Year End Update

Thought I'd post the New Year's update for snow totals & base depths so far this year across the country (since I'm bored at work today).
Been another roller coaster ride for New England with quite a bit of snow for northern areas along with several thaw/mixed precip events that intervene the snow events. Down where I am in southern VT, I can count on the fact that one week after a good snow or shot of cold air that it will warm up to 50 and start spitting warm salty rain on us.
Jay Peak: 152" Base: 18-36"
Stowe: 126" Base: 10-20"
Bolton Valley 111" Base: 12-28"
Mad River Glen: 70-89"
Magic Mtn.: 36" Base: 0-10"
Sugarloaf Base: 24-55"

After a slow start (beside CO), most western areas are now up to their necks in snow. 3 in-bounds avy deaths in the last 15 days can attest to this:
J-hole: 156-190" Base: 57-68"
Alta: 192" Base: 70"
Kirkwood: 146-176" Base: 75-102"
Loveland: 175" Base: 47"
Taos: 134" Base: 70"
Big Sky Base: 40-60"
Mt. Baker Base: 81-92"

Interesting to see the even spread up & down the inter-mountain west. Sounds like the Pac NW is going to continue to get hammered in the coming weeks. I think I bought enough time to sneak out of work. Have a great & safe New Year's and looking forward to seeing some of you in a couple weeks (hopefully under much lower avy risk conditions)

In depth

Deep snow has arrived in Vermont.  We ran with a small group of 10 on this day of backcountry skiing on Sunday.  Made carrying all the beer to the top a little easier...also made for some pretty interesting laps towards the end of the day.

That's my hat.  I'm beneath it somewhere.

My friend Peter's wife Jane, getting some.

Coming out the other side of deep.

I had trouble waiting for the camera guy on a day like this.

Peter, chasing Jane.

That's also my backpack.

Chris is our designated "style" consultant.  He's sporting this year's "sweet" jacket.

Feelin Better....I'm comin' back to Jackson.....

Was it the forecasted SNOW? Or maybe the massive amounts of supplements I've consumed in the last three days? Regardless, I think I just have a bad cold and I'm feeling better! What better way to say adios to my students then cruising into Jackson with Snow in the forecast and a New Tram online. I'll be pushing out of here around 900am tomorrow and hope to get up there around 6-7pm, ready to enjoy some Reggae at he Moose and pow in the BC!

Lets Get it On

Sounds like the best pattern for everybody setting up...similiar to the big set-up from January-March 2001. Big dip across the west which then spits the storms out in a line from Oklahoma/Texas to NYC/DC area with coastal storm development potential. Fuck yeah!!!
Currently snowing pretty hard outside with potential for three more moderate-to-big snowstorms between now & X-mas. My wife may not see me much around Christmas time (did I just jinx myself of snow?)

Finding the Goods at Mary Jane.....

Headed out really early today and got on the third chair at Mary Jane (WP). There was over a foot in the last 36hr and over 2 feet in the last 7 days so we were stoked. Started to really look like winter out there, but it's frustrating cause I'm heading to Jackson next week which has relatively no snow (the Hobacks aren't even covered!). Temps. hovered around -4 this morning so it was friggin' COLD!! Still limited on terrain at WP, thus, Erik and I took matters into our own hands, i.e. ducking ropes for most of the morning. On the upper mountain we found some surprisingly deep stashes that were blower over-head (if your knee was dropped...). Plowed a couple rocks lurking under the shallow snowpack, but that was expected. Glades were really good as well and reminded me of VT. Easily the best skiing of the year in COLORADO and we're poised to get a couple more beefy systems mid-week and this weekend as a trough sets up. It will be hard to drive out of here on Friday morining. Hopefully Jackson gets pounded before we arrive....oh, and Washington state for that matter... peace yall!

The excitement builds...

Looking good out there. Bring it on. We need snow.

8-14 day Precipitation Map for U.S. for Northwest & Northeast!!

East OR West, it's all good!!

Big Pacific Storm on the Horizon!

Well it's about F*&^ing time we have the jet dip south and pump in a massive Pacific monster. I've been waiting for this storm for the last 6 weeks and it finally decided to show up!! Was it the snow dances in the name of Ullr? Or maybe scoffing at winter weather and climbing outside until last week? Regardless, it's comin', so get ready to strap on the Pow Boards team Washington, Wyoming & Colorado, cause we're about to get ASS RAMMED!!!

Maybe these recent climbing shots at Shelf Road, CO in early December will piss off Ullr and he'll bring some more Fury!

Shelf Road, CO
Temperature: 66 degrees Farenheit
Time: Killa Sunset

My buddy Dustin following on "Cornerstone" 11b/c. Old School Bolting = Scary
This douche bag trying to onsite "Purple Toes", 11d (oh, I fell above the last bolt, brutal!)

P.S. - Riss, maybe this Northwest trip won't be a SHAM after all, but be ready to head to Canada, eh!

Late snow in 'Rado, proves crucial!

Thankfully we had a major storm roll in this weekend dropping 49 inches on Loveland and 2+ feet in the surrounding mountains. We've had a rough start up until now, but at least we have some sort of base on the ground. Got out on Saturday to Winter Park and peeped Berthoud Pass on my way out there...lookin good!! However, the storm brought 70+ mph winds so we had some major wind transporting...thus a super dangerous BC. More snow tonight, lets bury that shit!!

Erica and I headed up to Copper for the day today....sunny, with some pow stashes still available. The weekday skiing is the shit!!...we could go really fast and I could work on the high speed switch tele-turns without worrying about hords of Denverites in my way. Looks like we'll finally see a lot of terrain open for this weekend with the new snow.

We're planning on flying in to Utah on January 20th (Tuesday) and out on Sunday the 25th. Erica already requested days off so we can't change the dates, sorry crew. Hope a bunch of you can make it out that week. I promise lots of antics on and off the slopes....including some good Colorado microbrews!
Peace.....

The crickets are chirpin...

The overwhelming sound of silence on the balls deep blog. TK sounds like CO is in the best spot with some recent snows, but overall it sounds like the start to this winter has been a big let down to most of us. I haven't had enough snow yet to cover the grass in my yard despite several weeks of cold air. Every time significant precipitation moves in...so does the warm air. Classic New England. Though at least northern VT has reaped some decent snows off the lakes.
And every time one of these storms moves through, the weathermen say it will turn colder and the next storm looks to deliver snow...frustrating.
Hope everybody had a great turkey day, ate well and were merry. TK, give me a call, we need to touch base about January. It sounds like Erik would rather head out there later rather than earlier in the week due to the inauguration. It may be better if we did the Fri arrival time-frame instead. Seth & Hils, how does this work for you guys?