12/26/08

Day 13

Conditions: 6+ inches of Rocky Mountain Powder
Location: Vail, CO

We arrived in Colorado last night to find that the whole state was expecting severe weather. Vail had the tastiest forecast with a predicted 10-20 inches. So, we decided to get up early and make the drive the Vail.

When we woke up, we were glad that we planned ahead, as Breckenridge got a lame 1 inch and Keystone got none; Vail on the other hand reported 6 inches (which usually means double that in the bowls). Our morning was nothing short of Epic. We hit Sun Down Bowl, then made our way across to Tea Cup Bowl, and eventually back to Blue Sky Basin. Blue Sky had the best snow of the day with huge stashes in the Champagne Glades. Pretty soon, we were starving. Only then did we realize it was already after noon.

We ate lunch in the perpetually overcrowded Two Elks Lodge. It was so crowded that we had to share a table with three rock-climbing hippies who were brown bagging it. That led to some interesting conversations.

The afternoon was just as eventful, but not as enjoyable. We hit some bumps off Highline express. Then, Dirk got a brilliant idea to search for some fresh snow in the trees. These weren’t trees just off the run, or the kind of trees that have tracks in them. These were death trees – the kind that have no discernable fall line, are thick, and seem never-ending. We don’t get scared much, but at one point I realized that if one of us were to get hurt, then ski parole would either never find us, or refuse to try and get a sled into those trees.

After surviving the trees, we headed to Game Creek Bowl, just as extreme wind gusts and zero-visibility-snow infiltrated the area. Needless to say, we spent the rest of the day trying to get out of there (with every other idiot on the hill).


Taking a break to enjoy the brief blue sky of Highline Lift.



Dirk goes over the river and through the woods to find a hidden stash.


Highlights:

- Powder, powder, powder. The drive the Vail was certainly worth it.

Lowlights:

- Being in Vail is great. No complaints. However, there is just something about knowing a mountain front to back. Bombing down a run and knowing the location of every rock, stump, and dip is priceless. You don’t need to worry if you partner can find you, because you both know exactly where you are going. No gripes about Vail, but in a way it made me miss the farmiliarity of Mount Bohemia.

Après Ski:

Beer, snacks, dinner, ESPN. Good.

Days to go: 37