Jackson Hole Pic of the Day

My buddy is out in Jackson Hole this week and was kind enough to send me this picture he took of today's conditions.

Snorkel optional.

At least one, maybe two pair, thank you very much

So right on the heels of my last post, my ski buddy who has (only) one pair of skis, and 10 year old boots, who gives me grief over all the skis I drag up to the mountains for every trip, tells me he's bought new slalom skis (not just any slalom skis, but Stockli Laser SL's), is about to buy a new pair of boots, and is thinking about also buying a pair of mogul skis to round out the quiver!

Wow, seems like what I have is contagious. Either that or the marketers for the hard goods companies are doing something right.

How Many Pairs of Skis Does One Skier Need?

Let's see...

I have my Atomic SL9 slalom skis in a 160. Tons of fun on groomers and hardpack. Mounted with the Atomic Race bindings that slide 2 notches forward to make them quicker, and 2 notches back for bigger turns, overall pretty versatile, especially for skiing in the east.

Then I have a pair of Rossignol T-Power Vipers in a 150. Fun for bumps and trees, and perfect for sliding around when I'm skiing with my kids.

Then there are the Atomic Beta Ride 9.22 midfats. Pretty good for when I go out west. If it snows, they're fine, and if it's been a week or so since the last storm, they're pretty good for making GS turns on groomers.

Still, I feel incomplete. Maybe I need a Volkl Allstar or Tigershark 10 in a 168 for going mach speeds. Or maybe there really IS a one ski replacement for a ski quiver (have the ski marketers finally gotten to me???). Or maybe I should buy a fatter midfat (I still resist the FAT skis because I don't go to Alaska, and when it does dump I like to actually ski in it and make turns, and not just float on top at mach speeds. Hey, us east coasters like to make every turn count when we do see some pow).

Well, I keep searching, and thanks to the discount websites, I probably will just keep adding to the collection.

Suggestions welcome.

Bode Miller Wall Hit at Kitzbuhel

Bode Miller executes a wall hit at the notoriously challenging Kitzbuhel downhill, and walks away with a silver. Unbelievable.

Pat's Peak

We found a hidden gem, and her name is Pat's Peak.

We've been taking the kids to the local ski areas to get them started. But the crowds, bus trips from the schools, and the general urban clientele that usually frequent them has been slightly less then optimal.

But we just discovered Pat's Peak in Henniker, NH. There's a roped off magic carpet ultra-beginner area, lots of chairlifts that all go to the top, and there's a beginner trail and a few easy intermediates from the top.

For my kids, the chairlift ride is at least as exciting as the actual skiing, so having a plethora of chairlifts to choose from is a huge plus. And not being banished to a novice area is very cool. We get to ski nice long runs from the top.

It's an area that's tailor made for kids. It's not crowded. There are giant stuffed animals walking around greeting everyone. And there's a candy counter with lots of candy (including Skittles, which are perfect for negotiating with your kids to get them to ski in a pizza) - for a buck.

Learning to Love Sugarbush (again)

It's been a while since I've been up to Sugarbush, having spent lots of time in recent years at New Hampshire ski areas, Killington, and occasionally Stowe. But driving up Friday night over the Roxbury Gap, late at night with no other cars on the road, and feet(!) of virgin white snow piled up as far as the eye can see, was truly magnificent.

This year has brought so much snow to the northern Vermont ski areas, it's like skiing was back in the early eighties (as I remember it).

This weekend Sugarbush was 100% open. The woods were pristine. As much as I love arcing out big turns at the NH ski areas, you just don't get this in southern New England. At least I don't usually see it. So as long as conditions hold up, there's alot to be said for making the drive to Northern Vt. Oh, I mean, conditions are really bad, and don't go there. ;-)

Kudos to Sugarbush for the way they are running the mountain and the entire area.

Check out the independent forums where you can get the real scoop from Sugarbush (and Mad River) skiers ('specially regarding conditions), AND the new owner of Sugarbush regularly weighs in on the forums, keeping it real. (Way to go, Win.)

http://forums.skimrv.com/forum-1.html

That, you gotta love...