18,250 divided by 365 is 50, which just so happens to be how old I am today! Happy birthday to me – I’m going skiing to celebrate. ;)
Ed Viesters described 50 as the new 30, but in any case, I’ll take it as it is better than the alternative, which is not turning 50 as far too many of my skiing buddies have done, may the shred in heaven. I’ve always assumed that at some point I might have to stop or curtail my skiing, so I’ve tried to enjoy it as much as I can, as often as I can, while I can. But, I’ve somehow managed to avoid getting sidetracked and one good run has led to another, and then before you know it, it adds up and turns into a lifetime of skiing. On a skiing trip to the Grand Teton, Doug Coombs mentioned that he never told his sponsors how old he was, which I got a laugh out of, as skiing had kept him eternally preserved at 18 and smiling, so it hardly mattered, at least to me. Continue reading ’18,250 Days of Stayin’ Alive’
Awesome Day with the Wasatch Powderbird Guides
According to the Wasatch Powderbird Guides (WPG), many backcountry skiers appreciate their efforts at keeping the Wasatch backcountry safe by bombing it and enjoy the “sizzle” that a heliskiing operation brings to a mountain range. I’m not one of them. On Tuesday, WPG said they were going to be skiing in Mineral, Cardiff, Days, Silver, White Pine, Millcreek, Box, American Fork and Cascade – pretty much all of the central and southern Wasatch except the Alta parking lot. To nobody’s surprise, WPG decided to concentrate their efforts on Cardiff, which is a 60 second flight from their helipad and about 40 minutes skinning. We were one of four parties touring in the drainage and were treated to a thundering A-Star Symphony in B Flat Major for a solid three hours.
The WPG 2010/11 Operating Plan states “WPG will practice good backcountry ethics, including: (a) allowing ski mountaineers who arrive at a particular location before WPG an opportunity to ski first, and (b) avoiding, when practical, flying through passes and along ridges occupied by other backcountry users.” At least that is what they tell the Forest Service. The photo below shows the reality. We are standing on a ridgeline, in plain view, especially from above and not only does WPG land on top of the nearby peak, but then WPG guide Ryan Carlson brings his entire group straight over to us and proceeds to ski the slope we had just skinned up. Continue reading ‘Awesome Day with the Wasatch Powderbird Guides’