Time to Test Skis

Getting out on a pair of demo skis this morning, and I'm kinda stoked. I used to test skis all the time, and I still do a day or two of testing each year- but those days are a lot of skis in a short period of time. This is an all day affair, or at least as long as the girls legs hold out! I bring it up as I get asked all the time about what someone should get for a pair of skis, and I am sometimes embarrassed to say, "I have no idea". The reality is that skis have gotten REALLY good in the last decade, but while they've gotten really good they've also gotten very different. Where do you like to ski? How fast? Do you like to go everywhere (powder, woods, bumps, cruisers, park?) Do you like making big turns? Little turns? A bit of everything? There are skis that excel in all of those categories, as well as skis that do a darn good job crossing over.

So hit up your local shop and try out a pair of skis. Then try out another pair, and maybe another. I guarantee you'll find something you love!

Now get out and ski.

If you're looking for a shop, check out these guys- Sporthaus, they're the guys helping me pick out some new sticks.

Now That's Better

Got out on the hill for some lift service skiing today over at Shawnee Peak, and it felt great! I was impressed with how good the skiing was considering what we've been dealing with in regards to lack of snow and lack of cold. I connected with my parents for a couple runs and was reminded that skiing must be in my DNA. Watching my Dad ski always amazes me. Smooth is the word that always comes to mind and just so sure on his feet. It always reminds me that if I just breath and relax a bit my skiing always improves. Likely good advice in lots of areas of life!

Waiting For Snow

I know it's coming, and I've had a few great days out on the hill already, but that doesn't stop me from getting cranky about the lack of snow. It is a sad day when we skied powder the day before Halloween and then the day (and day's after) Thanksgiving- but have nothing on the ground now. Of course that being said they are cranking in terms of snowmaking right now so that is good.

As I write this I can see the lights at Shawnee Peak and that means they are going full bore which has me stoked.

Here is the footage from Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving Day 2011 from Sven Cole on Vimeo.

A good day for sure!

There seems to be a good appetite out there right now for the ski season to get cranking and the vibe in general is pretty good. I am defiantly hearing from a lot of folks who are interested in getting out into the backcountry, which is a good sign. I always look at that as a barometer of the passion for the sport, as it isn't easy to head off-piste when you know you've gotta hike and work to earn your turns. I'm getting excited to do some exploring on skis. One trip I'd love to do is to ski from my house in North Bridgton over to the Moat Mountain Smokehouse in North Conway. It's about marathon distance (around 50km), maybe a touch short- and much would be on snowmobile trails with a few bushwhacks thrown in for good measure, meaning it won't be easy.

I'm also anxious to do this trip again:

Pleasant Mountain Traverse from Sven Cole on Vimeo.

This time I want to skip the lift ride up. It was a super fun trip and one that I'm looking forward to taking a few other people on.

All we need now is the snow.

On a separate note, I want to send out a shout out to Miah, who is undergoing a marrow transplant today. He is one of my all-time favorite people and a major league ski hero. I'm raising a glass to speedy recovery. Now I need to book a ticket out so I can take advantage of his weakened state and be able to keep up with him for once on skis later this winter- it'll be the only way I'll ever do it!

Now go find some snow and enjoy.

Attitash & Wildcat Mountain Among First Google Street View Map Ski Areas In The East

(Press Release from Thomas Prindle @ Attitash and Wildcat)

Unique Online Map Enables Users An Interactive Experience To Virtually Explore Ski Trails

Bartlett & Pinkham Notch, NH – Wildcat Mountain and Attitash Mountain Resort were recently included among hundreds of new imagery maps released in Google’s Street View collections. The New Hampshire resorts had allowed and coordinated with Google their visit to the mountains and assisted with their collecting 360-degree imagery of the ski slopes, trails and facilities at each resort.

“We were excited to have been asked and to work with the Google Street View team in late March and early April of 2011 and to have them capture this unique imagery of Wildcat Mountain and Attitash Mountain Resort,” said Thomas Prindle, Director of Marketing for both Attitash & Wildcat Mountain. “This new virtual experience has the potential to allow millions of people to view it wherever they are in the world. With imagery of our resort available in Street View, ski and snowboard enthusiasts who may not have visited our mountains or the Mount Washington Valley can now explore the slopes from afar. Ultimately, this helps us showcase the resorts more easily and hopefully, encourage more people to want to visit and see the real thing.”

Street View is a feature available in Google Maps, Google Earth and Google Maps for Mobile that allows users to explore the world virtually at street level. The Google Street View imagery captured at Wildcat Mountain and Attitash Mountain Resort was possible utilizing Google’s specially designed camera systems that they mounted on a snowmobile that enabled a resort employee to navigate ski trails while capturing 360-degree imagery. To see and experience the Google Street View ski area map for Wildcat Mountain, visit: http://bit.ly/WildcatMountain_GoogleStreetView. For Attitash Mountain Resort Street, visit: http://bit.ly/AttitashMountain_GoogleStreetView.


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The Season Is Here!

Well it was here, and now it's melting rapidly. But it certainly was nice to see so much quality snow. I was able to get out for a few days over the Thanksgiving holiday and had quite the enjoyable time. Here are couple of videos we shot during our adventures.

Enjoy.

Pre-Thanksgiving Powder Day at Shawnee Peak from Sven Cole on Vimeo.

Thanksgiving Day 2011 from Sven Cole on Vimeo.

Trips with Rog

Roger Lowell is a good friend of my folks and the father to one of my closest childhood friends. He had a big impact on my cross-country skiing as a kid, and even encouraged me to race BKL as a young child as his daughter, Erica, was racing and really enjoying it. I didn't take him up on the racing at that point, but did enjoy many adventures with him on XC gear as a kid.

Rog isn't about the latest gear, the greatest groom, the perfect form, or who's leading the World Cup. Instead Rog is about the pure joy of exploring and gliding on skis. This past week I went on two very different adventures, one was a circumvention of the Pleasant Mountain ridge, and the other was supposed to be another mountain climb under the full moon, but we couldn't find the trail head so it turned into an exploration of a oil pipeline.

Both were fun. Both were memorable. Both were trips I never would have done without someone like Rog saying, "hey let's do this".

I have a write up on the Pleasant Mountain trip that I am working on, but it's not quite done yet. The pipeline trip went like this, Rog called and said he had an idea and gave me a run down on who was going. I talked K into going and then I packed. When I say I packed, I mean I packed. A trip with Rog can often mean an adventure that runs WAY over the allotted time. So food and water are always key, as well as clothing that you REALLY hop you won't need.

When Rog showed up, he was alone, the thought of a night time trip with Rog on trails we had to drive to, that he hadn't been on in years, was just too much for most. So Rog jumped in our van and we were off. Keep in mind the temps had been in the upper 40's during the day and the temps were dropping, so we hoped the snow would set up nicely. K and I chose BC skis with metal edges. Rog chose his pair of XC skis. A vintage pair of waxless Rossi's (no edge and likely 210's). Add to that and his "pack" a 4oz water bottle.

We headed towards Bethel and began the search for the trail head, which was supposed to be near a "green post just past where the Crooked River crosses the road". We looked. We drove back and forth. Rog got out and stepped into a brook looking. We looked a bit more and then gave up. So we headed to Albany to find the pipeline, which was plan B.

We found a spot to park and headed out. The snow was firming up fast, but the snowmobile trail hadn't been used for awhile so there was a mix of rotten snow that you could punch through to very hard crust that I was glad to have and edge for. We headed up the trail, literally up- herringbone for the first few minutes. The moon was super bright and the night time views were very impressive. The climb mellowed and we were enjoying the tour, but in the back of my mind I was worried about the ski back down. With funky snow, bare spots, open streams, and a pretty good hill I was envisioning several near death experiences on the trip back- but I kept putting that out of my head.

The trail rolled along, giving us a chance to enjoy a few short descents, and our concern about the snow conditions was justified. We came to a spot that looked like we had come to a stream we couldn't cross, but we finally found a suitable snow bridge and gave it a go. We came to another stream, and with no snow bridge we jumped it (small gap). We came to yet another stream and decided to call it a day and begin to head back.

K and Rog were ahead of me and made it look easy. I got cocky and nearly did my famous star-fish-fired-from-a-cannon routine. The snow was fast, but I didn't feel like I could put much pressure on a single ski for fear of punching through and getting tossed, meaning edging was done in a very gentle way and in those situations where we had to stop quick we took the risk and punched down through and stopped quick.

However we became more comfortable and soon we enjoyed the ride, taking in the moon soaked landscape and enjoying the crisp air. We got back to the car and were chatting about the adventure with smiles on our faces. The snow conditions weren't great, the trail was just ok, but the joy of being out on skis under a beautiful moon with great people- well that just trumps it all.

I can't wait for my next trip with Rog.

100,000 Vertical Challenge Raises Record Funds For Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire

8th Annual Marathon Skiing & Riding Event Participants Raise Over $64,000

Pinkham Notch, NH – A total of 32 skiers and riders registered and accepted the challenge to conquer over 100,000 vertical feet in a single day on Monday, March 14th to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire. Weather for the event couldn’t have been much more perfect for the field of male & female, young & old, and ski & snowboard participants to push themselves to complete the marathon alpine event. This year’s participants were able to collectively raise over $64,000 in pledge donations to set an event record high donation amount for their efforts. With this additional amount, The Wildcat Mountain Vertical Challenge has now contributed over $200,000 in funds to directly benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire.

Loading the Wildcat Express high-speed summit quad chairlift at 7:30am to begin the 100,000 vertical foot challenge (skiing or snowboarding 48 runs down the Lynx trail), 22 of the 32 participants were able to complete the challenge with Chris Scannell of Marblehead, MA, Al Toutant of Bryant Pond, ME, and Chris Leuci of Lynnfield, MA finishing 1, 2, and 3 respectively in an event touted not as a race, but as a personal challenge and fundraiser. More impressive, top fundraisers for this year’s 100K Day were lead for a second year in a row by Kevin Elwood of Rowley, MA having raised over $44,000. Chris Scannell of Marblehead, MA was second top fundraiser for a third year in a row with over $4,000 in donations collected and Jessica Quinn of Hudson, NH was the third highest having contributed over $2,000 in collected donations for the event.

Including this year’s new record high donation amount, since the first 100,000 vertical foot challenge took place in 2004, the annual event’s cumulative donation amount has exceeded $200,000. Wildcat Mountain was most recently recognized by Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire as a “Wish Benefactor” noting that the event’s annual giving surpassed $25,000. The annual 100K event is unique to Wildcat Mountain coupling the accessibility and speed of the Wildcat Express high-speed, summit lift and the ski area’s greater than 2,100 vertical foot drop.

Wildcat Mountain would like to thank all participants, donation supporters, volunteers, and recognize the generosity of those that helped to make the event possible providing in-kind support, participant gift bag donations, and top fundraising prizes including: Rossignol Skis, Fischer Skis, Dakine, Bern Helmets, Green Wax, Liftopia.com, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England, Maui Jim Sunglasses, Moat Mountain Smokehouse & Brewery Co., The Local Grocer, & Poor People’s Pub.

The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire (www.newhampshire.wish.org) is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. It strives to provide children with the hope for better times, the strength for the tough times and the joy to experience the present. The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of New Hampshire is part of the nation's largest and most recognized wish-granting organization, with chapters and volunteers throughout the United States and the world.

Wildcat Mountain is located 100% within the White Mountain National Forest in Pinkham Notch, NH. It is home to the 75-year-old Wildcat Trail first cut by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1933 and is renowned for its proximity to Mt. Washington and Tuckerman Ravine. For further information, please visit skiwildcat.com or call 1-888- SKI WILD.

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Thomas Prindle - Director of Marketing
Wildcat Mountain - Rt 16, Pinkham Notch
PO Box 817, Jackson, NH 03846
Office: 603 466-3326 x216 Fax: 603 466-5813
Email: tprindle@ Web: skiwildcat.com

Know the Code!

Do you "Know the Code?" Ok I'll give you a it of a hint, I'm talking about the "Your Responisbility Code" that is promoted by the National Ski Area Association and is posted on the back of trail maps, on lift towers, in ski shops, and all sorts of other areas around ski areas. In fact the National Safety Awareness Week just wrapped up as part of a nation wide effort to promote safety on the slopes.



So back to the code- do you know it? There are seven items on the list, and here they are verbatim from the NSAA website:

* Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
* People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
* You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
* Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
* Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
* Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
* Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

KNOW THE CODE. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

This seems like a pretty straight forward list, but if we stop and think about it I'm guessing we could ride any lift that rides over a busy trail and see many of these rules broken on a regular basis.

The first item may be a bit subjective. There are plenty of times I'm pretty glad I'm on the lift when I see a skier or rider come careening down the hill in what I would argue is a situation of little control. That particular skier may argue that fact, but my guess is that some skiers rely a bit too much on luck.

The second item is one that irritates me to know avail, as I'm pretty sure there have been skiers who have read that to ready "as long as you can get in front of someone then you will be the downhill skier and then you will have right away, but since you will eventually have right of way you mind as well take it now and just about run over the person in front of you." Ok maybe they don't put that much thought into it, but the skier or rider who is in front of you has right of way- so let them have some space and make a safe pass.

You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above. I think NSAA should have said, "Stop where people can see you from a safe distance, and do so on the side of the trail". Again in peoples haste they miss the nuance of "must not" and they assume that stopping in the middle of the trail beneath a knoll is the safest spot, the old "if I can't see them they can't see me." Just think about it- that skier who is questionable in their adherence to the first rule may be the one coming around the corner or over the knoll.

The merging and yielding- oh my. Just look at the difficulty people have at the round about near Hanafords- enough said!

Always use a device to avoid run away skis. This one, I think, has good compliance. Most alpine skiers have brakes and most telemarkers and snowboarders run their leashes. The bigger issue is when the skiers loose their skis on a powder day- can be a bummer looking for a ski as everyone snakes by and steals you fresh tracks!

Signs. Ok this one is tough, the number of signs we have to try and pay attention to is a bit much. I'm pretty sure I didn't have on my sunscreen the other day, and I think I saw a sign saying I needed some. I'm also sure that the Parking Lot Full sign doesn't apply to me when I drive our Honda Fit- I can park that anywhere. That being said trails are closed for a reason, usually involving hazards that you're inner Glen Plake may not be ready to deal with. Nothing is more embarrassing than hurting yourself on a closed trail, where the added insult is losing your ticket in addition toboggan ride that isn't nearly as much fun as it looks when you watch someone else get carted off the mountain. It's not just the closed signs, but also the SLOW and the Trail Merge signs- there there for a reason, and just because you can cut your way through a crowd like Zurbriggen used to cut up a slalom course doesn't mean you should- my kid might be in that crowd and I get a little edgy when people ski by her at speed in a slow zone.

The final rule on this admittedly abbreviated list is to know how to use the lift before you load. This one reads more like a self preservation rule, but I'm always amazed at the group of teens out at the mountain for the first time that think a quad is made for five or six- or think that the unloading area will have an usher that will walk them down the ramp. I don't know about you but the idea of any contraption that is going to take me up into the air, up to 40 feet up, I want to have an idea of how it works. When it comes to surface lifts it's a good idea to know how they work as well- but I have to be honest watching people try to figure out a self loading poma lift of t-bar can be very entertaining.

So those are the rules. Give them a read. Share them with your friends. Quiz each other, and understand there is a reason for the Code- it is to keep all of us safe out there while we are having fun. The one major addition I would like to add- be courteous. We are all trying to have fun, no need to be rude out on the hill, in lift line, in the lodge, in the parking lot, in the food line, anywhere. Take a deep breath, heck take three since they are free and just relax. Skiing is the best sport in the world, so take an extra moment to enjoy it right.Originally printed in the Mountain Ear- February 2009.

Rain

It's pouring out right now. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand it may be dumping up in the mountains and at the same times the roads are getting cleaned off and that means the road riding is getting better. At the same time it means my local XC skiing is starting to come apart at the seams.

This is always a tough time of year when I struggle with the daily bounce between skiing and cycling. Boy life is tough.

22nd Annual Chocolate Festival

(MWVSkiTouring Press Release)-- One of winter's most popular events, the 22nd Annual Chocolate Festival will be held on Sunday, February 27th. Bring your friends, bring your family to cross country ski, snowshoe, or drive between trailside chocolate stops from 11 am to 4 pm and then visit other area businesses for more chocolate. This annual event presented by
the members of the Mt. Washington Valley Ski Touring Foundation along with area businesses is a fundraiser for this intown Nordic and Snowshoe Center providing groomed trails connecting North Conway Village and Intervale.

The last Sunday in February, also known as the "Sweetest Day on the Trails", is the one day of the year when chocolate indulgence is guilt free! Every year hundreds of chocoholics travel between 12 and 15 kilometers of gently rolling network trails stopping along the way to enjoy chocolate prepared in a variety of ways. Participants
have enjoyed everything from chocolate fondue, handmade chocolates, cookies of all kinds, chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate fountains, brownie sundaes, and cupcakes to the classic hot chocolate topped with whipped cream. Visit every trailside stop and enter a drawing to win a $200 Gift Certificate to use at any of
these trailside businesses before the 23rd Annual Chocolate Festival on February 26, 2012. If the full distance of the tour is too much for you to travel on skis or snowshoes, there will be a shuttle circulating continuously from 1 - 5pm stopping at select locations to give you a lift just when you need it the most.

The Special Event Festival Pass includes a daily trail pass and admission to Ten Trailside Chocolate Stops, including the Whitaker Woods Meeting House and Three Additional Area Chocolate Stops. Chocolate Festival passes are $20 for adults and children if purchased in advance, and $25 if purchased the day of the event. Get an early start on your chocolate tour, avoid the crowds, and SAVE by purchasing your ticket in advance online, or at the Touring Center. The Chocolate Festival Brochure and Trail Map with all details will be available the day of the event at any trailside stop.

The Ten Trailside Chocolate Stops, listed by location beginning at the Northern end of the trails, include:

Riverside Inn Bed & Breakfast, Old Field House Country Inn Suites and Townhouses, Touring Center located at Ragged Mountain Equipment, 1785 Inn, Mountain View Estates, Adventure Suites, Stonehurst Manor, Local Grocer at Red Carriage Commons, Eastern Inns, and Whitaker Woods Meeting House. This southern most stop of the tour in North Conway Village offers parking at the John Fuller School, tickets, and a great way to begin your day. After your visit to the trailside stops plan to visit these additional Three Area Chocolate Stops. While you are in the northern area of the network, stop at the Sugar Shack at 100 Acre Woods located across Route 16-302 from Town Hall Road in Intervale between 11 am and 5 pm. Then take Hurricane Mountain Road to the Buttonwood Inn on Mt. Surprise offering some delectable homemade chocolate treat between 1 pm - 5 pm. After leaving the Buttonwood Inn, cross Hurricane Mountain Road on to Kearsarge and continue on to the Vintage Baking Company for a rich, homemade hot chocolate on the porch topped with one of their homemade marshmallows - a nice way to end the 'Sweetest Day on the Trails'.

There will be three trailside restaurants open for lunch and refreshments for those interested in something to eat or drink when chocolate is not enough! Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Company opens at 11:30 am, 1785 Inn will offer soup, salads, flatbread pizza and drinks from 11 am - 4 pm, and the bar in the Library Lounge at Stonehurst Manor will be open. Their chocolate martinis are a certain hit!

Limited parking is available at each of the stops along with the John Fuller School, and NH Electric Cooperative located next to Ragged Mountain Equipment. Many participants take the chocolate tour with friends and leave a second car at the end of the trail. If you need a ride back to your car, there will be a complimentary shuttle running continuously from 1 pm - 5 pm with stops at the Whitaker Woods Meeting House, Stonehurst Manor, Riverside Inn Bed & Breakfast, Touring Center, 1785 Inn, and Adventure Suites.

For online ordering, complete and up-to-the-minute Festival details, visit www.MWVSkiTouring.org or for tickets, rentals and information visit the Touring Center located at Ragged Mountain Equipment, 279 NH Route 16-302 in Intervale or call 603-356-9920.

Tracks

One of my favorite toys as a kid was a slot car racetrack. I remember it was made by Matchbox and came with two cars- a Corvette and a Porsche. I could spent hours racing those cars around and around, trying to see how fast I could get the cars to go through the corner without the back end sliding out, with the only control being with the speed controller.

I bring this up as while skiing the other day I felt like I was the slot car in a well-designed track and I realized that one of the things I was enjoying was trying to stay locked into the track as a whizzed around corners and down rolling hills. It was a battle not only with physics but also with my mind, as there would be times where I wasn’t quite sure I’d make the turn, or felt that the drop in the trail would generate too much speed- so I would have to talk myself into holding on for the ride.

As I was having my fun I watched other skiers step out of the tracks on some of the hills so they could snowplow, or would take one foot out to scrub speed as they went into a corner. While I understood the desire for control I wondered if they realized how much fun it would be to go full bore and let the tracks guide their destiny.

With that in mind, here are a few tricks to staying in the tracks on fast corners and on descents. The first key is to make sure you have a good solid stance. Obviously your feet are going to be spread apart a set amount (due to the tracks) but where are you standing fore and aft on your skis? You want to be standing fairly neutral so that you can easily shift your weight front or back without having to fight back to the neutral position first. The next thing is to make sure you have your knees nice and supple with a bit of a bend. Keep in mind we are talking about bending at the knees- not at the waist!

If you watch people ski downhill you will see a number of people who will hinge at the waist and have their legs straight, they feel like they are bending their knees as their upper body is closer to the ground, but the result is a very unbalanced position.

Now with our weight even front and back, knees are bent and supple, let’s focus on our hands- up in front like we are carrying a tray, and then finally our head- chin up and looking down the trail. It is amazing how the body follows the head- if you look down your weight will go forward- so look out on the trail and you will find your balance much easier to find.

With the body position set the next thing we need to do is work with our mind. If we are looking at a descent (one that we know- it is important to know there is a run out), we need to be sure that we will only enjoy a short burst of speed and then friction and a leveling of the terrain will take care of all of our Jimmy Johnson speed. Also make sure there aren’t any obstacles in the track, tree limbs, ice chunks, or most likely other skiers. If all is clear give it a go. As you speed up keep thinking about supple knees, hands in front, and looking down the trail. The speed will increase rapidly, but just hang on as it will scrub off once the trail levels out (hence the importance of knowing the trail). Once you’ve slowed down feel free to smile (if you aren’t already) and give a hoot- that’s what this is all about!

I do want to reiterate- only do this on shorter hills where you know the run out. If you’ve just skied some trail for the first time and have been climbing for an hour it may not be the best form to try and straight run the descent unless you are very comfortable with speed AND getting out of the tracks at speed. That only comes with practice, and that practice will come with a few wrecks that will turn into stories for back at the touring center. Be safe and have fun with the descents.

When it comes to corners everything we just talked about holds true, but again, use your eyes to look around the corner. As you look through the turn you will find your hands and body try to follow, you should find your weight shift to your outside ski and again just hang on. Practice on tighter and tighter turns with more and more speed. Before you know it you will be racing around just like a slot car.

Video from the Marquette BC Ski Test

Karen and I snuck out for a tour down the backside of Pleasant Mountain. This was the day before we got a bit of rain, so the snow was still super soft and deep! The skis worked great (except for when I got off the lift and forgot I was on a waxless ski!)

A great day and I look forward to my next adventure on these skis!

To learn more about the Marquette BC ski click here.

The Perfect Winter Hits a Speed Bump

I don't want to sound like I'm whining, but this last "snow storm" bummed me out. We had been enjoying unreal snow conditions, and then to have a bit of rain mix in and crust things up- not good!

That being said the base we have now is pretty bomb proof so we'll be skiing on a good base for a long time now!

Ok, enough complaining. Time to go skiing.

Skiing Paintball?

At lunch the other day all my co-workers could talk about was how exciting skiercross was to watch in the Olympics. The speed, the crashes, the mayhem. I brought up how exciting the cross country biathlon was, pointing out it was the only winter sport in the Olympics where you get to ski with a gun.

That of course caught their attention, but only for a moment. Soon they were saying how they should ski with paintball guns and get points for shooting each other. Oh my.


Then again maybe these guys are onto something. I mean what we are really talking about is creating a sport that can capture a television audience, and if alpine skiing needed a boost, than how could Nordic ever hope to survive. But if you built upon our love of all things fast and our seeming fascination with shooting people we might have something on our hands.

Now I’m not sure I know how this might work, I need to set up a meeting with our Valley biathlon experts- Nat Lucy and Eli Walker, to brainstorm on this. But here is how it might work, think of it as a team event, the first wave head out in a mass start- skiing like mad to a wood line- at which time they hunker down and get ready to pick off the next group that comes through. It would create a whole new way to look at a hole shot, no longer would that be such a great spot! So it would sort of work like a relay, once the second wave makes it to the woods they ski on and set up so that the back line can move forward- we now have a whole new level of strategy and tactics.


It would be very fun to watch skiers max out their heart rate out of the starting gate and then, when they hit the woods try to hide despite breathing like Fat Albert at the top of a flight of stairs. It would also provide a new rub on the racing suits, I mean a really bright suit would not really be all that helpful- but then again everyone can’t be racing in camouflage, obviously there might be some logistics to figure out.

I am of course saying this in jest as I think biathlon is plenty exciting as it is, and so does most of Europe where biathlon is followed like NASCAR is here in the United States. For some reason, it just doesn’t resonate with many American fans, which is too bad as it is a really cool sport.

Originally printed in the Mountain Ear 2-26-2010

X-Games

I just wanted to say- Wow! Watching X-Games and realizing how much the sports of skiing and snowboarding have progressed in the last decade.

How long until they put terrain park elements into bump runs? That could be entertaining!

A Race That I Likely Won't Do But Would Likely Enjoy

This looks like fun. A randonee race is something I've never done, and now I must add it to my "must do list", along with this race- the North Routt Coureur des Bois.

Both look like the type of challenge that offers up enough intimidation that training for them becomes easy. It reminds me of the Jay Challenge, an event that gives you great reason to go out and ride or ski a lot, and in so doing leads you on adventures that you might otherwise not have had time for.

Who knows- maybe someday we'll have a hybrid race in the Mount Washington Valley- part Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure and part Wildcat Valley Inferno- hmmmmm.

(Older piece, ran in February of 2009 in the Mountain Ear, but I found it and realized I was thinking these same thoughts the other day when I was watching a rail jam over at Shawnee the other day.)

I hate to admit this, but I didn't ski on Sunday. It was a beautiful day, but I had a few projects that took precedent and by the time I was done I decided to kick back on the couch and watch some television. A buddy had come over and we were chatting about skiing and low and behold Winter X-Games was on. We watched skier-x, skier slopestyle, snowboard super pipe and some crazy snowmobile freestyle contest.

The things these athletes were doing were unreal. It was impressive to see how far these sports have progressed, it was cool to see athletes like Shawn White who have grown up before our eyes. It was all good, well not all good. There was a darkness growing as we watched the events. Neither of us said anything at first, but it was there, then it came out- Dan said it first- "where were these events when we were kids?"

The door had been opened. Two late thirty somethings sitting on a couch watching television feeling like the gods of fate had cruelly either put them on the earth too early or had let the evils of a litigious society shape too much of their skiing youth in the 80's and early 90's. Ok you might be wondering where this is all going, but if you skied a great deal in the era of neon then you will remember the great ski movies that showed crazy jumps followed by the reality of ski patrol taking your ticket away because you caught a little bit of air- the era of the "NO JUMPING" sign.

I hated those signs. As an adolescent skier jumping was as much a part of skiing as being wet was a part of swimming. Being on skis allowed you to escape gravity for short periods of time. Sometimes you went way up in the air, other times you travelled great distances, sometimes you did both. But no matter what jumping was one of the coolest feelings around, yet doing so was equated with crime- and we're not talking white collar crime where you just get a little slap on the wrist, we're talking gritty crime where the patrol served as judge, jury, and executioner and would take you golden ticket away and leave you grounded at the base of the mountain without another ride up.

To alleviate this we used to bring several jackets and hats (this was well before helmets) and we'd go session a jump and when the patrol would come to nab us we would boogie down to the base at warp speed, blast out of our bindings, run into the lodge and change our jacket and then come back out and do it again. It was a great game and most of the time you could keep your ticket, but sometimes you'd get caught and either lose a corner of the ticket (again before scanning so they would actually cut part of your ticket off), or if you had already lost a corner they would take the ticket away.

I recently took a run with a long time patroller over at Shawnee Peak who had taken my pass when I was a young one and told me I could get it back if I brought him a pizza. No big deal, except he was in the patrol hut at the top of the mountain and I didn't have a ticket to ride the lift. I walked that pizza up to him and got my ticket back. I did get even though, we had the same size foot- so while he was scarfing down the pizza I took his skis and skied back down.

I bring all of this up as I have realized I have become one of those who now say, "when I was young…..," and Winter X-Games brings that out in me. So while I watch these amazing athletes twist, grab and slide through the terrain park, or as they bump shoulders as they race down a banked course full of jumps, I think back to those who went before them and paved the way by sacrificing their tickets so that jumping and skiing fast could live on, and someday make it to the big time. Ok that's corny, but funny.

A Beluga Replacement?

I was perusing the blog of a long time friend and full time ski hero of mine- Hansi Johnson, and found (maybe) the answer to what ski could ever replace my precious Garmont Belugas.

I've been a fan of the Beluga since Hansi first put a pair in my hands and said, "go ski these and don't come back until you understand why they rock." It didn't take long. At first blush they don't look like much. A fat, double camber, waxless XC ski with no metal edge. So you look and say- slow, won't turn for crap, and they'll break in a week. Then you go ski on them and say- oh these just made winter that much better. They are the perfect out the door and go have fun ski. I've spent more time exploring everything from the woods behind my house to the backside of Wildcat on these (even racing them in the first and only running of the Wildcat Valley Inferno)- and I love them.


The only issue- they do break. I've broken a few pair, but having run a shop I always had extra's at my disposal. In fact when Garmont discontinued the ski I got a call from their Marketing Director who said we've got like 40 pair left- do you want them, we'll sell them cheap- I said yes and the entire inventory made their way from Williston, VT to Pinkham Notch. I sold quite a few pair, and bought quite a few pair myself. I also, selfishly, felt good that there would always be a stock of them hidden safe up in the Notch for my future plundering.

Well I left GGTOC and a year later the lodge and shop burned to the ground, with the stock of Belugas sharing the same fate as all the other inventory. No one was injured in the fire, but a great many fantastic skis spent their last minutes melting in a major snowstorm. In fact the storm was so bad they couldn't get fire trucks to the scene for quite awhile- by the time they did the building was just a metal roof sitting on the ground.

Anyway- this loss meant that my secret stash of strange skis was lost and I needed to find another one. I called shops all over North America to no avail. Some were curious as they had seen the ski in the catalog but had never known anyone that had any interest. I think my search for the skis did more to promote the skis than had been done when the ski was actually in the line!

At this point I had two pair left. That was nearly a decade ago. One pair met a cruel end when I miss judged my ability to jump over a stone wall, not quite clearing the wall and snapping a tail. Leaving me with my lone pair. I've taken quite good care of them bouncing back and forth between a pair of Karhu Catamounts and the Belugas just to try and keep the mileage down a bit. Still searching from time to time for another pair of Belugas.

Then just yesterday I came across a recently cut section of woods. It was stumpy and had trees down and looked rather sketchy. Exactly the type of terrain the fat Beluga does well on, however I couldn't bring myself to just letting the skis run, fearful of dropping into a hole a snapping the skis. Likely this kept me from hurting myself, but it also got me to thinking that I need to ramp up my search for a Beluga replacement.

This morning I see a post from Hansi talking about skiing with his kid, and how it ranks with some of his all time favorite days skiing. I certainly can relate to that. I realized I hadn't been on his blog in some time, then there it was- a post talking about the Beluga and the fact that he had possibly found a replacement! I couldn't believe the timing- and I am now genuinely excited!

So he just got his and I'm waiting to hear what he has to say. Assuming a thumbs up, it'll be time to pull out the CC and place an order!

Nansen Ski Club Race on Jan. 23

Nansen Ski Club is hosting the Nansen Milan Winter Festival on January 23rd, and as a part of that they are hosting a 14km Classic Race.

Nansen is the oldest ski club in the country and they built the famed Nansen Ski Jump. This was the first ski jump I'd ever seen and it is something that should be saved and brought back into use. The history of skiing in that area is very rich and I've met some amazing skiers from the Berlin area, including a couple of brothers who taught me a great deal about skiing and a love for the outdoor- Phil and Leo Jensen. They told me stories about the jump in its heyday and showed me what lifelong fitness can do for you when these gentleman who were in their 70's and 80's would clean my clock during Nordic ski races.

Check out some of these stories from the Nansen site, and if you are looking for a race on the 23rd give this one a try.

A Big "Thank You" To Mother Nature

We've been wondering when "winter" would arrive. Well it's here. Thank you!

Author Jeff Foltz To Discuss His New Book

The North Conway Public Library is pleased to announce that Jeff Foltz will be discussing his newly released book, Birkebeiner, A Story of Motherhood and War, at the Mt. Washington Weather Discovery Center on Main Street North Conway on Thursday, January 20th at 7:00. The book is a fictional account of an historical event that took place in 1203 when King Hakon's wife and son escape their enemies on an 8 day ski chase across Norway. This presentation and book signing is in conjunction with the 30K ski race being held in Jackson on Saturday, January 22nd. This event is free to the public with donations gladly accepted. There will be coffee and snacks provided.

Snow in the Forecast

I'm trying to not get too excited, but there is snow in the forecast. The lift serviced skiing has been pretty good, but the XC skiing has been lacking and the base for a good BC adventure is completely missing- so this impending storm gives me hope.

Now please- just don't miss us again!

Originally printed in the Mountain Ear 12/16/2010)

I have a pet peeve and it revolves around the term “ice” as it relates to skiing. Being a 30+ year vet of East Coast skiing and having grown up when snowmaking was still a relatively new technology, I have a certain view of “ice” as it relates to skiing. I should mention this came from a conversation I had the other day, when someone in our group complained about the “sheet of ice” that they had just skied across. I looked back as I had followed this individual down the trail and had found nothing even remotely close to ice out on the trail. In fact I would have had a hard time saying the section of trail they had just skied was “boilerplate”, I might have given him hard pack but that is about as far as I was willing to go.

Some may think this has to do with my time spent as a PR director at a local resort, but it actually goes back much further than that. I remember getting into arguments with a friend during college who was from Vail and used to complain about ‘icy” conditions the day after a foot of powder and I would just about loose my mind.

I was trying to figure out why this is such a big deal to me. I no longer have to worry about doing snow reports, so that isn’t the issue, so what is it? I thought about it and came up with this. As a kid my Dad would have me follow him down the hill and he’d look for ice, shiny, blue, rock hard, uneven ice, and he’d make a turn on it and I’d try to hold his line and more often than not I’d fall down. However over the years I got better, and eventually I was able to actually make that turn and hold it on that ice. It was like a badge of honor and it was a skill that I had worked hard to develop.

To be honest it’s been a long time since I’ve seen much real “ice” on the hill, but I do still look for it after those awful rain “events” we sometimes see midwinter that are followed by bitter cold. I look for that blue ice and I try to make my turn. I can tell I’m spoiled by good conditions as now I often have a hard time with holding my turn, but I still take pride in trying and using it as a way to find out if I’m standing on my skis in the right spot.

So I think I’ve figured it out, when someone calls hard pack conditions “ice” I feel the old curmudgeon in me want to leap out and say, “you ain’t seen no ice sonny, why back when I was knee high to a ski patroller....”. Regardless, the good news- we very rarely see ice out on the trails anymore, and for that I certainly won’t complain.

Ready for Snow.

I'm ready for a good storm to roll into the region and drop snow. Just snow. No rain. No freezing rain. No hail, just snow.

That is all.