For all you Snow Junkies

[Tangfish]

I just published a story about our past weekend in Salt Lake City, where I spent hours upon hours playing around with the coolest new gear. It's sort of the DEMA for snow junkies. Check it.

With all of this crappy weather and silty (I like to think it's only silt) water, my mind has been on skiing lately. Anyone else heading up to the slopes anytime soon?

[kat]

that jacket! :luv:

[scottsax]

How awesome are these? http://www.uncrate.com/men/gear/sports/darkfin-gloves/

I want them for swimming laps...

[whatevah]

Anyone else heading up to the slopes anytime soon?

I get up to Baker pretty regularly. But what I'm really excited about is a trip to the Rendezvous Trails/Huts near Winthrop in about a month - cross country skiing, skate skiing, and a tour of all the smaller alpine ski areas over on the east side along the way. The ski-in huts on the Rendezvous system are really rustic but the views and the nordic opportunities are superb.

Enjoyed the write-up and photography about floating the Skagit to check out the eagles. This year the fields have been inundated with swans - far more than I've ever seen before. I can look out across the valley and see literally thousands of them. On still nights I can hear a cacophony of trumpeting - my guess is it's to keep predators at bay through intimidation while some of the other birds rest. Pretty cool. I've been meaning to get my camera out for some photos but haven't yet found the opportunity. Also of interest for visiting photographers is a visit to Lee Mann's studio - his "open studio" hours are posted on a sign on his fence.

[Grateful Diver]

Anyone else heading up to the slopes anytime soon?

I get up to Baker pretty regularly. But what I'm really excited about is a trip to the Rendezvous Trails/Huts near Winthrop in about a month - cross country skiing, skate skiing, and a tour of all the smaller alpine ski areas over on the east side along the way. The ski-in huts on the Rendezvous system are really rustic but the views and the nordic opportunities are superb.

Enjoyed the write-up and photography about floating the Skagit to check out the eagles. This year the fields have been inundated with swans - far more than I've ever seen before. I can look out across the valley and see literally thousands of them. On still nights I can hear a cacophony of trumpeting - my guess is it's to keep predators at bay through intimidation while some of the other birds rest. Pretty cool. I've been meaning to get my camera out for some photos but haven't yet found the opportunity. Also of interest for visiting photographers is a visit to Lee Mann's studio - his "open studio" hours are posted on a sign on his fence.

I'll be up there next week. We used to own 20 acres of land up around Rendezvous Ridge/Cub Creek area. Cheng now has a condo near the river east of town. We'll be doing some XC and snowshoeing up around Sun Mt. and a day of downhill skiing at Loup Loup ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[whatevah]

Great place to have a get-away - the condo would make a great base during ski season, big game season (perfect for the high buck hunt with the highway still open) and if you're into motorcycling it doesn't get much better than highway 20. I hear that conditions are good over there right now - last year was apparently considered marginal and I still had a blast. This year should be nothing short of phenomenal. Have fun Bob.