Well, we’ve known there was lots of snow falling out West (not to mention in the East). And so that immediately
prompts the question: how’s the skiiing? Answer:
RIPPER! From Mammoth to Vail to Tahoe, the skiing on the Left Coast is the best it’s been in a few years.
Officially, Mammoth Mountain had received 331 inches (more than 27 feet) of snow since the ski season had opened in
early October. That is enough to make one go to JetBlue this instant and spend the next week hitting bumps and
shredding the V.
Austism Gives Way to Adaptive Skiing
Skiing for those with disabilities can often be frustrating, if not
impossible. One particular young, autistic boy in Colorado is doing good on the slopes however with the help of an
organization devoted to working with people with special needs. An
article in the Summit Daily News (Colorado)
talks about Charlie Fazendin, the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center and how a
technique known as adaptive skiing is helping to change
this boy’s life in a nice way. Check it out if you get a chance.
Watch for those E-X signs in Colorado
If you’re skiing on one of the many Colorado ski runs starting this year you
may notice a new “E-X” sign posted near some of them.
As the Denver Post explains, these new
“extreme terrain” signs are designed to more clearly designate what are traditionally known as black diamond runs, with
a focus on “denoting 50-degree steeps or 20-foot cliffs”. Colorado apparently felt the old way of making notice of runs
which could be more dangerous was out of date.
Don’t Be Stupid
OK, there have now been enough
stories about snowboarders,
skiers and other snow freaks heading out to celebrate the luscious new powder and then dying. So before you do the
same, take a moment, inhale a deep breath, and make sure you know what the frick you’re doing. Officials, rescue-folk
and concerned parents are getting sick
of dragging your frozen carcasses out of avalanches. See the sign to the right: You Can Die. Seven people have been
killed in Utah alone this year.
So if you’re heading out, bring a beacon, bring a shovel and bring a brainload of common sense? OK? Lecture over.
Snowboarding Camp
A couple of scenarios:
1. You have never snowboarded before and you’d really like to learn. Unfortunately you have no friends. None that want
to teach you, anyway.
2. You’ve been a skier your whole life and know you have to learn how to snowboard, but you want to get it done quick
because if your friends see you floundering around like a retard on the hill, well, it’s all over.
3. You’re way into adulthood and this whole snowboarding thing looks like fun, but well, jeez, it’s really hard to
learn something new at my age.
OK, now if you fit into any of the above scenarios, then snowboarding camp might be the way to go. I did some looking
around for you, and found that one of the best camps around is in Whistler BC.
Pro-ride will teach you steeps, trees, half-pipe, whatever. You might even talk them into taking you heli-skiing.
Folks, this is one of the best places to ski in the world. You should be thanking me.