SnowCode's blog

Backcountry skiers often say "Turns are Turns." While I've had some tough days on skis I agree that any skiing is better than none. If you haven't tried skiing on sand dunes, you're missing out on some great turns. Bring your old un-waxed skis or snowboard (preferably with a harder sintered base material) and gear that can survive the sand. Hike up to the top and slide down. Telemark skiers can even "skin" up the dunes on their dry skis. After a few runs you'll have clean ski or snowboard bases, a good workout and a LOT of fun.

To kick fall off to a stylish start here's a skiing / fashion / music flashback for those of us who were skiing in the 1980's. The only scary thing is that I still see skiers on those same 80's vintage skis and boots!

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Ski Santa Fe - 1980 TV spot

Ski Santa Fe

Patience is a virtue, or so I have been told. Unfortunately, I don't always have much of this patience thing. Fresh snow has a powerful pull on skiers, and that can lead to skiing 'Early Season Conditions'. Early season conditions generally indicates rocks, trees and stumps poking through snow on the mountain. Perhaps it would be smart to stay on runs with better coverage or even wait for more snow to fall.

For now, I'll apply a little RICE and hopefully serve as an example (of some sort) to others.

I can't help it, I still get excited by a snow storm like when I was a kid. Few things hold the promise (to me) of waking to cloudy skies and cold winds. Winter is officially weeks away, but weather in the mountains turns cold and snowy well before the solstice. I love looking out the window at snow falling while drinking a hot cup of coffee. This first snow of the season will melt in town, but it holds promise of skiing to come in the mountains.

Not every day is a powder day and not every season is epic. But spring bump skiing with friends is always a day well spent.

Not every ski trip is to a big mountain.

Haute Route du Richmond Park from Will Armitage on Vimeo.

Turns are turns and a day skiing is better than a day sitting on the couch. Thanks to Will for the fun video of a great day skiing in London's Richmond Park.

When is the ski season over? Is it when the lifts at the local ski area stop running? Do you travel farther and farther to find an open ski area? Or, do you chase winter across the globe so the ski season never ends? I haven't crossed the equator to ski yet, but I have climbed a mountain for some 'post-ski-season' turns.

My father loves skiing and he got me started skiing when I was a kid. I had heard a few stories from my father about skiing 'back in the day' but he didn't have photos. I found this great archive of ski photos from the 1970's DOCUMERICA project. The skis and bindings have changed a lot in 35+ years, but the fashion seems to be making a comeback. Hopefully, my kids will look back at images of skiing from today, have a laugh and then go skiing with me.