While I haven't found anything particularly noteworthy about which to write lately, I'm sure there's a few new things in my life. So, I'm simply going to start writing and see what comes out.
Today was day three of my four-day mini-vacation. For some reason, the schedule worked out that I've got 4 straight days off. This is fantastic because I've had three excellent days of skiing and I think I'm going to snowboard for the first time this season tomorrow (gasp!).
The avalanche conditions are the worst they've been since 1976, the result of an ice layer underlying the snowpack which can rip off at any moment. This layer is buried so deeply that it will persist for the duration of the season, becoming problematic again in the springtime when melting snow lubricates the sliding surface. Unfortunately, this means that almost half of the terrain on the resort is closed, un-skiable, or out-of-bounds. Agh. Also it means that any backcountry travel is extrememy hazardous, which further limits the amout of skiable terrain. This is frustrating because I left Colorado to avoid unstable continental snowpack conditions, and this year and this year only, Whistler is worse than good old CO.
The good news is we're still finding good snow and having a great time. I laughed harder this morning than I have in a long time, compliments of Dave, Paul, Tanya, Tara, and Tim.
I successfully replicated dad's amazing chili. (Insert pat on the back here.)
I bent my skis. Both of them. Basically when i put the skis together, the tips bend backwards starting about a foot above the binding. Essentially I've created a mini-rocker on my ARVs. That's the bad news. The good news is now they double as a mogul, park, powder, and rock ski, and I used my birthday money to buy a new ski/binding setup. (Volkl Gotama 183 cm, Jester binding.)
So that turned out sounding somewhat negative, but in reality life is good. My house is great, my roomates are awesome, and I'm having the time of my life. Here's a few more pics from the last couple days.
Sidestepping up to ski a covert tree run on Whistler mountain. The snow was fantastic in here today, so we skied the run three times. This ascent was kind of cool--the path was hardly wide enough so your skis would stick off the edge.
The Danish eat their cheeseburgers with a knife and fork. I find this ridiculous beyond all sense of reason (and told them so) but if you travel to Denmark, bring some utensils.
This is the view from the peak-to-peak gondola, looking at blackcomb mountain. I realize as I type this caption that I may have already posted this pic, but oh well.
View of whistler mountain over a frozen Green Lake.
Today was day three of my four-day mini-vacation. For some reason, the schedule worked out that I've got 4 straight days off. This is fantastic because I've had three excellent days of skiing and I think I'm going to snowboard for the first time this season tomorrow (gasp!).
The avalanche conditions are the worst they've been since 1976, the result of an ice layer underlying the snowpack which can rip off at any moment. This layer is buried so deeply that it will persist for the duration of the season, becoming problematic again in the springtime when melting snow lubricates the sliding surface. Unfortunately, this means that almost half of the terrain on the resort is closed, un-skiable, or out-of-bounds. Agh. Also it means that any backcountry travel is extrememy hazardous, which further limits the amout of skiable terrain. This is frustrating because I left Colorado to avoid unstable continental snowpack conditions, and this year and this year only, Whistler is worse than good old CO.
The good news is we're still finding good snow and having a great time. I laughed harder this morning than I have in a long time, compliments of Dave, Paul, Tanya, Tara, and Tim.
I successfully replicated dad's amazing chili. (Insert pat on the back here.)
I bent my skis. Both of them. Basically when i put the skis together, the tips bend backwards starting about a foot above the binding. Essentially I've created a mini-rocker on my ARVs. That's the bad news. The good news is now they double as a mogul, park, powder, and rock ski, and I used my birthday money to buy a new ski/binding setup. (Volkl Gotama 183 cm, Jester binding.)
So that turned out sounding somewhat negative, but in reality life is good. My house is great, my roomates are awesome, and I'm having the time of my life. Here's a few more pics from the last couple days.
Sidestepping up to ski a covert tree run on Whistler mountain. The snow was fantastic in here today, so we skied the run three times. This ascent was kind of cool--the path was hardly wide enough so your skis would stick off the edge.
The Danish eat their cheeseburgers with a knife and fork. I find this ridiculous beyond all sense of reason (and told them so) but if you travel to Denmark, bring some utensils.
This is the view from the peak-to-peak gondola, looking at blackcomb mountain. I realize as I type this caption that I may have already posted this pic, but oh well.
View of whistler mountain over a frozen Green Lake.
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