Tales from the Hinterland: 2019/2020 edition

After earning turns this AM at Limberlost, I ventured out for a cool down meadowskip at the goof course down the street from where I live.   Same dust on crust, but it truly was deeper dust as Harv has observed... maybe 6” deep in places!  Though that was on top of something resembling at hockey rink - it was waaaay more icy on the fairways than in the woods.  
On the flip side it allowed me some goodly speed on the elevated tees that served as my hills.  Two thumbs up for that.


The requisite money shot off the tee!


Conditions made a mountain out of a molehill!


One last set of turns mid fairway -  I couldn’t resist!

That’s alls I got for now.  Back to work tomorrow..

See that's what I'm talkin about.

Winter reboot number....five? I've lost count. This was a good one. TD has some ski stories to tell, I was at a wedding in the unusually snowy flatlands over the weekend. Got some good dog walks in, at least.

<quote author="Sick Bird Rider">
Winter reboot number....five? I've lost count. This was a good one. TD has some ski stories to tell, I was at a wedding in the unusually snowy flatlands over the weekend. Got some good dog walks in, at least.

Sure do SBR.  You should have been here yesterday..   😉

So yesterday after the Saturday evening snow - about 10-12” - I met up with Alex A who was frothing enough to drive 2 hours from the shitty..  he made the right choice..  it was the best day of 2020..   so far.  
We skied nonstop from 9 to 2, at which point we tagged some other skiers who had just arrived and said “your turn”..  


Alex was all smiles after his dawn patrol departure from Toronto..

The sweat equity put in in the fall yielded some purty nice glades.

I sure enjoyed the snow..  

Alex was smiling up and down the hill

A brief pause at the cabin at the top for the requisite photo opportunity..  

I’m TD!

The backside was still a bit scrapey under the fresh..  Alex doing a quick check before dropping in.  
 
The ski out from the backside is as nice as it gets.  

I finally got to sample some of the nice snow from last weekend before it turns to glop, or worse. After a busy week at work, I chilled out by going for a nice little tour in the back 40 this morning. The snow was really nice, though a bit sticky in sun-exposed areas. The weather forecast is a bit grim, hope the freezing r&#n turns into snow.

It was warm enough for the Carhartt ski pants and no long johns.



Scored some slarvy turns on Secret Hill.



No skins were used on this tour. Fishscales all the way! #chargerlove

You’ve just about sold me on the Chargers. Looks pretty good up there, all things considered

Brownski wrote

You’ve just about sold me on the Chargers. Looks pretty good up there, all things considered

You’re late to the party Brownski! Voile doesn’t make the Charger BC’s anymore!
Closest option is the V6-BC. Also there’s a ski at Telemarkdown.com, the Summitcone Vagabond.

Twigfest is tomorrow and I am stoked. Stay tuned for the full report. Conditions are, uhh, OK. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, here are reports from 2018 and 2017. I missed 2019, not sure if TD made a report.

I was so inspired, I composed a little Hinterlandian doggerel for the event:

(with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore)

Twas the night before Twigfest,
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
Not me nor my spouse

My skis were all waxed
And stashed in the corner,
The dog knew he’d stay home
Which made him forlorner

The backpack was ready
Just there by the door,
It really just needed a few items more
Extra gloves and thick toque
In case it was colder
And trusty old climbing skins
In case I felt bolder

A headlamp, a map and thermos of tea
Even some bumwad, for more than a pee
An axe and saw, to help stoke the fire
And of course, a first aid kit, should some skier take a flyer

We all asked Ullr to send us new snow
And Skadi as well, since she’s in the know
Finally, on Facebook, there came a report
LeChef says there’s good snow at our backwoods resort!
Whether alpine touring or splitboard, or still dropping the knees
Come on out to Twigfest, let’s ski in the trees!

Jeff LeChef has been working overtime and Hodgepodge Lodge is ready for Twigfest 2020.

Said it before and I'll say it again, you guys got it going on. Twigfest looks like a blast!

Sick Bird Rider wrote

I’m not going to wait until tomorrow to say “you shoulda been here yesterday..”
Twigfest is in the books now, another superlative time was had by all the tribe that made the effort to get out and at it.
Kudos and props to Jeff LeCheff who got there at the “crack-o-f&$k” (his words) to set up.  SBR and I are more civilized, and met up at 8 to do the drive to downtown Kearney - our official Twigfest host town - (tongue planted firmly in cheek).  From there we drove the 15 more miles to the trailhead.  Got there in barely enough time to secure a parking spot..   I think SBR counted 8 vehicles..  

SBR, looking for a spot to go (over caffeinated by this point probably)

base camp was hopping, there was already more than a dozen people including 3 under 16 y.o., and 1 dog there.  Crazy.

Stephanie loves stylin’ out.  

This is awesome. Should really be a separate TR.

Twigfest looks so rad.

Great pics Dave

RA, you and Harv and a few others here would fit right in to the Twigfest vibe.

Of the eight cars in the lot, four were Subarus. What does that tell you? Plus two pickups, an ancient Buick sedan and a Mercedes CL 300. Even vehicularly, it was a diverse and compatible crowd.

More pics later.

Harvey wrote

This is awesome. Should really be a separate TR.

It is awesome but, being part of the whole Hinterlandian zeitgeist, definitely belongs in the ongoing TFTH thread. You either get it or you don't. Putting it in a separate thread would require too much explaining.

Another couple pics, just because.



A little souvenir courtesy of LeCheffie.  The pic is Chuuurrles!

Nice work gent's

Looks like a blast

I concur with SBR in that no separate TR is needed.

SBR and Tele Dave were a great help guiding people (most of whom hadn't been here) thus avoiding general chaos. Anarchy however was in ample supply. I busted several people for poaching (they actually thought I was serious).

That camp stays up all winter for everyone to use.