Again I have to direct you to a nice little online ski
magazine called Aspect Journal, I mentioned it before, but as I am
wont to do, I often go back and take a look at old links I’ve blogged about, and in this case I was very pleasantly
surprised by some of the writing over there. Who knew there was such a genre as ski-lit? But there is, and the peices –
long and short – are sometimes amateurish, and sometimes quite nice.
Utah's Secret Snow
You wouldn’t figure that a big East Coast paper would
know much about the ski conditions in the West…that is would profess to know he "secret spots" in a place
like Utah. But the Washington Post yesterday made a pretty respectable
effort at it. Now, up front, I need to say that I am a big fan of skiing, and a big fan of Utah. Since living in new
York City, I can say I’ve been back to Utah much, but it has a place in my heart, especially since my wife went to
school and lived there for many years. I know most of the big areas in the state, and have a particular fondness for
Alta. You can keep Deer Valley as far as I’m concerned. I don’t need m slopes groomed to death, thank you. Deer valley
is a resort for old people with bad backs and a Park City is fine.
The two areas that the piece here singles
to are both deserving of mention…and certainly deserving of a day or two if you happen to be in the state. The two
areas are Solitude and Brighton. I’ve skied both and found each to be
quiet, nicely managed, and impressive hills. The writer of the piece here comes to a similar conclusion. So give it a
read and at the very least the next time you’re making plans to ski in Utah, consider these two lesser-known
places.
Hip Sip
It’s been a little while since we posted anything
gear-wise. Now this is not a big deal. It’s just something I came across in one of the outdoor mags I read. Nalgene is
a name you probably know if you carry much liquid with you when you head out. I’ve got a pair of Nalgene water bottles
for camping and hiking.
They’re great. The plastic is durable, the seals are remarkably tight and they
carry a lot of water or gatorade or whatever. But they’re pretty big, and you can’t really get by without lugging them
wherever you go. Others must have the same issue – space and size – because Nalgene has released a cool little bottle/flask
that you can strap to your hip. It’s fit 12 ounces of liquid…and is very nicely designed.
The first thing
that came to mind was that this would be a great little flask for skiing/snowboarding. Which means, of course, I’m not
talking about using it to hold water. Well, at least Bode Miller would know what I’m talking about. Anyway, the handy
little 12 ouncer retails for about $9.
Yokoso! Japan Weeks!
Starting tomorrow, January 20,
2006 till February 20, 2006 Japan is welcoming visitors to the country in their ‘Yokoso’ Japan Weeks campaign with more than tempting discounts to
enhance shopping experiences, by providing generous Onsen passes, and reasonably priced events taking place all over.
Rail, hotel, and even hostels are offering discounted rates up to 50% off in some locations. Ski specials include
slashed prices in such areas as Hokkaido, Tohoku, Hokuriku/Shinetsu on lift passes and nearby lodging.If you haven’t
gotten the message yet, what I’m basically trying to say is the whole country seems to be on sale. Most foreigners hold
the impression that Japan is an expensive place to visit (myself included) and looking towards some of the country’s
close neighbors it’s easy to see why. However, this is the perfect time to visit and see some of Japan’s premier sites
at low-cost. Go to the Yokoso site now and head to Japan quick!
Ski Blog
New England skiers might be interested in the link to the ski blog here. The site is being managed
by a dude named Ethan Binns, who is, according to the site, a big time New England ski fan. He writes about conditions
in the region (which are, to put it mildly, bad) as well as those out West (much better, thank you).
The
blog’s got some good entries on what’s happening and where to go, and a couple of nice pictures. I’m eager to see how
well the guy can keep it going once the snow really starts to fall. I suppose we can trust ol Ehtan. He says that
while he lived in Boston, he logged an average 30 days of skiing a year. Now he lives in Vermont and works in the ski
industry (um, blogging?). Anyway take a look at this one every once in a while.