Backcountry with Orla

Orla and I  (Jodi) met in a ski school class in early December, and we've had fun being ski buddies (and of course apres-ski buddies too!). Yesterday while Ryan and Mel were skiing and doing a ski class, we took Orla on her first backcountry experience.  Photographer Chris got a few photos for Orla to hang on her refridgerator!

Awesome Video of Whistler Area

Someone here in Whistler did an awesome video of the village and the ski area. It's called "XXS" for extra-extra small, because it was shot with a special lens that makes your eye thing everything is miniaturized. Very cool- check it out!

Backcountry Skiing DOA with Steglich!

Nice day yesterday. Ryan (best man in our wedding)and I got up the hill early because it was snowing. We promptly spent about 3.5 hours eating breakfast burritos and drinking coffee in the lodge. I haven't seen Ryan in a while so we had lots of catching up to do!

Had one good run in the resort and then left into the backcountry to ski the chute DOA which goes back into Blackcomb. Not the greatest visibility heading up but I know the way very well. We broke out into the sun up top. And we did video this time!

How not to "ski" the backcountry!

The first skin up

We hit the backcountry again today, heading on a longer route around the back side of a few mountains that involved ski downs and skin ups, and then climbing up over a ridge and back into the resort on a run called "Poop Chutes".    It took us about 5 hours - in part because we didn't take the more traditional steeper or side-sloped routes to get there because I (Jodi) don't really like things like that,  and in part because....   well, let the photos tell the story:

Climbing up thru the notch

After a fall.   This is the actual scene right after one of my falls today:  both ski  noses buried straight in.   Hard crusty stuff on top of the snow makes turning hard,  and... um,  I'm not sure what happened after that....

Pretty view from the top of the Poop Chutes. Sunny up top but the village was down under those clouds all day.

How not to ski:   the ski run was quite steep, and really icy from what we later heard was 100km/h (60 mph) winds last night that turned the top layer crusty and icy.    After several falls and being too afraid to even try any more turns (ya know, your skis have to aim downhill to turn, and with the crust I just felt like I couldn't get them to turn to slow down again),  I did some "butt-sliding" down about 1000 vertical ft of the ski run, at times using my ski pole to dig into the snow as a brake to slow down.    This was definitely not the plan,  but got me down and was actually sort of fun.   Thank you to Chris who took my skis on his pack (again!).   Needless to say I probably won't be trying this run again

Butting down a hill takes quite a bit more time than skiing, so it was starting to get a little late by the time we were skiing back home through the resort.    We actually could see ok and we were on the really easy "green" beginner hill only a few minutes from the bottom, but a nice resort guy on a snowmobile offered a ride and I took it! 

This definately was not one of my prettiest days of skiing,  but I will say that the mountains are beautiful and the skinning (sort of like cross country skiing) was nice, the sun was out....  Tomorrow:  Jodi's taking a day off, and Chris and Ryan go do what they do - "not-butt-sliding" down some nice ski runs!    

Good Days in the Backcountry

Ryan (Chris's friend from college) must be good luck, because he brought some nice sunny days with him!    The last two days we've done some longer routes in the backcountry.      Yesterday was Corona,   which included two good sized skins uphill,  one of which you can see our route in the far background of this pic:  we crossed over the ridge to ski down the side to the left of the ridge just before the last big notch in the background:

There were a few areas where skis had to come off and we climbed up snow steps.   Jodi usually doesn't like the steep areas,  but  it was ok, and super-nice Chris carried my skis a few times so my hands would be free to grab the snow in front of me.    And, the ski down Corona was steeper and a bit icier than we'd hoped, but overall wasn't too bad.    Jodi had to do the 1,2,3 countdown to convince herself to aim skis downhill to start a turn;  and a few times had to restart the countdown after not quite taking the plunge.   Of course rock-star skiers Ryan and Chris had nice ski lines, but we didn't have the cameras out then, so those pics will have to come from one of the next trips.   Overall a good day!

2nd Backcountry Day with Jodi

Today Jodi and I did the same backcountry walk we did about a week ago. It was sunny but a hair windy and chilly. We had a very nice walk, got the camera out, and were able to "make some magic"!

Here's a photo of my frozen face and some goggle scenery:

Check Jodi out skiing powder in the Blackcomb backcountry:

 

Here she is making a bit more aggressive powder turn:

When we got home and I looked at this shot on my computer, it reminded me of the famous shot of Dick Durrance (an early pioneer of ski racing and resort management, including Aspen resort) from the late 40s. You look and tell me if Jodi wasn't channeling this guy!

Raisin Gatorade

At our wedding, Chris promised to "find new tasty foods for me to eat", because, well, I like tasty and new foods.

Today while we were driving around on some errands, we stopped for gas and Chris came out of the store with a proud smile on his face.

"I found a new Gatorade flavor for you!"

The flavor:   Grape-Raisin.

Raisin, eh?     What's next - prune flavored Gatorade?


Not really. Raisin = grape.

French, Genius.   (again)

Chris hike and ski with old buddy!

Got to hike around the Blackcomb backcountry with my old buddy Chad today. What a pleasure. He is such a swell guy for a bigtime sponsored skiier. Chad spent the last few days shooting a commercial for Panasonic, and different still photo stuff for Columbia outerwear.

He and I had a nice ski photography partnership when I lived here in 1998. Today was our first day shooting together with my new camera.

People ask why I like Whistler so much.... well, no snow now for 4 days or so, and look at the stuff we can ski with about an hour total of hiking-- not to mention the cool spots and beautiful scenery you see along the way!

Here's Chad--- his sponsor Bern helmets will like this because you can read their logo really well in the full size picture.

His sponsor Rossignol skis will like this one!

I don't have any sponsors (obviously) but I can tell you I'm thoroughly enjoying this turn!

Very satisfying way to ring in the new year. Happy New Year, everyone!