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!
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.”
Mountain Rider’s Alliance Picture of the Week
http://www.mrablog.com/picture-of-the-week-60/
Pretty stoked! Great photo by Gregg Trawinski a couple of years ago near Alta, UTAH. I wish it was snowy like that right NOW!
Goggle tan, pink hat, surfboard.
CHILE. I miss you…
GRACIAS to the CABBEZAS amigos for a great time and the awesome hat!
Home…
As my feet wander more and more of the earth, I am always excited and grateful to return home to the warm red dirt and cold blue skies of New Mexico. Flying into New Mexico doesn’t look like much, unless you’re privy to its enchantment…
One of my favorite parts about coming home is definitely the CHILE!
This salsa is SOOOOOO HOT!!! But it’s damn delicious as well. You can’t stop eating it once you start! From El Parasol…(duh!) A little shameless (but congruent) sponsor placement…Thanks for all the support Hot Chillys…I love you in all forms…
Classic breakfast burrito at Tias Sofia’s in Santa Fe…State question that my grandfather actually petitioned as a legislator for 35 years…”Red or Green?” Me: Christmas (I started to take a bite when I realized I wanted a picture)
My visit was a complete surprise because it was only for 3 days and I knew I had to get North to see my brother and Estelle. Nonetheless, I managed to link up with 3 of my best friends for a night of (attempted) flamenco lessons from Jasper and hanging out with his infamous cross-eyed and drooling cat, Braveheart.
The next morning was sunny and beautiful…I took my family’s dog for a walk to check out the awesome view of Santa Fe from the Cross of the Martyrs. So many awesome memories from this spot!
Heading North…Good to see a patch of snow on the Santa Fe ski area! These mountains might look like hills but the altitude at this picture is about 8,000 feet…The top of the ski area is 12,000 feet! The old and beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains…
Classic Norteño Iglesia…
Finally at the destination! Joey and Estelle’s Garlic & Mushroom Farm! A nice paint horse came to greet us…
watching the sunset
The Garlic Field…
The abode…
Awesome door!
You can’t go wrong with coconut, red chile, steak, and salt & pepper…Boeuf à l’Estelle!
My parents and I have nothing in common except that we both hate laughing and having a good time. Here we are doing some garlic prep…
Good morning! Time to start work on the Mushroom grow house that Joey has designed!
My grandmother “Nona” stayed all warm and wrapped up in one of my mother’s beautiful quilts while she supervised!
Quick, take a picture it lasts longer! Me doing some manual labor building the framework…so much fun!
The framework…
My lovely grandparents and I out for a stroll in the garlic field…Nona & Papa are two of the greatest gifts of my life! Thank you for all I have learned from you…
Then we all cruised into Santa Fe for dinner at Tomasita’s! It was an unprecedented Bigbee-Smallwood event: everyone at dinner at the same table in the same restaurant! Guess I should come home for 3 day stints more often eh?
And of course, my two “little” brothers who are actually at least a foot taller than me. Matthew (right) is a baseball superhero and Chris just started his freshman year at UNM in Albuquerque. Taking it to Crushtown as I like to say!
All in all it was a fantastic trip and I’m so glad I got to see my whole family before the work season here in Alta gets into full swing. I came back to shred Alta the next day and start working as Brighton Chalet caretaker. Now if only we could get some snow….
Thanksgiving Dinner à la Alta
So I’ve got this awesome new job! I am the caretaker and live-in chef for a family in Alta. Their house is beautiful, I live in an amazing apartment and I am overall completely blissed out with the whole deal. I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for them this week and this is how it went down….Pretty darn traditional but I had fun doing all the prep work in my awesome, bright kitchen!
First thing’s first, you gotta have Mirepoix. Carrots, Celery, Onion:
The Mirepoix is used in everything….The stuffing I made had thyme, fennel, sage, rosemary, mirepoix, and was finished with aged white cheddar to help it brown in the oven….First off, the dried bread crumbs (2 days)
Turn into this:
And of course you have to have homemade cranberry sauce…
And you also have to have high-calorie mashed potatoes, Grandma Smallwood’s secret recipe:
Brussel Sprouts…to be served with Bacon
Not to mention sweet potatoes with brown sugar and carmelized shallots:
The Turkey…Before (with homemade herb butter–thyme, rosemary, sage–drizzled)
And After:
Dessert, because….you can….twice…..Pumpkin Crème Brûlée
The Pear Tart:
And torching the Crème Brûlée is always the most entertaining after a few glasses of Prosecco…
I am grateful for everything in my life! Especially for my awesome new job….Super stoked out! More soon from the land of current high pressure!
Daily Ode to Patagonia
I know it’s winter here in North America, but I’m just so stoked on this idea of going back to Patagonia and making a movie that I can’t help but post photos to keep my own dream (and maybe yours too) alive!
