I stitched this panoramic view together using Photoshop, the photos were taken about halfway through our hike.
Matt losing layers - Brando checking the Blackberry
The last part of our morning hike, bootpacking for almost 1,000 vertical.
Matt up top, working our way to the drop spot.
Awesome shot of some of the HUGE slabs that were hanging on the cornice. Once we got to the bottom of this bowl, it was clear that this face had recently experienced an avalanche.
It's awesome to think that this hut is completely skier/rider maintained. A nice resource to have in the backcountry.
The following photos weren't from our last Berthoud trip, but offer good insight into what i've been up to recently.
Eldora in all her majesty.
These crazy ice formations are made in the reservoir at the bottom of Eldora. This water is used to make snow for the mountain, so after significant amounts have been syphoned out, the ice breaks due to the low water levels. This body of water is deadly, considering in some spots there is as much as a 6 foot drop from the ice into the water...no getting out once you fall in.
Scenery from the seasonal road heading to Fourth of July Trailhead, a sweet mountain park behind Eldora.
Eldora has plans of expanding their Carona chairlift, so skiers will be able to access some of this terrain...word.
Some samples of Emiley's exquisite photography.
Hiking along the seasonal Hessie Road, there are a bunch of these summer cabins completely snowed in.
Didn't quite make it all the way, but we had good views of some of the skiing you can access once at the Fourth of July Trailhead. Once conditions are better in the spring we will definitely make a trip up here.
Here are some photos from a more recent tour in Vail Pass
Attempting to read the map
Our lunch pit...we dug this out not only to block some wind, but also because we needed something to keep us warm while we were waiting for Matt to catch up.
We thought about it....but didn't have the balls.
Sweet view from our first traverse.
From sun up to sun down....hell of a long day.
Hopefully that is enough to catch up for my lack of posts in recent history. So much has been going on lately that it's been pretty tough to keep work, school, and skiing in sync, while simultaneously documenting it.
Work at Eldora is picking up now that the spring-skiing season is upon us. But thankfully i have been able to tweak my schedule in such away that allows for maximum free-ski days. Right now, I am approaching my 60th day on snow this season, which may or may not be a personal best, considering the season still has a ways to go.
But now that warm weather is approaching and the snow is slowly but surely melting, i am in a bit of a rush to solidify my plans for the rest of the spring. So far i haven't made any decisions on a spring break trip, but my options look good. With a PSIA discount, lift tickets in Thargee and Jackson are only around $30. So if i'm really feeling it, i might just have to make the trek out, because i have never skied the area and feel that it would be totally worth sleeping in my truck bed to find some big mountain lines not available in the CO rockies. I'll also be in Winter Park soon, to compete in the Weekend Warrior Freeride Championships. This would be my first opportunity to compete in a field that i have always wanted to get into, and i really think that the whole experience would open some new doors for my skiing. Besides a few training runs, i have not been doing any racing or competing of any sort this year. So this will be really sweet to become a competitor once again. Similarly, i was just invited to partake in Keystone's hiring clinic in April. For two days i will be bombing around with Ski Patrol, participating in their Patroller tryouts. It sounds like it will be pretty intense and exhausting, but i'm excited to see how i chalk up to some of these other candidates. Ultimately i would like to get my WEMT certification, and possibly someday become a guide. So this will definitely be a step in the right direction.
Aside from these plans, i'm sure we will make some time for a few hut trips seeing now that spring is here. I'm trying my best not to wear myself out before the snow is gone, but hopefully i will soon have some more footage/pictures documenting other sweet adventures.
