Days 71 and 72, Cabin Play Day and the Crowbar

Thursday night we decided to drive down to Sam's cabin in spite of the pissy weather. Sam, TAM, JD, Topher from Indiana, and I, crammed into the Subaru along with all our ski gear and drove a couple hours to the cabin. A lazy night turned into a lazy morning with a huge breakfast.
That's us making eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes, OJ, and peach sauce.
Sam headed out with Uncle Roman and Tanner to ski Candland while JD, Topher and I went up Oh Yea to stretch our legs before the Crowbar on Saturday.
You think the Cottonwoods got a lot of snow?


Saturday morning we got up at 5, loaded up, and drove to Logan Canyon. Didn't make it that far before we had to take a McDonald's stop and visit a multitude of poopers. At the race, the turnout looked to be OK with around 30 people at the start. One guy in a full skin suit and Pierre Gignoux boots looked like the favorite. A lady came up to JD and I and said she had a beer riding on one of us to win. Not because she thought we would, but because her friend had already picked the speedsuit guy. Never having done one of these before, the start was fun with everyone sprinting up the hill, yelling like a high school cross country race. I quickly dropped into second, with JD a few places behind. When the leader began to slow after only a few hundred meters, speed suit guy jumped out in front and I immediately latched on. JD got stuck behind some others and we opened up a 25 meter gap pretty quickly. I was surprised that the pace felt easy and could hold a conversation with ease. As the course turned uphill JD closed the gap and we made friends with the speed suit guy, finding out his name is Joey. We stayed friends for a little bit until I couldn't ignore Sam's voice in my head ordering me to attack. About 3/4 of the way up the first climb, I sprinted past Joey and opened up a good 50 meters. JD passed him near the top and came to the transition just as I was leaving. That's the way it stayed through the next three climbs with the gaps ever so slightly increasing. Probably because my falls weren't as fantastic as JD's, I transitioned a bit better, and because he wasn't sure about the pacing over a two hour effort.

Meanwhile, battling out the rec division, Casey was blowing people's doors off.

It was a pretty hot day and the course was long but with gentle climbs and easy descents. Next time I won't use a water bottle with a screw off cap.

Days 69 and 70, Scottie's and the Y

Not super motivated after a big day Tuesday, we went up Scottie's and No Name Bowl with Greg and were pretty soon psyched by the soft snow and fun terrain. Topher's evolution continued and he linked some prettier turns than previously demonstrated. Jason was glad to get back on the Kilowatts and Mega Rides and the Sherpa?

Just Happy.


Today, we met Zack at the LCC park and ride at 8:31. We were one minute late. Sorry Zack. Casey bailed again, hopefully not the beginning of a trend. We decided to check out the Y since we saw tracks in it yesterday and thought there might be an easy booter to the top. Turned out the new snow and previous skiers had entirely wiped out the booter, but gave us fresh untracked snow for 3000 feet. Well, more like 2500 as the last 500 were absolute garbage. On the way up we dug two pits and found stable snow down at least 4 feet both times. There was a layer of graupel about 4 inches deep through the middle sections that provided fun sluff and may prove dangerous after more snow over the next few days.

Zack was on a tight schedule to get back for work, and, this was supposed to be a rest day. Taking turns putting in the booter was taxing and slow, especially near the top in the deep powder. We ended up stopping at the top of the trees and just below the ridge. We weren't worried about it. The skiing was ridiculous.

The requisite pictures:

Topher from Indiana, finding himself some place he probably shouldn't be. Loved it though.


Zack wallowing balls deep and not exactly loving it.


Zack on his commute to work.

Ski Tour: Andorra to France

One of the tough aspects of a racing trip is that it's hard to get out and do all that you would like.  At our location in Andorra, we are surrounded by mountains on every side.  I'm glad I don't tour here on a regular basis because I would get lost for sure!  The Pyrenees are steep and jagged.  They make for great ski terrain.  They are amazing in an of themselves, but I have to say that the snow quality does not compare to the Wasatch (at least in a normal year).  For example, today we had some weather and about 6 to 8 inches of "snow" fell.  At times, it was a freezing rain.  At other times, it was a dense, wet snow, which made for tough DH conditions.  If it freezes tonight, and it will, tomorrow's conditions will be crust at best, or breakable crust at worst.

Anyway, yesterday, Cary, Wick, and I got out for a tour.  We started out close to our hotel and headed up an unplowed road through the Pyreneean countryside.

  

From Andorra Day 2

The country architecture is kind of cool.

From Andorra Day 2

We didn't know exactly where we were headed. But we could see some nice ski terrain up higher, and that became our destination. As Derek likes to say: "All good tours start low and end high." Before long, we were on good snow and in more interesting terrain.

From Andorra Day 2

One of the prevailing questions today was, "What would RandoSteve do?" We concluded that had he been present, he would have opted looker's right. We opted left.

From Andorra Day 2

As you can see, the terrain was beautiful. The snow, on the other hand, was shiny. Not soft.

From Andorra Day 2

We toured through open bowls.

From Andorra Day 2

Here is Wick looking off a cliff and at some steeper lines and into France.

From Andorra Day 2

And descending into France. We had lunch at a lake. And then skied out.

From Andorra Day 2

A booter up.

From Andorra Day 2

Wick at the top.

From Andorra Day 2

Cary skiing out.

From Andorra Day 2

Here is the valley we toured up and exited. We are staying below the ski runs looker's left.

From Andorra Day 2

Day 68, Another 10K

Got out today with Casey, JD, and Adam. Didn't really have a plan, just knew we wanted to go long and far. Started in Big Cottonwood, skinned up Kessler and skied the East Couloir out to the creek in Cardiff. Hiked up the drainage to the notch in Cardiac Ridge and dropped over into Mill B. Went back over into Cardiff and up to the summit of Superior. Had some nice tracks down the North Face from the summit and then back up to Little Superior. We battled crust down to the apron and shot over and up Suicide Chute which was nice and soft for the most part and came equipped with a fabulous booter. Finished by slipping around on the ice to get up Flagstaff, skied Holy Toledo then out Cardiff, and back to the car. Just over 10 grand for the day and feeling pretty psyched about it all.

A few pics:

East Couloir of Kessler


Ridge to Superior


Casey enjoying a well deserved Coke


Adam dropping into Suicide


Was beautiful all day

Skimo World Champs: Opening Ceremonies and Vertical Race

I'm in Soldeu, Andorra now.  Last night opened with a parade, a show and some fireworks.  There are are 23 nations participating in the Ski Mountaineering World Championships.  Team America consists of Pete Swenson, Cary Smith, Bryan Wickenhauser, Brandon French, Travis Scheefer, Max Taam, Ben Parsons, me, Monique Merrill, Jari Kirkland, Nina Silitch, Amy Fulwyler, and Molly Zurn.  Here we are (photo taken from Nina's blog):

Before that, the Vertical Race was held.  Throughout the week, there will be four competitions: 1) Vertical Race, 2) Individual Race, 3) Teams Race, and 4) Relay.  The course (pictured below) was pretty straightforward and not very technical -- 2900 vertical feet. Representing Team America for the Vertical Race were Bryan, Cary, Ben, me, Mona, Jari, Nina, and Molly.  Basically, it went like this: sprint till you felt you were going to blow up, sprint some more, then put the pedal down and go, go, go for about an hour.  More than anything, it was a test of speed.

From Andorra Day 2

In the women's race, out of 36 competitors, Roberta Pedrazini from Italy won with a time of 48:25.  Mona put in a super performance and finished 9th at 52:53.   Other Team USA women finished close behind as follows:

Jari, 23rd, 1:1:11
Nina, 27th, 1:3:43
Molly, 32nd, 1:8:46

In the men's race, out of 83 competitors, Killian Jornet from Spain streaked up the mountain to finish in 39:51.  American men finished as follows:

Cary, 52nd, 48:56
Me, 56th, 49:35
Wick, 61st, 50:45
Ben, 54th, 52:23

It hurt! (Killian Jornet)

From Andorra Day 2

A lot!

From Andorra Day 2

Even so, I was happy with the way my race went.  And pain aside, I felt great.  It was certainly the first time I sustained an avg heartrate of 181 bpm for 50 minutes!  As I was racing my way up the course, the thought that kept going through my mind was: "c'mon, this is the World Championships!  Only 1 hr.  You may never have this chance again."  56th place and 9:45 off the winning pace may not sound like much, but it was all I can do, and I'm glad to have lined up with the world's best.

Today, we toured to France.  More tomorrow.

Days 66 and 67

JD came to town with Topher Bell, Indiana climbing sensation. Topher doesn't ski much, lives at sea level, has never skinned before, but is willing to try anything. Went up Kessler with Pete and Casey to show him a panoramic Wasatch view. Instead, clouds moved in and swallowed the entire range. Topher was exhausted on the summit, but we were psyched for him anyway. The way down? Didn't quite go so well for the little guy.

Casey, on the other hand:
[Sweet pic of Casey is missing because I forgot to load it from Jason's camera.]

A good rest got Topher rejuvenated for another go, so we went up White Pine to Lake Peak. Not bad. It was the 2nd summit in as many days for a guy who lives in some cornfields. He didn't even appear like his brain was swelling or his lungs filling with pink frothy stuff like on Kessler.

Topher going for gold


JD and Topher nearing the summit of Lake Peak


Looking South toward the couloir, with White Baldy in the background


A shot down the "creamy tenderloin," with Red Top and the Twins in the Background


Topher lived to ski another day.

World Champs: Vertical Race

I'm in Soldeu, Andorra at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships.  The competition will take place from Monday to Saturday, with 23 nations participating.  There will be four races: 1) Vertical Race, 2) Individual Race, 3) Teams Race, and Relay Race.

Yesterday, Team America went out to preview the Vertical Race Course.  Team America consists of: Monique Merril (CO), Amy Fulwyler (WY), Molly Zurn (NV), Jari Kirkland (CO), Nina Slitch (Chamonix, FR), Pete Swenson (CO), Cary Smith (WY), Brandon French (MT), Ben Parsons (MT), Max Taam (CO), Travis Scheefer (CO), Bryan Wickenhauser (CO), and me (UT).