Skiing

In memory of the plane crash victims for whom the Friends Hut was built, featuring Robert "Pimmy" Pimental.

Although the 2014 Winter Olympics might seem far away, if you have any interest in attending, now is the time to jump on it and start booking flights and accommodation. Sochi will be the star of the skiing world for the duration of the Olympics - February 7th through the 23rd - and will draw a huge volume of people from across the world....Read Full Post

Kicking off the "15 Minutes OF Fame" series, enjoy Price's edit from Alta Ski Area who spends far more time in the air than on snow. Thanks for the fireworks Price and keeping the winter dream alive in the heat of the summer. Submit your video so that the Ski Utah Yeti can help you soak up 15 Minutes of Fame. Submit your videos or photos to the Ski Utah Yeti: yeti@skiutah.com.

Dynafit Cho Oyu is a low mass tool that carries nicely on your pack, feels like wings on your feet, and splits your jaw with a smile.

Whiteface may have made its name in winter - it has the highest vertical drop in the east, after all - but it does summer pretty well, too. Standing on its summit, you'll gaze out at the Adirondack Park. Six million acres - more than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined - thick with white pines and glistening with crystalline lakes and meandering trout streams....Read Full Post

At just over (or maybe under) 11,500 feet, San Gorgonio Mountain is Southern California’s high point, considerably eclipsing rivals San Jacinto Peak and Mount San Antonio. This might just be the most inspiring summit view in SoCal, but you’ll have to work for it. The shortest approach, via the Vivian Creek trail, is about 8 miles and 5.5K of vertical. The South Fork approach, from the north, chops a bit of vertical but adds a hefty mileage premium. I particularly love the view of San Jacinto from atop San Gorgonio, with the dramatic plunge of Cochella Valley in between. Looking east you can see a sweeping view of Palm Springs and the Low Desert, with Arizona visible on a clear day beyond. To the north is Big Bear Lake and the High Desert. South is San Diego and the Inland Empire. And to west, you’ll see Mount Baldy, the Santa Ana Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and course the mighty Los Angeles Basin.

There maybe a line at the bottom of the Greenvalley chair and a few rocks here and there but the sun is shining, we are still skiing and the company is awesome.

When we last left you, we were waiting out the weather in Cordova and awaiting a clear window so that the helis could fly us up to tour camp. We got that window on Thursday afternoon. Though the sky looked no less gray than it had for the previous four days, the pilots saw a hole and we got the word to grab our bags and get ready to load up. It had been snowing and blowing for the past five days so the tents were sitting in holes so that only their tops were poking out.  The scenery was spectacular, but we knew that the snowpack was volatile due to all of the new stuff. That afternoon, we made some cautious, low-angle runs. The snow was perfect, knee-deep pow and we relished being high up in the Chugach and scoping out the heli lines across the valley. That night, we feasted on copious amounts of meat cooked up by our superstar guides, Jeff Dostie and Brennan Legasse. That night, wind ripped through the mountains and we felt fortunate to be sheltered from it by our burly tents and the high snow walls that surrounded them. The next day, the winds had scoured the snow and we spent most of the day hanging around camp and hiking short laps just above. Toward the end of the day, we headed out to see if we might find some soft stuff. We had a nice “walk,” but eventually decided that the winds were too cold and the snow was too scoured to make it worth going further. We headed home to enjoy our last night, feasting and imbibing with the group in the high alpine. Sunset over the Chugach. Photo: Taylor Simmers Heading out for an afternoon of glorious pow. Photo: Rob McCormick Guide Brennan Lagasse gets barreled. Photo: Taylor Simmers Tour Campers head into the zone. Photo: Taylor Simmers Guide Jeff Dostie pops a slab. Photo: Taylor Simmers The Chugach Mountains above Cordova, Alaska. Photo: Rob McCormick

Keep those ski boots handy during the off-season because there is a balance/coordination tool on the market - the Sweetspot Ski Trainer - that attaches to your ski boots and provides a challanging balance workout on different levels....Read Full Post

It’s the final weekend of the spring/summer season this weekend and of course the forecast looks great. Corey Meador, myself, Zach Moore and Ferk as always had a great season and enjoyed sharing our hidden little gem, Crystal Mountain.