Winter Green

After a few hours of skiing at Eldora, I stopped in Boulder for a jaunt up Green Mountain.
Although Boulder received a fair amount of snow, I knew that Boulder superfreaks would have packed down the trail by the afternoon, and I wasn't disappointed! This was my first time to try out the trail with some soft snow, as a few days after any snow and it seems to be solid ice -- I was up there a few weeks ago and had to slide on my butt a few times.

This time I had my Microspikes. I've used them mostly for hiking in the winter last year, but honestly, I'm not as much of a mountain trail snow runner. I love running the roads in the snow, but if there's enough on the trails, I generally prefer taking the x-country skis out for a spin.

Alas, WS100 doesn't allow skis. And while I'll spare you the inner details of training plans for now (maybe a future post, but I'm bored even thinking about it) -- but my cardio isn't currently my weakest link. My running -- especially downhill -- is. So let's work on that for now.

So, on to Green. I'm sure I need better running technique, but it was pretty much a solid 50+ minute hike for me, digging down into the snow. It was pleasantly soft, in a knee-deep trench. Not too much running. I found some sunglasses, and later the owner, who was quite grateful for them (they fell off her head and she didn't know they were missing) and said "that woulda been $100."
The summit was gorgeous, sunny, and windless -- this was only my 4th time up there. I think there was a temperature inversion today, as Ned was warmer than the lower parts of the canyon. Only saw a few other people, though I hoped to randomly run into some of the regulars.

I decided to descend the front side since I knew it was packed. Usually, on snow this good, I'd rather be on skis. But, the descent was an absolute blast, with occasional slipping on heels, knees, and grabbing trees on switchbacks. None of those skills are incredibly useful, either, but it was fun! I whooped out loud at one point, and a few minutes later came upon a couple that got out of my way, smiling and saying they heard me up there.

So while I won't be giving up the skis anytime soon, I guess I won't automatically grab them every time there's a decent amount of snow on the ground, when the running shoes can still be fun, too.

J on the XC

J finally got some XC skis! (Usually, she snowshoes while I ski).

Perfect timing to get enough snow to cruise around the neighborhood and along the south Powerline Trail.

Rim Trail in Snowmass -- Night Running

Rim Trail -- Snowmass Village, CO

Besides skiing, I also wanted to check out some of the running/hiking trails in Snowmass. The Rim Trail caught my attention on the map, as it climbed quickly up a nearby hill, some 800-1000 feet in a couple miles or so, and then rolled along for several more miles. So one night, full of great dinner and wine, I headed somewhat blindly toward where I hoped the Rim Trail might be. I found some tracks going off into the woods near Deerfield Drive, which headed up exactly on the trail I was looking for.

After a 25 minute grind up numerous switchbacks, covered in mostly in light snow, I finally reached a summit plateau with fantastic views all around. I saw something on the ground, then nearly wiped out as I stood on it: a marble Yin-Yang. At a different time and day, it would look something like this:


Well, that was unexpected. I continued the rolling trail, with a few short steeper sections, before the trail curved onto a narrower north-south ridge with new views toward Aspen and the airport. I turned around once the trail began switchbacking downward. This was an exquisite run right next to Snowmass -- with a bit more snow, it would have been a great x-country ski or snowshoe trail, as well as a nicely buff mountain bike trail in the summer.

Lunar Eclipse
I had so much fun on this trail, I returned a few days later to view the lunar eclipse.


The Yin-Yang was the perfect vantage point, as the setting moon wasn't visible from town down below. Somehow, the Yin-Yang also made sense, as a balance between the rising sun and setting moon, the cycles of waxing and waning, the lunar influence on the rhythms of the tides....Or something like that. Yin, yang, yada-yada-yada.

I waited and watched in the cold, while inch-by-inch, the oak moon disappeared, and the sun took its place. The coyotes and dogs in the valley below howled and yapped in protest.

Sunlight Moonlight

Moonlight Ski Tour on Sunlight Mountain (Glenwood Springs, CO)




*

With a full moon (and eclipse) earlier the same day, I had planned on a nighttime ski tour of Sunlight Mountain near Glenwood. Sunlight is a smaller, friendlier local's mountain, and it would give me an excuse to visit it for the first time. It permits uphill hiking on all trails, has a nice network of free cross-country trails adjacent to the mountain (which also would lead most of the way to the summit), and puts on a 24-hour ski race.

I began my ski tour just after 6pm, in full darkness with the moon cresting nearby hills. A few cars were scattered in the lot, but it seemed as if it would be lonely out there. I started on the Old 4-Mile Road leading into the Babbish Gulch x-country trails, but ended up following a side trail right onto the Ute Trail. The Ute Trail is a green groomer leading all the way to the top, but takes 2.5 miles to do so. Every other trail (including the 24-hour race course) is much steeper and much shorter, but I was happy with my conservative choice, which allowed for me to take a mellow ski up on a wide, moonlit trail.

As I got nearer to the top, I thought I saw a headlamp in the distance. Sure enough, right as the final pitch under the lift came into view, I saw a party of 3 heading up. I caught up and greeted them, and then consciously thought about the fact that the light on the summit house was on.

It turns out these 3 were up for full moon shenanigans -- and more were on the way. Another couple was in the summit shack (which also had the fireplace on). They were just out for a moonlit ski like me, but the rest of the crowd was up for a party. As was explained to me, sometimes the lifties party up on the hill, sometimes the ski patrol; and on full-moon nights like this, they all come up. How cool is that?
"Hey, what do you guys want to do tonight after we're done with work -- which is skiing?"
"Uh, how about some skiing?"

Some of the goods, including hot apple cider, were courtesy of Meier Skis, a good ol' U.S. of A. local shop which custom-builds skis using Colorado wood. Despite my status as an interloper, these guys also freely offered burgers and brats which they were grilling outside.
More friendly folks showed up, and 80's music started blaring on a stereo. The inside of the shack had an unsurprising damp, sweaty smell, while the outside smelled decidedly more herbal.

I hung out with the guys a bit while waiting for some of my clothes to dry, and checked out awesome views from the proper summit of Compass Peak. I had a long drive ahead, so I thanked them for the fun and began skiing down. I stayed on the Ute Trail again, as I knew what to expect from the ascent. I barely needed a headlamp at all, heading instinctually for the lighter pitches of moonlit snow, absentmindedly expecting the surface to be noticeably softer as it would be in sun exposure. At the bottom, another group had just begun hiking up, with loose dogs chasing glowing frisbees. Having the run to myself under the stars was both surreal and sublime.

My preference is wandering through the woods, but I'm just as happy knowing that folks are occupying the local mountain for a fun time. No jostling in lift lines, no credit card or electricity needed.
Who said resort skiing can't be fun?

Aspen Skiing: Earn your Turns?

Snowmass Mountain
With about 4 hours of break, and no lift ticket, yet located right next door to a snow-covered mountain on a brilliant bluebird day, there was only one natural choice:
Go Higher.

I've never skied up a ski resort, so I decided to give it a go on my beat-up waxless backcountry skis, with no idea how long it would take, and how well received the act of skiing upward in Our National Forest would be amongst hundreds of people, mid-day, which is perfectly legal, generally, and allowed on all trails on Aspen-Snowmass Mountain (but isn't helpful if people aren't looking out for you or aren't aware).

Things were going relatively well as I stayed skiers-left of the slope, closer to the aspen groves on the lower part of the mountain, before needing to cross over to the other side. I traversed across the hill -- very uncrowded, being an early-season weekday -- with a nearly flat trajectory, when a helpful older gentleman told me to "stay to the side when going uphill!" I thanked him for this, but mentioned crossing over to the other side. I also made a mental note never to crash or drop anything again while skiing, as the slight uphill motion to retrieve lost objects might also be offensive.

The runs had changed from Green to Blue here, which slowed things down, but eventually I was at the Village Express midpoint. I stopped to check my map, near a ski photographer, who asked if I had any questions. "No, just seeing where I am."
As I considered my options, though, he did point out the way most of the uphill skiers went: Lunchline to Sunnyside. This was both easier and would lead me to aspects that were still in the afternoon sun, so it was a nice tip.

I picked my way over to Sunnyside, and now reached spots where hiking was easier than shuffling and slipping. I probably could have done this much earlier, as it was easier to keep a consistent hiking speed. I am starting to see how hiking up with good boots and lighter skis might just be the way to go instead of messing with skins. I hadn't brought anything to attach my skis to my pack, so I used them as extra poles to dig into the snow. On the final pitch, I went partly through the glades at the top, which had almost no traffic and had the usual zig-zagging paths that cut across the mountain between different tree sections.

Finally, about 2:10 after I started, I made it to the top of the "Big Burn" -- the actual summit was closed off, so I had reached the highest terrain that was currently open, more than 3000 feet higher than where I started.

I scarfed down a sandwich, and a bird landed on my skis, waiting for crumbs.



Now in the shade, it was time to head down. I had shed several layers on the way up, but was still soaked with sweat. I didn't have the energy or desire to mess with trying out tele turns, so I just made conservative swooping alpine turns -- these skis, and my ability on them, are sketchy at best. I made it down in half an hour, probably 4 times slower than I would have been on my alpine skis, but was happy to make it down safely after having earned my turns.


Aspen Highlands

The next day, again with about 4 hours to spare in the afternoon, I found myself in possession of a lift ticket. I hurried over to the bus stop, nearly tripping over my loose clothes and gear, just in time to catch a bus. I decided to head over to the Highlands, which supposedly had great views, and some friends that were skiing over there for opening day.
I was not able to meet up with those friends, as they had enjoyed the steep runs up in the bowl, and I hadn't really planned on being there until the last minute. That wouldn't have been smart on my skinny skis anyway. Again, I was very careful and slow on these skis, especially as some areas were icing up, but enjoyed trying out a new area.
In fact, even without views from the bowl, I will say that this was the prettiest resort views I've seen in my limited experience.

WS100

In!

Lunar Eclipse 2011 -- Rim Trail, Snowmass Village

From 2011-Dec Eclipse

From 2011-Dec Eclipse