A-Basin

 We're hoping for snow-any snow and we pick A-Basin because...it's close by, funky, "cheap", fantastic scenery, no lift lines and so forth.  

Snow, not a big selling point right now.

Snow depth:  33"

New snow last 3 days:  7"  (that would be 20% of total snow fall)

Terrain open:  32%

Shane--ready for the big day, wearing his rock climbing helmet.

 

It's snowing!  And, there is even a skier getting on the lift!

Lift ride into the void.  Empty chairs but there is an actual skier on the slope.

Chilly, breezy and semi-white out--more skis than skiers.

The real reason we like resort skiing.

My attempt at an action photo.

Mid afternoon and it starts to clear...empty chair, empty slope.

        View from the top.

The way home--over Loveland Pass

Looking back from Loveland Pass.  Top of the lift is the dark rectangle on the far right of the ridge.

The rest of the story, but only 1/2 true--no ice.

Two Humps / 0 Degrees

Backcountry ski on the west side of Monarch Pass

Highway 50 west--and, more important, the Continental Divide.  In South Park it's -25 degrees as we drive west over Wilkerson Pass.

We get right on the trail; some blue sky and zero degrees F

We're frosty, but happy

The ridge above Monarch Ski Area sort of peeking out from the trees

A rare, actual use of poles

And, so, we end as we begun, except for the snotcicles--note the meager plow banks next to the parking area

1st Backcountry Ski/'12-'13 Season

And, Mayflower Gulch it is!

Yeah, there's snow & yeah, it's cold

 

Roadside attraction

Sam at the basin

IN the basin

Near the end of our venture

Into the void

New Year's Day

Houston to Co Spgs Rd Trip (or windshield photography)

 

Houston to

 

 

 

            

Colorado Springs

A final indulgence

                                   

















 Charlie ate the other 2/3 of the 3 meat platter

Get it where you can

 Big cotton

  

At least there are pecan orchards in southern New Mexico

And roadside art

Merry Christmas from Santa Fe

Charlie's pilgrimage to the Mecca for carpenters

And then we just went for it

Superfat

in, strangely enough,

a bike shop in Houston TX

High Drive loop by mountain bike

Colorado Springs, CO

Looks like it's going
to be a bit more snowy
than I thought 

Yeah, it is...
could use super fats
for this particular section

Finishing off with
some single track

Done
18 miles