top secret especial

East Hayden

Took the intervalometer and tripod up east Hayden today..

And ended up skiing from the Pilot and Index saddle. more or less by accident. (love when that happens)

Got out with the whitebark gurus today...

Dr. Logan, crushing it as always

The winds picked up a bit..

But we still found lots of fun skiing.

Willie Kern, claiming 'best run of the season'!

and Wally Macfarlane, floating effortlessly

go light, go fast, go far

but, be safe.

Just got back from Billings.  I went down to see a best friend's newborn baby.  Little Rhett!

And figured, why not ski a shortcut back to Cooke City (via the East Rosebud.  about 30 miles).

Well, it turned out to be a bit more than I bargained for.  (super gnarly weather)

So I made the sound decision, and pulled the plug.

Opting to drive back instead.

Now, back in Cooke City, REALLY appreciating the comforts of a cabin and wood burning stove.

My next-door neighbor is probably writing a novel

Living in Cooke City, there's generally fewer distractions (aside from fresh powder, and the endless possibilities of adventure and exploration), so one can more-often 'find' time to read and write, and work on various other projects often pushed aside by the hustle and bustle of urban environments.  Thus, here's a short piece I just put together.  It's from a recent trip to New Zealand.

Now, on to the next.

cadence

As in, how fast you turn your feet over.

skinny skins, long approaches

A quick cadence is important.  Especially on big outings.

Control your metabolism (energy).

Control your breath.  

Don't be afraid to breathe fast.

Endurance will come from enjoyment.

(cause it's fun right!)

And just because you go fast, doesn't mean you can't soak up the views.

(photos from today, en route to Cache Creek)

Snow Hawk rally

You ever see a group of skiers on a trail, 

and think of nothing you'd rather do than ride up to them and crack the throttle!

It's probably more of a subconscious thing,  and I'm sure most mean no offense, but it seems to happen with too common a regularity.

Big Snow Hawk get-together this weekend in Cooke City.

(they even have a sanctioned drag race planned!).

Wonder how they'll fair in a foot of fresh snow?!  ha ha

Anyway, I'll be giving them an basic avalanche awareness presentation tomorrow.

Should be an interesting turn out.

Skied up on a fairly fresh moose carcass today...

Immediately my senses went into high alert.

Am I on a steep enough slope, to outrun a wolf?!

or a pack?!

Nice recon of the Cutoff today too.  A neighborhood giant I'm quite fond of.

(just had a fox lope by my window, as I write this... 3 feet away)

And Now... it's snowing in earnest.

only a day's walk away...

Villard and Granite and the gang (the Beartooth crest!).  

Super fun 'ski club' outing today.  Gorgeous weather and warm temps (ideal for scaled skis).

Here the Logans enjoy observing otter tracks.   And kick-turns above the Clarks Fork.

In case you are curious...

pretty much everything is wind affected around here.

But that's OK.   Because it's mostly stable too.  (fast alpine travel conditions ;)

Skied through upper Pilot Creek today ( left center of this photo), linking Hayden and Republic Creeks.

A nice x-country circuit.  

it's been blowing like the Dickens

sastrugi

various surface irregularities resulting from wind erosion, saltation of snow particles and deposition.

Was up on Mt. Republic yesterday, 10 minutes from the top (3 hours in), planning a GLOrious center punch of the east face, when out of nowhere came immediate and sustained duck-and-cover winds.  Soon Plans A, B and C were all off limits (avy hazard).
A rather annoying destruction of perfect powder.  But cool to be humbled by Mother Nature's wrath.

Cooke City satire

 



A subtle piece of propaganda..
advocating the natural resources around Cooke City.

Through the lens of a selfish ski-bum.

(for all you armchair powder skiers)
 

Iron Monkey

What's new in Cooke City?

Well, nothing.  and, everything.

Just watched a classic martial arts movie.
(Netflix is a real treat in Cooke City)

And it's been super COLD.  And super DEEP.  

Other than that, still shooting lots of landscapes... like this one today from atop bArt Henderson.

(Slowly easing back into bigger terrain ;)

Also been entertaining some good company...  lots of laughs.  and Antics.

NOrth DAKota

und Oscar 'Stiletto' Renyolds

herding cats

Wolf tracks at the trailhead.

and a remotely triggered avalanche that propagated 200 feet wide...

today in Yellowstone National Park.

awoke to 16" overnight

Had a Beartooth traverse planned for today.
A couple buddies in from Red Lodge, rucksacks packed and ready.
Shuttle rig in place.

But alas, postponed it shall be.



Also, saw a full-curl bighorn, at 10,000', just out side of Cooke City yesterday!  Stoked on that.

Pebble Creek

Skied off Meridian Pk.  and Wolverine Pk. yesterday.

the former being a first for me (you always remember your first).  

Pretty classic YNP outing… followed fresh coyote tracks for the first mile or so.  Then along behind a lone, ambitious elk- for another hour along the ridgeline.. eventually stirring up some mountain goats about the airy summit (sorry fellas).  A long and luscious pow line followed.  Then an afternoon push for Wolverine Pk… 

A good friend and I were just talking about how cool it would be to write down every animal track you saw throughout the day.  I made the comment about quickly it would become tedious.  And he replied about what that says about our ecosystem.  

Gløgg

overhanging rime ice, today on Republic Pk.

Had our season's first ski-club meeting today.  Big thanks to Chris and Patty of the Loving Cup for the hospitality... and of course Suzy, for the Gløgg! (and brownies).

Phnom Penh

Conditions have been straight out of Cambodia lately.

(read:  phenomenal)

As long as you stick to the southern aspects, your eyeballs may only partially freeze.

9 am

     -37° F

      Sunny

10%

49%

From ENE
4 mph