Skiing On My Mind

Well I usually take the bad news first…

It is a few days until Thanksgiving and there is little to no skiing to be had. People are starting to get a bit cranky? Everybody is anxious, and there is nothing to do but wait. The temperatures have not even been getting low enough to make good snow, and the Vermont ski areas are pushing back their originally planned opening dates. It’s not even looking good for a Thanksgiving Weekend opening. That is the bad news.

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It is true that every day or week feels like an eternity in November when you are waiting for the lifts to turn, BUT…… There’s still hope! Here is my theory. In the past when we’ve had an early start, with good skiing in November, it has all been green by New Year’s, and never lasting much into April. So, we might be starting a little late this season, but when it hits, it is going to hit HARD, and last LONG. Its going to be a deep winter in VT. For sure. Aside from this slow start, all the other signs are good. The farmer’s almanac says “Cold and Snowy,” the Wooly Bear caterpillar has an extra long black band on a heavy coat of fur this year, and the old woodsman that I talked to the other day said the Bee Hives were built extra high in the trees, clearly calling for a deep, deep snow winter.

folklore-winter-weather-forecast

So, if I were you, I’d have your skis ready, knowing that this Winter is going to be the best one yet!
Think it, Live it, Love it…..SNOW (sooner or later)

frigid-2010-forecast-how-cold-will-the-winter-weather-be

Yup.  It’s early November, aka,”stick season” in Vermont.  The leaves have blown off all the trees, the weather is not that great, there’s no skiing to be had yet, and the sun in setting at like 4:30 pm.  Ouch.  Man, it is not motivating when it gets dark that early.  I guess I’m  just coming down from some ski movie premiere’s and an awesome fall.  Not to mention that it has already dumped in Utah.  That place is ridiculous.  I think I’m going to start doing a late October ski trip.  Seriously. 

   Maybe it would be better to call this time of year, “the calm before the storm.”  Things are definitely calm around here right now, but perhaps that means big storms to come!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/calm-before-storm1.htm

Well, you NEED a Powder ski,
Must have a DEEP Powder ski(not to be confused with just a powder ski),
It’s nice to have a telemark set-up,
Hard to hike to ski without an AT set-up,
I actually had a great time on a nice sidecut carving ski last season…certainly a must for the Eastern rider,
You can’t ski switch without a twin tip,
Nice to be able to ski pow with a twin tip,
You have to have a “go-to” all mountain ski for everyday use,
I suppose you may be into bumps, which means a straighter mogul ski,
and last, but not least, every skier really should have some type of “shotski” laying around in the basement or garage, for those special times of celebration after a good ski day.
I think that’s it though.

Fall in Vermont is my favorite season for so many reasons. Yes, the leaves are very nice, and I love the cooler, hoody weather. But, fall also means that Winter is coming and it is Ski Movie Premiere season.
I just headed up to Burlington last Friday night for the MatchStick Productions movie, “In Deep.” I had a great time. Hung out with some good friends, saw some familiar faces, and got pumped up for the season with a full house of skiers.
In Deep is definitely worth seeing. Highlighted by the intro Sean Pettit section, and an awesome Shane McConkey tribute section to end the movie!
This kid Sean Pettit destroys it. They took him to AK and the kid did work. At first glance you might think this acne faced teenager was a seasoned pro. Watch for this guy.
My favorite part of the movie was the Shane McConkey tribute section. It was awesome. I think it made everyone realize how huge an effect Shane had on skiing. And, a great reminder of what it should be all about…having a good time! What a loss. After hearing the crowd’s reactions to the Shane McConkey section, I’m pretty sure that he directly and indirectly had some impact on everyone in the room. That’s pretty cool.
After the movie, the RBV’s had thoroughly kicked in, and I felt the need to chat with Hugo Harrison, the MSP athlete that attended the show. What a good guy. He recommended the Chic-Choc mountains as a good destination for the north-east coaster looking for some good terrain. I really gotta check that place out.
Anyway, I walked away a little more excited for the Winter to come.

http://www.skimovie.com

Just recalling my first snow storm in Alta. This was a storm I will never forget.
It was early November. My friend Nick and I headed out to the Peruvian Lodge, for my first season out West, as soon as they would take us. There was not much work to do yet at the lodge, but we were anxious for the season.
1 week passed. Then 2 weeks…..then 3. NO SNOW. Nothing. By this time most of the employees had arrived at the lodge for the season, but there was no real work to do as the mountain had not opened yet.
By this time we were going a bit stir crazy. We were about out of money, and our friends back East kept calling to tell us how good the skiing was at Killington. I was really getting nervous that Utah was not going to get any snow that Winter.
Turned out there was no reason for me to be worried. I still remember the morning that I woke up and looked out the window, only to see car antenna’s. This was because all of the cars were buried in snow. Deep, White, Fluffy, Goodness!! This storm, my first Utah snowstorm dumped 100 inches in 100 hours!!!! Unbelievable. From that day on, I never doubted the snowfall in Alta again. Alta delivers.
What a start to one of the most memorable ski seasons of my life. It doesn’t get much better then that. Needles to say our friends back East, skiing Killington got a call that night. They moved to Alta the following Winter.

I just finished a 2 day boot fitting school with Masterfit University, http://www.masterfit.com, at Stratton Mountain in Vermont. Masterfit University is kind of the authority on ski boot fitting. At this point I already have some solid experience with boot fitting, but there is lots more to learn. I currently work as a bootfitter, building custom insole’s, and dialing people in with the correct equipment for them. Most skiers agree that the most important part of your ski equipment needs is your boots. I do think that having the proper equipment for your ski need can make a big difference. Especially with the boots. After hearing feedback from many of the customer’s that I have sold boots to, or made custom insole’s for my thoughts are continually reaffirmed.

Every season, when I watch the latest ski movie premier’s, I am always amazed to see athletes in our sport stepping it up. I actually had thought we were at a bit of a plateau, until I saw the trailer for the new Matchstick productions movie, “In Deep,” http://www.skimovie.com/index.php/msptv/in-deep-teaser/ This movie looks so sick? Everyone seems to be taking it up a notch. A couple of the biggest double’s I’ve seen. Can’t wait to see this flick!

I can’t help but wonder how much, if any, equipment has to do with taking our sport to that next level. I mean, I’m pretty sure Seth Morrison, Eric Hjorleifson, or Sage couldn’t send some of the stuff that they do with a Geze Binding, and skinny ski’s. Well, maybe Sage ?

I think it would be hard for most to deny what the proper equipment set-up can do for performance. No, no, I’m not just saying that to convince my wife that I NEED some new fatty powder skis this Winter.

Just last Winter, a friend got a new snowboard. I think it was his first new ride in like 10 years. He could not believe what a huge difference it made in performance.

As much as the right equipment can make a nice difference in performance, I also believe that it doesn’t matter how old or new you gear is, you can always go out and have a good time on the hill. If Seth Morrison, Eric Hjorleifson, or Sage did go out on that Geze binding and skinny skis, I’m pretty sure they could still have just as much fun.

Does the right equipment make a difference? The short answer is YES. However, skiing is definitely NOT about equipment. It’s about having fun. So, if getting new equipment is as fun for you as it is for me, then it’s time to go buy some new FAT skis!

What is it about the first snow of the season that gets me so pumped up. It is such a big day. It officially means that Winter is knocking. It is like the first significant milestone of the season.
For many years I made it tradition to always put my ski rack back on at the first site of snow (even if it was September). The old Mercury Topaz always did look a lot better with a ski rack on her.  :)

I have a truck now, so I didn’t have to put the ski rack on today after I saw the first snow of the season.  I was on the annual fall foliage mountain bike ride up to the top of Killington with a good crew of friends and acquaintances. We knew it was going to be questionable weather, but frankly did not expect snow. This crew of riders was also a bunch of skiers, so even though our extremities may have been numb, it was hard not to crack a smile and a little shout as the first white stuff of the season came down.

Time to put the ice scraper back in the car, pre-cut your kindling, and book your trip to Utah, because it’s gonna be a BIG Winter!!!

I am always fascinated by what people do in order to ski. Unfortunately this great sport seems to only be affordable if you immerse yourself in it. I mean, how can anyone afford a $70-80 day lift ticket, which doesn’t even include the $100′s spent on equipment.
So what is there to do? I guess the answer is: You must immerse yourself in IT. IT, meaning skiing, the culture, and the lifestyle.
This can be a big commitment. In my case it started by sleeping in a small dorm room with 3 other dudes, and driving a shuttle van. This happened to be 1 of the best ski season’s of my life, and just the beginning of what I hope to be a life of immersion.
Everyone’s case is different, but it will generally be a pretty big commitment, and always be well worth it.  Especially when you are the first one down Eagle’s Nest on a chest deep day, “immersed” in powder.  Happy ski bumming!

   Well folks, it is September. The first few trees have actually started to turn here in Vermont. Fall is by far my favorite season. There is nothing better than that crisp air, and amazing foliage. Of course, it is also a sign that Winter is coming! My friend Nick has always said his favorite part of most things is the anticipation. Well, I would have to agree.
   It is so exciting to start thinking about what another Winter will bring. I love the first day when you can put on your favorite winter hat and wear it all day without being too hot. Some people love wearing their bathing suit all day. I prefer putting the bathing suit away and breaking out the jeans and long sleeve shirts. It is finally that time when the new ski movies and magazines come out. It is time to reconnect with your “winter friends”. I have quite a few friends that I only really catch up with them in the Fall, just before ski season. This is because I know they are getting as excited as I am about the upcoming Winter.  Skiing is so awesome and I can’t wait.  Oh the anticipation…..I love it!!!