Mount Superior

(Click on photos to enlarge)

South Face of Mount Superior

Across from Snowbird and Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon is Mount Superior (elev. 11,040 ft). You have the option of riding the north face into Big Cottonwood Canyon or you can shred the south face and get 3,000ft of bliss right to the road. Very few peaks in North America are as accessible as this one for snowboarding. In most places a peak like this would require hours or days just to access the base. Depending on snow conditions the summit only takes 3-6 hours.

Looking west with the north face of Mt. Superior showing. The fastest I have ever gone on a snowboard is straight lining the north summit chute in perfect powder conditions!

Looking up the south face from the highway. So many lines to choose from!


Ian Reilly and Jason Dodson take a gander down the south face from the summit.

Looking down the south face. I would do runs down this face to prepare me for the first time I went to Alaska. Very few peaks in the lower 48 can give you such a big open run that can simulate what you encounter in Alaska.


Ian shreds the south face.


Jason and Carlos hiking the ridge. Bring your regular board and leave the splitboard at home since most of the hike requires scrambling and bootpacking.

Carlos Lopez on the ridge at sunrise. It was brutally cold this morning, -15 degrees.


Jason Dodson on the summit.

Cardiac Ridge sunrise from the Superior ridgeline.


Shawn Boyle is a little gripped on his first trip to the summit!


Jason Dodson on his way to Suicide Chute.

Jason Dodson hiking up Suicide Chute on Mt. Superior. Jason also can claim Pinball Alley on Mt. Superior, one of the sketchiest lines to be had on the south face.

Micah Storer on the summit.

Micah Storer puts a line down "Edge of the World" on Monte Cristo, the adjacent peak to Mt. Superior. We had done Mt. Superior the day before and conditions looked perfect for a run down "Edge of the World". Upon summiting the next morning we were upset to discover that wind had played havoc with the line. Micah and Jason still wanted to ride it since we hiked all the way up there. Don't fall conditions!

Sunday Stroll

Took the splitboards out for a stroll. Not much snow right now in the Wasatch. Nothing compared to last year. I have seen both better and worse starts to the season. It's hard looking at all the snow at Mt. Baker and wishing it was here.



The warm spell this week really melted all the south facing exposures. Long term forecast isn't looking to promising either.

Simpler Times

Max methods, age 13

It's funny how there was a time in my life when I got psyched to jump off a 2 foot jump backed up by a cooler. Now it's my kids turn.

It's a Start

Not a cure for the addiction, just a dose of methadone to hold me over.

It was good to get the kids out and get them a refresher on how things feel.

I actually love riding with the family. Some of my best days have been with them.

The road got nasty on the way down. The storm is really starting to pound. I wouldn't be surprised to wake up to a foot of new.

This dude ran off the road right behind me. People forget how to drive in the snow.

Pacific Northwest is going off!

Living in Utah I usually don't get too jealous of other areas snow conditions. Last year there was no where else I would have rather been but right here at home in the Cottonwoods. But I have to admit I am damn jealous of the PNW right now. Utah is pretty dry at the moment. Solitude and Brighton are open but only with a manmade strip of snow. This is not helping my powder addiction one bit. I am starting to go through some serious withdrawals. It's that time of year where its been the longest period of time without having ridden powder. I need to start to get on the summer South American snowboarding trips to help the problem. I think Baker is opening up with more snow than Crested Butte got the entire season I lived there.

Ripped from the Mt. Baker ski report:
IT'S OPENING DAY! Mt. Baker has received a huge amount of snow in the past week to make one of the deepest bases we've ever had this time of year. And the forecast looks great through Saturday, with freezing levels expected to drop to around 1500 ft and the possibly a foot of new snow to fall on Friday. It could be one of the best opening days in years.

We will be in full operation out of both base areas today and Friday from 9:00-3:30 with all charilifts running, but wills till have midweek rates in effect ($39.50 adult ticket, includes tax). Due to the huge amount of snow we've received in the last few days, there will most likely be a delayed opening on Pan Dome this morning to allow significant avalanche control work to be done.

DEEP SNOW WARNING:
Mt. Baker has received over 80 inches of snow in 7 days, so we are issuing a deep snow and tree well alert. RIDE WITH A PARTNER and be aware that the snow is very soft and very deep off the groomed runs. For more information on deep snow and tree well safety, to to www.treewelldeepsnowsafety.com

If anyone is shredding the PNW, drop a comment on how good it is. Road trip anyone?

2002 Winter Olympics

With the hype for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics starting to come to a buzz I thought it would be a good time to revisit the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics.

Whistler is such a party town, its going to be one wild Olympics. Wish I could kinda go. I can't believe its already been 8 years. This year's pipe contest is going to be crazy, especially with the double corks and new training methods such as private halfpipes and foam pits.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Boosting!

Snowboard Stadium

More boosting!

I have never seen such a perfect pipe.

Olympic Halfpipe finals. It was pretty incredible. Me, Ian and KB bought some tickets that morning from a scalper and had a blast!! We even made GO USA! and Free Alta posters to wave from the stands. The place was so loud. I lost my voice for a few days afterwards.

The USA swept the medals with Ross Powers (gold), Danny Kass (silver) and J.J. Thomas (bronze). Ross Powers probably did one of the highest airs in the pipe up to that point in history during his medal run. Danny Kass was and still is so smooth. During the warm ups he would be doing straight frontside airs and giving the crowd the horns to show his love for the home crowd. Danny is still one of my favorite riders of all time. Very few ooze style like Kass does. Kass also went on to win a silver medal at the 2006 Olympic Games. I was stoked on JJ Thomas and his performance. I still have a place in my heart for Colorado riders.

The Japanese kids were going so huge and flipping so high that they would only get 6 hits out of their entire run down the pipe. The rest of the guys would get 12 hits a run! Heikki Sorsa was killing it too, but a fall on the last hit of his medal run put him out of contention. Heikki was a crowd favorite behind the Americans for sporting a huge mohawk for the event and absolutely killing it. I am not sure what the Americans knew what to think of Giacomo Kratter's ponytail.

Closing Ceremonies

Utah Cyclocross, Weber Fairgrounds

Melanie lined up again for her weekly sufferfest.

Waiting

Still waiting, dreaming of days like this.

Shane Kelso, Snowbird.

Cigs

Vail Days

All the talk about the snowstorm in CO last week made me reminisce back to my time spent there. I think I need to go back this winter and reconnect.

East Vail fluff 1996.

Measuring the nights snowfall on our patio. This was from the best storm cycle I ever had in CO. 48 inches in 48hrs when it was all said and done. Needless to say that stat has been matched numerous times since I have been in Utah. But for CO, thats a good storm cycle.

Yours truly kicking a method on the Seldom kicker in the back bowls. (1995)

Me and Jason hiking up to Ptarmigan Cornice or on our way to Minturn Mile. Minturn Mile was a mellow backcountry run that took you to the town of Minturn where you would end up at the local Mexican restaurant. Hours later you would be bumming a ride back to town stuffed and a bit tipsy.

Chuck Riggs, my old roommate, hucking the Whaler. This thing was so intimidating back then. You could hit it on either side of the pine tree. Not sure why he chose the side with the rock. Maybe that side had more tranny.

Utah Cyclocross, Wheeler Farm

Double Cross Weekend at Wheeler Farm. Record turnout for a Utah Cyclocross race! We are not Portland yet, but not bad for this neck of the woods. Over 400 racers on Saturday.

Melanie lined up both days and survived a bad crash to finish.

Halloween outfits were out. I wonder if the helmet is UCI approved?

It got warm, snow is melting in the mountains. When is the next storm?

First Shred 09/10

Max nailed it first try!

Winter Storm Warning

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING
TO 11 PM MDT WEDNESDAY...

THIS WARNING IS FOR THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80...THE
WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS...THE WASATCH PLATEAU AND BOOK CLIFFS...
AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF UTAH.

ONE TO TWO FEET OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN THESE AREAS BY WEDNESDAY
EVENING...WITH GREATER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN AREAS FAVORED BY
NORTHERLY FLOW.

A SHARP COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THESE AREAS FROM NORTHWEST TO
SOUTHEAST TODAY...BRINGING SNOW AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES. A
BREAK IN THE SNOW IS POSSIBLE FOR A TIME THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SNOW SHOULD THEN REDEVELOP TONIGHT...HEAVY AT TIMES...AND
PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.

STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT AND WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH WEDNESDAY CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS A MIXTURE OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG
WIND IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. DRIVING CONDITIONS MAY BE
HAZARDOUS. USE CAUTION. BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN RESTRICTIONS IN
VISIBILITY DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. KEEP A WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT
IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

FOR WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS FROM THE UTAH DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION VISIT...HTTP://WWW.COMMUTERLINK.UTAH.GOV OR DIAL
511.

About time!

View From the Crib

Utah Cyclocross

Since the snow is not flying might as well race cyclocross. As you can tell I didn't take it too seriously in the single speed class. I got crushed out there!

(photo ripped from Brad)

Melanie lined up again!

Fox was handing out cash on the runup dressed in the Sniper outfit! Come race and get paid!

Congrats to Eric for his first Elite win of the year in an epic sprint from behind!

Utah Cyclocross

Mel did her first cyclocross race of the season.

I got to cheer for friends.

I watched the elites go fast.


Then I went home and dreamed of snowboarding.

Windmills

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Sunday Drive

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Green River

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Flaming Gorge