kodiak

Tragedy in Bend!

Random Shot of Northstar Village

Lazy Sunday at Kirkwood

One Last Day at Kirkwood

It occurred to me that I haven’t posted a picture of the cabin I have been staying in all winter… Well, here it is:

Gabe and I have been renting a share in the cabin with a couple of other people. I think it has worked out well, and am definitely going to rent it again next winter. Having a place near the slopes makes all the difference in the world.

Ah, first run of the day! and last day of the season, so sad. Funny but this was really only my 4th day on my new skis this season. They took a while to get here and well I kinda had to miss most of March due to work … better than no days I suppose.

It was complete blue-bird day, as you can see, and pretty warm. Too warm actually. I wore my “Captain America” sweater (come on, it is spring skiing!) and that was way to much. A t-shirt would have been perfect, but well … I did not think that far ahead. The snow was eh … not the best. I don’t even think it got below freezing the night before, so things were pretty soft from the start, but that did not dampen the spirit of the day.

I think that is one of the things that I love the most about spring skiing- every one knows the conditions are gonna be crap, but the weather is going to be so nice that everyone just comes out anyway. There were all sorts of costumes on the slopes today- Elvis, a few 80’s flash backs, even someone in a Pope outfit. Quite eclectic.

I ranged all over what was open today. Unfortunately the backside was not open, nor was chair two. A good portion of the mountain was unavailable, unless you wanted to hike, and well- you can do that tomorrow when the lifts have stopped running ;-) There was a good turnout though, not too crowded, but definitely a local’s day. I think everyone with a season pass showed up just to get one more day out of their ticket before it turned into a pumpkin. That was part of the reason I went, but also to just have one more day on the mountain and make the mental shift that ski season has ended. It has been a great season and though I wish I could have skied more- I have no real complaints. Cannot wait for next year!

Snow?

Well Tahoe is getting slammed with snow this week and next so that is awesome, but I woke up to a first in the bay area for me. Snow in the hills around San Jose. At first I thought I was seeing things when I noticed the light dusting on the hills during my drive in to the lab this morning, but sure enough, as I crested the hill to the entrance, there is undeniably snow on the hills surrounding Almaden. Unfortunately there none at the lab itself. ;-( But still, I have never seen snow here, in the almost 4 years I have lived in the south bay. Neat.

Yes this is with my crappy camera phone …

This one too…

Tahoe Bound!

Well after a productive week at work (more later), I am headed to Tahoe. This year my roommate and I decided to get a cabin near the mountain for the winter. Best money I have spent in a while. The drive from our place in Pioneer to Kirkwood is only about 30 minutes, and the drive up to the cabin itself is about 3 hours. In my book that is the difference between going every weekend and hardly ever. Drive up on Friday evening, get in to the cabin around 10 or 11pm, crash for the night. Ski Saturday, head into South Lake for dinner. Ski Sunday, come back to the cabin, change etc and head home. This is going to be a great season.

Snow

So I suppose it is asking too much for snow in December. Apparently the gods have decided the entire skiing population if Portland has been unfaithful to them and therefore they have been cursed by the worst snow season I can remember. Mt. Hood Meadows will be lucky to open Heather Canyon before my birthday!.

The skiing in Bend was okay. Lots of groomed coverage, but we did not venture off in the the frozen tundra of Outback, Northwest or the Summit.

Thankfully Kirkwood is doing well this winter and I will be back in Tahoe in about a week.

So much for getting my sking bug out while at home…. looks like my work attendance might be a bit spotty this winter. ;-)

~dnm

Mt. Bachelor

I just got back from a family ski trip to Central Oregon. Here is a picture of the mountain from the condo we stayed in. Here are some other photos from the trip. Sorry no skiing photos, but these are of the area around the condo.

~dnm