"Don't Criticize What You Don't Understand," Bountiful Ridge, February 2, 2019

Video by Jonah Reeder, skiers Owen Reeder and Brett Fuller.

Kara's Pot Farm is growing back in, but the ample snow this year helps cover the saplings.

I hadn't been up here in awhile and it hadn't snowed in almost two weeks and there had been substantially more traffic up here than I have ever seen. I scope it from the valley daily, and yes, I actually went shopping at Cabella's (aka Chubby-Fella's) to buy a spotting scope just for viewing ski spots from the valley. This year I am seeing tons and tons of traffic up here, so I was not expecting too much, but Jonah, Brett and I still found excellent skiing. The cold temperatures preserve the snow on the shady aspects. Sorry to be so full of attitude and venom, but I know what I like and there's a reason I don't ski the Central Wasatch. Bountiful Ridge is still relatively unknown, but it is quickly becoming another Grizzly Gulch.

Early morning sunshine on Bountiful Peak.

Kara's Pot Farm and my signature (way too repeated) ski-tip view of the skin track.

Looking down Kara's Pot Farm from the Dogleg Corner, view NW over Davis County.  There's a story for the dogleg in the route. Ask me some day.  

The 'snow stake rock.' In the summer the top of the rock is about five feet high. Today it was about knee high.

114cm (44 inches) of snow at Rudy's Flat, and hoar-frost building.

Someone took my rock from the crotch of this tree. That's OK, I've got about 10 more planted in the area. It's kind of fun to see how long they last. This one rarely lasts more than a month or two, especially in the summer because it sits next to the most popular camp-site at Rudy's (although this is about 6'5" high without snow). One rock placement up on the ridge has been there about 25 years. Oh, and that's Jonah trying to stay warm.

Jonah (l) and Brett (r) skinning towards Rectangle Peak (high point above).

Rectangle Bowl was tracked out. This year we've seen an unprecedented increase in use up here, presumably due to the normal snow depths and the huge crowds of the Central Wasatch. Understandably, others are looking for less crowded grounds and Bountiful Ridge is now seeing that impact.  Last year we experienced a thin snow cover and there was much more solitude up here, but the skiing was still good if one is OK with a core-shot here and there. and a scrubby approach/descent.

Jonah (l) and Brett (r) near the top of the ski run "Scott Cutler's Yellow Coat." Another good story behind the name. Ask me sometime.

Skin track and dead tree about midway up Rectangle Ridge.

Our first run ski tracks in upper Crescent Bowl. It hadn't snowed in almost two weeks but there is good stuff to be found on the right aspects. 

Jonah (l) and Brett (r) on the Rectangle/Crescent Saddle.

From Crescent Peak, Jonah and Brett making their way up for a run down Crescent Peak. Rectangle Peak is the high point just behind Jonah and Brett.

Jonah and Brett, again.

First run tracks in upper Crescent Bowl.

Mountains, snow and sun. Simply beautiful!! A guy in my Ward recently made the proclamation that "Mountain Guys" have "no clue" what constitutes a spiritual experience. I can't tell you why I feel the way I do, just that I feel the most alive when outdoors, especially in the mountains of winter.  To that local 'Authority' I would offer the words of another Authority: "Don't criticize what you can't understand. . . the times they are a changin"   Bob Dylan    

Nice turns in Rectangle Bowl. I wish mine were so uniform and pretty! And 'good job' to these skiers (or skier) for conserving the slope by spooning your tracks so that others can also to enjoy the slope!!! The days of center-punching multiple bowls with one lone ski line are over.

No disrespect to anyone, but I'm hoping for a modest snow year in 2019-2020, just to filter the Riff-Raff. The life-time die-hards will always be back, they know where to find the goods in even the worst conditions, but rock-skiing isn't for everyone and the casual users disappear when conditions aren't perfect. Bring-on another 20-inch base!

Mill D North, December 28, 2018

Just catching up on my posts, this one is from my attempt of Short Swing in Mill D North (Big Cottonwood Canyon). I was so out of shape from a major sick-scare that I made it only half way up short swing. Quite possibly the most pathetic BC ski outing of my entire career, including my 7th grade, night-time outings when skiing Brown's Floral peach orchard which was directly behind my parents home, which comes in at about a 15-degree slope. Barely steep enough to straight line, but it was fun to ski in the dark, on forbidden grounds. Rumor was Leon Brown would load his shotgun with salt pellets and blast anyone crossing into his property. But today on Short Swing, in Mill D North in Big Cottonwood Canyon, I barely skinned 1,000 vertical feet and I was toast, dizzy and coughing up an esophagus . . . .  so I bailed.

When I say sick, I'm getting old and I have some issues I'm working through. Some of the symptoms were extreme dehydration, the Doc gave me 4 liters of IV fluids before I could pee, and projectile bloody diarrhea - sorry, way TMI -  which resulted in the obligatory colonoscopy the next day, which revealed two very handsome pre-cancerous polyps, which were removed and which committed me to an annual colonoscopy. When I asked the doc why "if they are "pre-cancerous," why the annual colonoscopy?" He said I had nothing unusual two years ago (the 55-yr-old colonoscopy) and anything growing quickly is considered pre-cancerous.  Thanks Doc.

Kessler Peak (view SW)

SE side of Tom's Hill.

View west with Gobblers Knob through the aspens.

My new 'light-weight' rig. No brakes, 88mm under foot, and 167cm length. Yes, they are light and climb like a feather, but I was worried they would suck on the downhill side of the equation. I skied them once at Snowbasin (forgot my resort boots, so had to go with my BC rig because that's the only complete rig in the truck) and I swear, they held an edge like LCC granite. On hard pack man-made snow, they were smooth and rock-solid doing high-speed Super-G turns. In bumps they ruled due to their narrow width. Very quick edge to edge. They are racing skis on par with Mikaela Shiffrin's Atomics. OK, that's a total embellishment, just know I'm very impressed with their ability to arc fast turns especially when considering their lightness and lack of obvious muscle. Speaking of Atomics, I went with Atomic Backland bindings, with no brake, and they also exceeded expectations. They are super light but rock solid. After going with Dynafit's on my last four rigs, and after breaking a pair of Dynafit Speed Turns last winter, I thought it was high time to branch out, try something new. Oh, so how is the rig in powder or crusty mank? In a word, stupendous! They exceed all my expectations. They float and turn with ease in all conditions. If any complaint it would be they are too short. I need sit back just a 'tich' so I don't go over the bars. But you know the way it is: "there are no bad skis, just bad skiers."

Mt. Raymond (l) and Gobblers Knob (r). View west from half way up Short Swing.

Gobblers

Raymond

Turns, Raymond and Gobblers. Beautiful day. Felt so good to be in the mountains, snow and sun.

Mt Wire, No pants, Frozen Legs (no brain, no pain), January 8, 2019

Trail "run" up Mt. Wire today. Sometimes one should just give-in to societal norms and wear pants. As a result I froze my legs today!! Soft-pack trail up to Red Butte Saddle was not a big deal on bare calves, but unbroken trail from saddle to the summit of Mt. Wire was another story. Trail-breaking in knee to thigh deep snow, which is .6 mile, 800 vertical, was very cold! But my fault, I was totally fooled by the fake news of sunshine on snow fooling me into thinking it was warm. 

AAAAAAHHHHHHhhhh, beautiful mountains. Then there's ALL that on the right.

South-side of Bountiful Ridge. Burro Mine (l) and Grandview (r).

The tower on Mt. Wire, an old beacon to guide aircraft over the Wasatch. My Dad said that it was still in use during the 1950's when he and my Mom were living in Stadium Village while attending the University of Utah. 

Prayer flags on the tower fence.

Zoom on Grandview Peak.

View NW. Antelope Island on the left.

Next time I'm wearing pants!

Cough, cough, cough, COUGH, clear throat, spit, cough, repeat.

Cutler Ridge, January 5, 2019

Experimenting with a 360 camera. So far it's way too much editing work . . . or maybe it's just my old Dell that can't handle any heavy lifting. Time for an iMac . . .

Skied Bailey Spring in upper Cutler basin today. The skiing sucked. A 5-inch, breakable, styrofoam wind crust that tripped me into a cartwheel fall - TWICE! But it was good to be with great friends and back on my feet after too much sickness and too many family issues. Nothing like a day in the mountains to reset the soul.

John Muir nailed it when he said, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." 

Brett showing the way.

Willard Peak

Brett and Chris..

Diffused sun and wind picking up the higher we get.

Heated logos are the latest marketing ploy coming to you from Black Diamond Equipment.  

Dead stump and Ben Lomand Peak beyond.

A cold and windy transition to ski. Chris (l) and Brett (r).

Me skiing with 360 cam on the pole. Tight knees are oh so 1979.

Skinning. Chris and Owen (Brett Fuller photo).

Brett messing with his risers. 

Wind shot. This looked way more dramatic in real life. Sorrry.

Came screaming down the Nordic track in North Fork Park, came around a bend going about 40mph only to see six skiers and two dogs spread across the entire track. In a panic to avoid a collision, I abruptly turn into the Nordic trad-set-track. I was extremely annoyed that they blocked the entire road until I saw these moose just ahead. Even more annoying that they (skiers) offered no warning, just watched me fly by, headed to an almost certain moose-mauling. Good thing I learned to ski in the '70's and can hockey stop on a dime. OK, more like a "pizza-french-fry-shit-show," but I did stop well before they charged.  

Driving through Huntsville at 7:30AM it's too damn cold, but it never felt even close to 6-degrees while skinning. And why am I taking photos while driving?.