I just want to shout out a “big up!” for Kevin O’Meara, riding Praxis Skis, taking second at Snowbird this year, 2008. The US Freeskiing Series is rad to watch and even more rad to compete in. Kevin’s been killing it for the last 3 season’s, taking finishes in every comp he enters. So here’s to you man! Take 1st at Kirkwood!

14.5 hours there, 14.5 hours back. That’s all it takes. It’s about 2 good audio books or 5 live Grateful Dead shows, both sets. We had other music though. Oh, don’t ever bother to listen to The Broker on audio CD, it’s terrible.

We followed the USFreeskiing tour out to watch and support our buddy Kevin O’Meara. Too much fog or cloud layer on the hill for the first couple days of the comp, so we didn’t get to see him run. Kevin ended up in 10th overall.

The first day we skied it was about 6″ of dust on crust. Coming from the Sierra’s, the snow is LIGHT. The following day, the “heavy” day we had, with 18″ of fresh reported, was amazing. Even thought I’ll take an 18″ Sierra powder day, any day, over the light snow in Jackson it was super fun to get face+ shots. The terrain in the image to the left is below Sublet chair. Sick terrain!, but alas, it was closed. You do hit rocks there. Just gotta be light on the skis you know!

Below is a video that we shot on the way out with my digital camera. Each clip is 30 seconds, then it’s all sped up 1000% and put to Immaculate Machine’s Jarhand. The song is funny with the little, didoodidoo diiidooodidooo keyboard part.

I have a 2000 SkiDoo 700 Summit to get around in woods during the winters here in NorCal. For my birthday this year, my mom and step-dad bought me a cover to keep the SkiDoo in “like new” condition for as long as possible. It’s a great cover at a resonable price, I recommend it for sure.

Here’s where to get it: Kuyahoora

I also installed a 2″ riser and better grips on the handlebars. I have driven a Polaris with 4″ or so of rise and it made all the difference when standing up and powering around. I got the risers from Dennis Kirk . If I didn’t have to extend the cables, I’d go 4″+. Maybe a good summer project.

It’s March right now… We are experiencing a bit of a thaw and “false” spring right now. I know it’s going to freeze again. Hopefully this year the Plum Trees don’t blossom until after the coming April Freeze. There is still snow in the hills, and riding has been great. There is no one out, the lakes are frozen, the birds are chirping, the Mountain Lions are prowling, and skiing the corn runs are great!

Karen’s never taken the sled to the top of the slope. In her words, “I was past the point of return, I might as well go all the way.”

I’ve skied for years on the gear everyone finds in the majority of freeride ski shops. The AK Rocket, Pocket Rocket and GunLab from Salomon to the Darkside park ski by Line. However, the ski that changed the way you could attack the mountain was the Volant Spatula. I bought several pairs when they hit the market. It was, and still is, one of the most amazing skis I have ever used.

Come along Praxis skis out of Truckee, and the progression continues. I have skied the reverse camber / sidecut (131, 136, 124) 185 cm ski for a season or so now, and have to rave. The 185 powder boards are nimble and quick, even with the heavy spring Salomon bindings. You can edge, due to the 136mm under foot, on the steeps and make turns as smooth a Doug Coombs down some of the gnarliest terrain. Best of all, you don’t get tired until it’s time, that is when the lifts close. Durning the early season powder to the spring deep corn/slush days they are easy on the legs. Similar to the Spatula, but better. No Foam Core and Lighter.

My most favorite thing about the Praxis skis is how you can “smooth” down the mountain with style and then straight line with confidence, and stop on a dime. How are the skis built? They are solid. Wood core, 9mm sidewall, 2.2mm edges and thick bases make this the Tough Truck of the ski world. I’ve hit hidden rocks, and landed on some I’ve seen without any severe damage, hardly denting the base.

In a nut shell, if you want to have fun skiing powder, crud or corn, want to have energy after the day on the hill, and want something solid under your feet and in craftmanship, you need to spend the money and get a pair of Praxis boards.

Here’s a short helmet camera session from my day at Squaw on Monday the 7th in January. It was a great day with friends and super great snow. Enchanted Forest was fresh and deep. Got up to Granite Chief when it first opened and got more fresh lines on Cork Screw and the Diving Board area. Shennon hucked his meat off the Diving Board 30 feet to fresh. Cornice 2 and light towers were good too. A little bonny in Light towers still. Headwall chair looked all messed up from the 160+ mph winds. Enjoy the video.

When I hear winter storm watch, I get stoked.
When I hear winter storm warning, I get antsy. 
When I hear blizzard warning, I get crazy.

A blizzard warning doesn’t happen too often in the Sierra’s, but when it does, it’s DEEP. 8+ feet probably. This January “blizzard” is setting up fairly well I think. It’s got all the right elements. Water from the tropics and air from the arctic. This morning it was raining. It’s about 5pm now, and it’s POUNDING. LB’ing for short. I am posting this weather map on NorCal public news, cause it’s a perfect storm for a number of sick powder days on the horizon.

Make sure you a super careful and read all the avalanche warning and safety message before you head out. Bring some extra food with you to the mountain too… cause if you go in for a lunch, I’ll take your lines.

I love it when NOAA annouces the Winter Storm Warning.

…THE STRONGEST OF A SERIES OF STORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION FRIDAY AND SATURDAY BRINGING HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY SNOW…BEGINNING THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH SUNDAY…WITH THE STRONGEST STORM EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY MORNING… SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY LIFE THREATENING WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING… MAKING TRAVEL NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE ACROSS SIERRA PASSES. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO TAPER TO SHOWERS ON SATURDAY BEFORE ANOTHER POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT STORM MOVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. FOUR DAY SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 8 FEET ARE STILL POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY IN THE SIERRA.TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO…

That generally means:

• Slow Travel
• Loads of Snow
• No Food in Stores
• No Gas in Gas Stations
• Travel with a Shovel
• Bring your gloves and snow boots
• etc…

It’s perty much a bad time to travel. But I love it.

My wife and I used to live in the Tahoe area. These days would bring out the best attitudes in the local folks. People were stoked, waiting for the storm to push in from the Pacific. The weekend of January 5th on looks to be one of these stokes in the works.

Be safe and see you on the mountain! My skis, and I, are ready to ride!

Thompson Peak, in Northern California near Janesville, looked awesome the other day on our way to Fort Bidwell. I took a few shots, but these 2 came out the best. I like the sun on the mountain within the clouds. I have heard about the possibility of creating a research station and backcountry hut out of an old army radar station on top of the peak. Currently there is a lookout up there. Almost 100,000 acres burned just west and north west of this peak this past summer, 2007. Crazy.