As per usual the road up LCC was closed, adding an extra 30 min onto the already long commute.  When we finally got to the Alta parking lot what greeted us, had us frothing:  Clearing sky’s and cold temps.

We got a bit of a head start to beat the crowds and after a few freezing lift ride’s we made it over to Dry Fork.  While the rest of the crew dug a quick pit to asses the snow conditions I stayed watch on top of the ridge should anything happen.

After we discussed how we felt about the snow and the aspect we were on we took a few turns.  WOW!  Cold smoke, blinding, over the head turns where what followed.

We all let out cries of joy at the luck we were having. Even a few short turns and being out with the boys totally reaffirmed why we do what we do.  After about an hour we packed up shop and moved over to Rocky Point (where infamous A Frame cliff is located).  Once over there we noticed another group that was also out taking pictures, so we stayed far skiers right to avoid them.  We all were able to link up more than two turns at a time and couldn’t believe how good the snow was.

Oh, hello winter

After two laps and the shadows quickly marching in we called it a day.  The crowds had caught up to us, the light was dying and the temperature was quickly rising.  Below is a picture from Adam Barker that really summed up the day for me:  cold light snow that blew up in some great sunshine.  While I didn’t ski my best it was great to get out there and enjoy the company and some great snow.

Wow, I needed that

Here is to hoping we get more days like this….many more…..and soon!

TheLifeUnbound

“The life unbound. Personified by a dynamic and personable couple who met out west only to find that they grew up in the same state back east. Brought together thru a desire to go further and push harder, the telemark turn became their vehicles of self expression and what ultimately brought them together.”

“With an unwavering quest for adventure these two travel through deserts, mountains, and continents to share with each other, and peers their dreams.”

Follow us as we start the season in Utah, follow binding production in Idaho, Avalanche seminars in Colorado and epic skiing wherever the snow happens to fall.  Watch us closely on Facebook at TheLifeUnbound, Twitter at @TheLifeUnbound, and being developed at this very moment, TheLifeUnbound.com.

Contact Boxer Brief

I/O Bio’s new Contact Boxer Brief has been a bit of a personal revolution for me. Never one to wear “fancy” underwear and always standing by my old favorite, the cotton boxers it was nothing short of incredible using the Contact Boxer Brief.  Wearing a pair of the Contact Boxer Brief on a 6-hour day including hiking, boot packing, skinning, skiing and bush whacking was simply remarkable.  Never once did they ever bunch, ride up or rotate, they were pretty much invisible.   At the end of the day they were dry, warm and stink free (a big concern when poly-propylene begins to reek after a few uses).

I/O Bio’s woven Merino wool is the most comfortable and softest Merino I have ever touched.  It boasts odor prevention; stain resistance, durability and sustainability; what more can you ask for?  They also come with a gusseted crotch, an easily overlooked but essential component to any pant or underwear (your body is not designed in 2d why should your clothes be?).

I/O Bio stands for Inside/Outside and while I wouldn’t particularly wear my underwear out side, I could because the stuff is so stylie.  With a conscience effort to move the tag to a non-irritating location, and sleek logo placement they look about as good as I would ever want something that nobody sees to look.

Enter the last 1000ft:  trail breaking 40 degree slope with the entire 265in snow pack to be trudged through.  The boot packing was everything from wading through snow up to your chest to “front pointing” on a slide path or wind buff.  The closer we got to the top the worse off it was….and deeper.  Eventually I had to put my skins on, which wasn’t actually that much of a help.  The Y is tight and steep, not the ideal place for skinning.  With the “summit” in sight and a mere 200 ft between us and it, the worst was yet to come.  Rock scrambling, wading in snow above my head, exposure and a lot of swearing finally resulted in gaining the summit.  After 5 hrs of boot packing, breaking trail and scambling we finally were at the top.   Not that you could ski off the top because there wasn’t enough snow and huge rocks with gangley trees…….

The ski down was variable to say the least.  There were pockets of amazing snow intermixed with wind buff, slid paths, boot pack tracks and old ski tracks.  Oh and because I am a genius I neglected to bring water or food..whoops.  Here is the video of our adventure.

“The Freeheel Life 2: Hippies Punx & Misfits” Official Trailer from Telemark Skier Magazine on Vimeo.

Over the past season you have seen posts and pictures detailing our journey through out the making of the latest film. While pictures and words help outline the process nothing quite compares to watching the footage. Very pleased and stoked to have the official trailer being released, be sure to stay tuned for a tour date near you to watch the whole thing!!!!

The skin was later clocked at over 3 miles in and you could begin to feel every step, especially as we got closer to 11,000ft and the early hours.  It was draining because of the distance and the heat but it really got strenuous when we began the boot pack.  Booting up a 45 degree couloir for well over an hour took a toll on our bodies. The snow was the epitome of variable. Mostly crust but also containing rotten snow, ice, desert dust and everything in between.  The boot pack went from barely being able to get your toes in the snow to jamming your entire boot in and it changed dramatically the entire way up.

Cool rock

Once at the top we grabbed a snack and began to prepare for the descent.  I chose to ski down the way we came up, down the steep, narrow and icy couloir.  Spring skiing is a different kind of game, usually waiting for the sun to heat up the frozen snow just enough to grab an edge but not too much that the entire slope lets loose.  Due to the characteristics of the couloir, the sun, the clouds, and the snow pack that never ended up happening for me.

Top of Helen Keller Couloir

I have never skied a couloir this size, this steep or in this crappy of conditions.  While I have skied all these elements at one time or another in my life, this was the first time they were all combined and had such severe consequences.  I went into a very quite and introspective mood at the top trying only to calm my nerves and focus on nothing.  I don’t like to look at my lines too much before I ski them, I begin to over think them and get entirely too nervous.  I know that once I drop in years of muscle memory will kick in and everything happens so fast its more reaction than decision.

The sun came out, the camera’s were rolling and it was time to test my mettle.  The drop in was terrible, it was just as bad going down as it was coming up…icy and scary.  There were two cruxes in the line and one was at the very top. I slid through it uneventfully and kept forcing my self to make turns in my head.  Making telemark turns in such conditions is very difficult and very committing.  The second crux was about 1/4 way down and was tighter than the first, basically the width of my skis, and still a very long way from the bottom.  Falling is absolutely out of the question but the thought doesn’t even cross your mind because you are so focused on the task at hand, nothing else matters.  Below the second crux was the “best” snow of the run, rotten, dusty and comparatively soft.  I was essentially skiing with my slough which also included pebble to fist size rocks also descending with me.  The turns started to happen faster and with more regularity, the bottom even began to come into view.  Some of the worst snow was at the very bottom of the couloir so I had to dump speed so that my edges would actually give me some resemblance of control.  My legs were burning, my chest thumping and the adrenaline was still raging by the time I got to the bottom.

I turned around and took a look at what I just skied and took it all in.  Hands down that line pushed my limits further than they have ever been taken before.  The entirety of the day was what made it so complex, skinning, boot packing, conditions, elevation, consequence and pitch. It all came together.  Its an indescribable feeling to be pushed to the edge, to use the fear, to conquer the fear and to come back and grow/learn from it.

With out further adieu some pictures from the GoPro while skiing.

Edge of the world. Turn one.

Long way down

Catching air

Tight

The good snow

Adios

Looking back and the path taken

Oh and the line is called Helen Keller because Shaun accidentally took out my contacts from the car so I skied with out them, quasi blind.