Ski bums going to Utah

[*SCSA]

Hello there -- you bucha he/she/its!

Me, Hobbit, maybe Mason, and a few others, are going to be making turns at Alta/Snowbird, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, March 5th to the 7th. If you want to join in on the party, we probably have room for 2 more in our condo.

Warning! You will be in direct contact with SCSA!

So if you wanna hook up with us, we'd love to see ya -- let us know.

[John Mason]

I can't go that weekend.

I'll be skiing there (utah) march 14,15,16 at Park City, Deer Valley, and Canyons.

Sorry guys. I couldn't change my work schedule (though I tried).

[skier_j@]

I can't go that weekend.

I'll be skiing there (utah) march 14,15,16 at Park City, Deer Valley, and Canyons.

Sorry guys. I couldn't change my work schedule (though I tried).

whassa matter? don't know the boss?

[John Mason]

my clients are the boss(s)

[*SCSA]

The dates have changed.
We'll be there March 13th to the 15th, making turns for 3 days.

[*SCSA]

I could be talked into making turns at the Canyons one day. I hear it's nice there.

[John Mason]

I'll be at park city, canyons, and deer valley, though I'll have to check the schedule. We'll be at one of each of the places on Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday.

Also, my roommate from the nov ski instructor camp is in the area and probably going to come, and Jeff Markham is nearby.

So we could have possible 5 certifiably hack PMTS'ers there. (as opposed to PMTS certified)

2 people from our Lafayette ski club also had a lesson with John Clendenon (one of the few Black PMTS certs in the world) and I'm sure would be interested in meeting more PMTS'ers. However, I won't know till 1st wednesday in march if they are comming or not.

Thanks for moving it back a week guys! I've not been skiing much so it'll be great to do some real turns on real mountains again (perfect north on crowded saturdays or paoli peaks this saturday just are not the same (not to say you can't get some good practice in, but it's just not like exploring a new mountain with 3000 acres or so). (in fact its exactly like not exploring 80 acres or so with 300 to 400 feet of vertical on man made almost mush snow).

[John Mason]

SCSA and Hobbit - Dan is coming on that trip too. So, (especially SCSA) no extreme skiing because you know if you ask he can't say no. So, no cliff jumps etc SCSA.

(for others on the forum Dan is my youngest son (22) ) In our last meeting with SCSA he had Dan tooling down black bump runs at beaver creek (Dan had never done mogul runs before) (did you know that SCSA?).

See you guys - really really looking forward to it. SCSA - I want the "flex" lesson. And I'll show you what SkiDoc showed me.

[*SCSA]

Oh boy this is shaping up to be lots of fun. So Dan is coming? Ah, don't worry, I keep my skis on the ground. Moocho safer and it tends to promote a long skiing life.

Yeah, I'm psyched to hear your Clendenon report first hand.

This will be great. I'll talk to Hobbit. I'm thinking maybe we ought to take on day and do The Canyons. I hear it's nice there.

This will be fun. PMTS hacks invade Utah!

[4specs]

As John Mason said, I'll be there - Colin Gilboy. I took the November instructors clinic and have skiied with another person who has taken several of John Clendenon's clinics. I will say that the clinic substantially changed my skiiing and I like Harald's program.

I skied last week with a PSIA Level 2 certified instructor friend from Tahoe. He was not really interested in Harald's ideas. I learned a bit about John Clendenon's soft edge (from the other person) and see where that can be an advantage on steeper runs to control speed.

Prior to last week and skiing the 3 Park City areas I was not clear about the differences in the Utah ski areas.

Last spring I skied Snowbird - I was reminded of Squaw Valley at Tahoe where I lived for 3 years - big and steep. This was late spring snow and Alta seemed much more tame, and I suspect that the locals know where to go. I only had one day last year and plan to go back this spring when Deer Valley closes in April.

I might be biased about Deer Valley having a mid-week season pass and living near the Deer Crest gondola. From the time I back out of my garage until the top of Baldy is 50 minutes. Drive, boots on, walk to gondola, up, down to Snow Park, and up 2 lifts.

I like Deer Valley - besides all the grooming that keeps my wife happy, there is enough steep groomed and ungroomed areas to keep me challenged. I was in Daly Bowl after the last storm and have promised myself to do lots of plyometrics this summer. After every 3-4 turns I was breathing heavy and had to stop. It is nice not having all the 20 year old snowboarders out of control behind you.

I like the Baldy runs - good and steep and leading back to the list without a long traverse. Empire on the right days is also fun but has a more easterly exposure that can make the snow tougher to ski.

After the last 16" snowfall I enjoyed the powder except it was cut up by noon when I got there. Earlier next time. Also on some of the steeper runs it was tough to ski the powder with 18" moguls hidden under the snow.

Park City (excluding Jupiter Bowl and McCronkey area) is much wider (say the runs are 2x the width of Deer Valley) and somewhat less steep. Great groomed boulevards to soar down. Again, I am sure the locals know other areas I have not gotten to. I expect that Saturdays and President's Day week should be avoided to avoid all the snow boarders. There have been no lift lines at any of these areas when I have skiied there.

Canyons was a bit of a disappointment. Big for sure and some of it is steep enough. We did not get on 9990 (probably steepest area) this time as my friend's back was sore from the prior 2 days and the others did not want to go up there. Much of the mountain is a great run down 60% of the vertical and then the other 40% of the vertical is a run down the valley back to the lifts.

Yesterday, 3 days after the last large snowfall of 16", I went up to Powder Mountain. As I was skiing alone and did not know the mountain, I took advantage of their host program $50 for a guide for 3 hours. The woman I talked with while looking at the area map was my host. She took me up all of the lifts and into Powder Country and Lightning Ridge. Areas I would not have gone alone, nor should have.

Wow - mostly untracked or lightly tracked power all over the back areas. We took one cat run from Lighting ridge - she knew where the north protected powder was. Fun, but the 2,100 vertical feel has a large percentage dedicated to the track back to the lift.

Now I know I can ski powder and am looking forward to more and perhaps a Park City snowcat day into the Unitas east of Park City.

If you are coming to Deer Valley, let me know and perhaps we can ski mid-week one day. Am looking forward to the days with this group.

Colin Gilboy
colin at 4specs dot com

[*SCSA]

Colin,

That's great.

I know we want to go to Snowbird at least one of our days there, maybe two. That would leave us one or two days to try another area, live DV. It's not the last time I'll go to Utah, so wherever Hobbit and Mason want to go is fine with me.

But for sure, we'll be at Snowbird. Knowing Hobbit, I'd say 2 days. That'd be my vote too. That'd leave us one day to try another area.

Wanna hook up w/us @ Snowbird? Now keep in mind, making turns w/me is like no other.

Hobbit is coming up tonight to make turns at Snowmass w/me tomorrow. Milk! I'll see what he/she/it has to say.