPAL today!
I met up with Kylie North from the Alta Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Her, Jim (new ski buddy), and I ripped up some light POWDER SNOW and smiles were everywhere! Icicles in Jim’s ‘stache…what did someone say? Better stache equals better info? I think this gives me all the info I need right here!
Jim ripping it up in Fred’s Trees!
And the lovely KYLIE NORTH shredding it up…You know what made her jump? Moving from Oklahoma so she could do THIS everyday! Go Kylie!
OPIE! This guy always makes me laugh! Great to be able to lap chair after chair with different awesome people…When I took this picture I told him “I’m blogging you.” And he said “Ok!” Here goes OPIE!
And here is Jim in nipple-deep (might be an exaggeration) Stonecrusher POWDER!
And then I skied POWDER all way to my house…pretty much….
Here’s to making it in the next big cycle of storms!!
Cleveland Volcano
This would be really cool to ski one day….Maybe not any time soon….Put it on the bucket list!
http://unofficialnetworks.com/skiing-exotic-volcanoes-cleveland-volcano-ak-58441/
“Cleveland volcano is one of the most, if not the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Islands, and it is almost completely unmonitored.”
