Friday, February 26, 2010

Tush her softly

Some of the boyz were lucky enough to get out of the Wastach last week.  The great provider found a nice set up for the boyz.  The Grampon grabbed some sleds.  We loaded up our gear and sleds to head down to the Tushers.  The mountain range right outside of Beaver, Utah.  The Tushers are a cool range with no one in them, except some fellow slednecks.  Most of the mountain terrain is above tree line and is exposed to some strong winds.  There's plenty of glades and lower elevations terrain that has good snow.  It used to have a ski area called Elk meadows that closed down.  We were fortunate enough to stay in a condo right at the base.  That meant as many sunset laps on Thriller (Thats the headline run at the meadows) that we wanted...sick.   


Gramps and Bret gasing up the sleds.

Our first day up in the Tushers, we skied off a southwest aspect of Mt. Holly.  That's Delano peak in the background.

Looks like someone is excited for tomorrows terrain.  The sleds didn't work out for tow ins.  Gramps mentoring about "prabbing" was labor intensive task.   So we ended up using the good old fashion quad power

We were excited about checking out a new snowpack and digging some pits.  When we got into the higher elevations it was thin snowpack and boiler plate, I mean really hard.  So jake aired this cornice instead, sweet landing.

Jake was on a roll that day and he sussed out this chute for him and Gramps to ski on the north bowl of Mt. Holly.  I snuck along for this one but they wouldn't let me go to Delano with them, I think they needed some alone time.

This sub-peak called Delano- Bringham ridge peak was our next ski object.  We skied the chutes in the middle of the peak trying to avoid the rocks.  Although they have been skied we named them Uncle Keith chutes.

Adam and Liam with Bringham in the background. 


Looking towards more Tusher terrain the Pocket and Belknap peak in the background.


Bret dropping into the southwest face of Delano.  This was some of the best snow of the day because the sun had baked it.

The castle size rocks of Delano


Every good day deserves a beer.  The boyz relaxing at the retreat and searching out the next good terrain on the seven minute maps while discussing possible descents of the LT chute.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Off the couch and into the mist

On Friday, Feb. 12th every skier boy in the wasatch felt a disturbance in the force and the snowpack.  Near surface facets accompanied by a sun crust layer and new snow plus graupel made for increasing avalanche danger.   

Bret Beattie out of the mist in white pine chute, off the couch from injury and right into less than ideal ski conditions.  Way to ease it back in.

Slody and Robbie playing tag in the bottom of the chute

The crew at the bottom...makes you wonder what will be skied next week.