Tales from the Hinterland: 2013/2014 edition

OK, take note, today's picture may be the peak measurement you see on the Hinterlandian Snow-depth-o-meter for a long time. As I type, temperatures are at the freezing mark, freezing r**n is forecasted for tonight and actual r&%n for tomorrow. Ah, well, it has been a good run and Lord knows we needed it after a few lean winters. And hey, it is only January 10 - there is lots of winter left.


Just for reference, here is the access road to SBRHQ, as of yesterday:


And the woodshed:


Warned by TD that my skinny skis might be dead in the lower-angle powder at Pipeline, I opted for the local tour, right from SBRHQ. In retrospect, the snow had consolidated enough already that I likely would have been gliding at Pipeline. He was probably just trying to keep it all to himself. No matter, the local woods were still very deep.


I skied out to Bonk Hill, actually enjoying some glide in my filled-in and deer-trodden tracks from two days ago. Here are some turns from that outing:


TD and I have very different work schedules, so he was not able to join me for this tour. I was, however, joined by a newer friend, Skin Jong Ill, who kept things entertaining as usual. Even though I stomped out a LZ for skin attachment, there was still some sinkage:


Skin Jong Ill suggested that I stand on my skis to make getting attached a little easier. After this I simply did one ski at a time:


The skin track took me into some very deep and uncharted territory. Pole is set at 145 cm for touring, and pushed straight down:


To make a long story short, I hiked over to Secret Hill, took two runs there and then headed home on the Jackrabbit Trail. A very satisfying and exhausting tour! Lets just hope the "consolidation" is just that, and we end up with a super-duper base for the rest of the winter.

Skin JONG Ill?  Is he the guy Dennis Rodman sang Happy Birthday too? ...

Oh and BTW, had you not wimped out last night, you would have enjoyed snow pre-consolidation...
Dry, cold smoke blower...and you could have tried the Chargers.

I would never, ever hoard snow.  


TD

I'm a bit behind on my recording of the Snow-depth-o-meter. This is from a couple of days ago and illustrates the less than catastrophic loss of snow due to the recent thaw. Slowly but surely, fresh snow is building up on top of the crust.



Since it snowed all day day today, it seemed like a good night to go night skiing. Or, since I got to the hill at 4:45 and left at 8, you might say it was late afternoon to early evening skiing.



I love night skiing. It is more like practice, or working out, than a social day of skiing. Since I am usually solo, I get in a zone, ski hard with no breaks, works the kinks out, focus on technique and feel pretty good at the end of a few hours. Then drive the 15 minutes home and have a beer. All in all, a pleasant evening.

This afternoon, TD and I went for tour at about the same time of day as the photos above. We did get back before headlamps were required, which was good, since I did not have mine:



The hills are not really back in play. Five inches of new snow on top of breakable crust - the turns were not pretty today. One more dump and we are rolling again.

Now the hills are back in play...game on!

Some powder fun just happened.
We've gotten about a foot or so of new snow on top of the substantial consolidated ton-o-snow that has covered all the nasties hiding below.  Today I skied some lines that I haven't ventured into in recent memory.  
Pretty cool having an "earn your turns" stash that's better than the local lift served bump that sees fit to charge more for a day pass than Jay Peak.  FKNA.

Here's the black and white evidence of my play.



TD

Oh and while I'm at it, here's one more over the head selfie in my new found favorite "noir" setting on my iPhone.

I was wondering what you were up to today...

Nice!

Ahhhhh, I hope I didn't commit a faux pas.. Kinda thought you were working w-ends again.  

If not, then I humbly apologize for leaving you incommunicado.

I'm planning on another night-ops mission Tuesday. You interested?

TD

Telemark Dave wrote

Ahhhhh, I hope I didn't commit a faux pas.. Kinda thought you were working w-ends again.  

If not, then I humbly apologize for leaving you incommunicado.

I'm planning on another night-ops mission Tuesday. You interested?

TD

No worries, was working today but did ski on Saturday, upon which I shall report forthwith. Pondered going to Pipeline that day but time was short and I was feeling lazy. Tuesday is out due to dinner engagement. May head there on Wednesday, my schedule is all mixed up this week.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

.....my schedule is all mixed up this week.

Mine too.  I have to work every day.

TD

So, to corroborate TD's experience above, here is the Hinterlandian Snow-depth-o-meter as of Saturday, January 25, 2014. We have struggled back from the thaw:


After a hectic week, I confess to sleeping in on Saturday, having a slow breakfast with Blue Toes and pondering a few runs at The Bump. Where, incidentally, I am exempt from the exorbitant rates referred to above and enjoy a sweet work-related discount.

It was a lovely afternoon, chilly but not frigid, I found the occasional stash of untracked snow, and there were not too many big people on the slopes:


It was also K2 demo day, so I took advantage and tested a few skis. I'll post some additional thoughts in the Gear X forum a little later but here are the one line reviews:

K2 Annex 98: I really wanted to like this ski but the demo pair needed a tune badly:


K2 Amp Rictor: If I could get over the hideous top sheet, this ski would be on my short list of skinnier skis to consider purchasing. Very solid:


K2 Amp Bolt: Do you like the feeling of being on the high-speed railway track? This is your ride:

Ding ding ding... Round two coming up.  Got a third of the way to work this AM before I had to turn round.. Road closures, whiteouts blah blah blah.  

So I came home.  Just finished snow blowing the driveway, another 5" of blower.  I guess I better throw myself on the grenade for the team and go skiing.  

Report to follow.....

TD

Sick Bird Rider wrote

K2 Annex 98: I really wanted to like this ski but the demo pair needed a tune badly:

Hard to believe that those are 131-98-119! They look svelte.  Just goes to show how perceptions have changed so quickly the last few years.  

And yes, those Amps are hideous.  Must be the carving "demoGRAPHIC"


TD

Another day, another powder plunder... Yawn....

Not that I'm counting, but I've managed 3,500 ft of self powered skiing - up and down - the last two days.  Plus 15k's of  hilly skinny ski track set on Sat.
Not bad for molehill land.  I better man-up and make a concerted effort to get to work tomorrow.  

Anyways, today's ski was back at the same place as yesterday. My tracks had filled in plus there was another 6-8 inches of wind blown on top the day before's accumulation... So boot top to knee deep was the order of the day.  Still loving my Voile Chargers.  They sure make skiing fun, and that's what's it's all about.



TD

Very impressive, especially given the recent temperatures. I am glad to see that you are leaving some snow for the rest of us, whenever we manage to get there.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Very impressive, especially given the recent temperatures. I am glad to see that you are leaving some snow for the rest of us, whenever we manage to get there.

No worries.. It will replay.  Just like an old vinyl LP skipping...

Promise.  (Check the forecast.)

TD

It was kind of dark when I got up this morning, so no picture of the chair. This one is from a few days ago, and there is more snow now. It is getting a little ridiculous.



Today I helped out with a special event in town, made possible by 300 truckloads of snow. It is not every day you can ride a fatbike on a groomed slope down Main Street:



Or take your Saturday afternoon ski class downtown:



There was a lot more more going on but SBR is a little tired out from putting XC skis on people's feet all day. Over and out.

Meanwhile, just a few minutes from downtown...





TD

It took a few of these....

Telemark Dave wrote

Meanwhile, just a few minutes from downtown...

PIPELINE!