Alta Backcountry: Living and Exporing in Wild Places

  • Day 4: Balance

    To pull off 200 days requires 25 days average from November to July 1. November will be the toughest month, as the snow is thin and we are still doing ATC. The combination of the two is a lot. Heavy,… Continue reading

  • Day 3: The first crash

    Coming down the mountain, a snow elf (shaped in the form of a rock) gave me my first fall of the year. No harm, no foul – a soft landing! Continue reading

  • Day 2: The beginning of the dawn patrol.

    Up in the dark, to the top in a blaze of orange. Looking forward to the upcoming time change. Continue reading

  • Day 1: Two feet…

    …of fresh snow ushers in the first skin and ski of the year. And so it begins, the attempt at 200 days. Continue reading

  • Reminder

    October is the month to pay the piper. Lots of time in the gym so when ski season comes, we're ready. The gym work is hard – weights and plyometrics – and honestly the legs are fried on our days… Continue reading

  • She’s getting stronger…

    Can't wait for the first uphill skin of the year. Hope I can keep up! Continue reading

  • A little forest fire that for a few minutes was billowing over town and brought back some memories of 2010, but it ended up OK. Good thing too – Nederland would have gotten torched. Be careful – it's dry out… Continue reading

  • Stella(r) day with my two girls

    A good hike, felt better in our evening workout and Stella got herself a new harness (not shown here…it came in a special package from Black Ice after the hike) and some yummy "Taste of the Wild" dog food. Life… Continue reading

  • Laugh at adversity

    I have never had workouts as hard as the ones I've had the past week at the ATC. Obviously long bike or ski races might be more taxing, but that's different. This is just a beat-down, every single time. Three… Continue reading

  • The first snow

    As contrary as it may seem coming from an avid skier, the first snow of the year is not for skiing. The first snow is for getting up early, looking out the window, and like a kid on Chistmas morning… Continue reading