1.04.12, Loveland Pass, Colorado
1/4/12
US elsewhere
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Day 20
January 4, 2012
Loveland Pass, Colorado
Did anyone see that meteor shower this morning? 3:30 a.m. I'm driving down I-25 and the first one shoots across the sky, framed by my windshield. It was awesome. Slightly Stoopid's Live and Direct is blasting from the sound system, on my way to a 14'er, and I get a meteor shower to top the morning off. All morning long they blaze across the Southern sky.
That was by far the highlight of my morning.
Once I got to Lincoln, the Amphitheatre didn't even look skiable, I found unbelievably bad snow conditions in the trees, and *gasp* the possibility of a portage on the windscoured ridge route, so devoid of snow it was.
***
Screw this.
Retreating happily with tail between legs, I drive back to Loveland Pass and enjoy hitchhike laps on the 20" base. It's the first time this season to be up at the pass, and it's comforting to be back.
There is something awesome about the snippets of Americana you hear when you run laps on Loveland Pass. Remember that "Sundance" film "Slackers" a few years back where the camera follows the winding lives of people living in that mid-western Texas town?? Kind of like that...a tantalizing random series of abstract worlds you are invited into. You know how it is with people's cars...you're invited into people's living rooms - a 10 minute visit with the Wackoo's of Colorado backcountry skiing.
While terrible, the skiing was actually quite fun. Especially on the teles. Underscoring the axiom I like a lot: there are only two kinds of snow conditions: good snow or a bad attitude.
January 4, 2012
Loveland Pass, Colorado
Did anyone see that meteor shower this morning? 3:30 a.m. I'm driving down I-25 and the first one shoots across the sky, framed by my windshield. It was awesome. Slightly Stoopid's Live and Direct is blasting from the sound system, on my way to a 14'er, and I get a meteor shower to top the morning off. All morning long they blaze across the Southern sky.
That was by far the highlight of my morning.
Once I got to Lincoln, the Amphitheatre didn't even look skiable, I found unbelievably bad snow conditions in the trees, and *gasp* the possibility of a portage on the windscoured ridge route, so devoid of snow it was.
***
Screw this.
Retreating happily with tail between legs, I drive back to Loveland Pass and enjoy hitchhike laps on the 20" base. It's the first time this season to be up at the pass, and it's comforting to be back.
There is something awesome about the snippets of Americana you hear when you run laps on Loveland Pass. Remember that "Sundance" film "Slackers" a few years back where the camera follows the winding lives of people living in that mid-western Texas town?? Kind of like that...a tantalizing random series of abstract worlds you are invited into. You know how it is with people's cars...you're invited into people's living rooms - a 10 minute visit with the Wackoo's of Colorado backcountry skiing.
While terrible, the skiing was actually quite fun. Especially on the teles. Underscoring the axiom I like a lot: there are only two kinds of snow conditions: good snow or a bad attitude.
excellent attitude ("two kinds of snow conditions..."), love it! I guess the lack of snow allows one to see the stars. Or the sun, as in Alta over Christmas, shining brilliant, skis scraping over rocks... Unfortunately the immediate prognosis SE of NW still doesn't look especially white...
(sorry Kam... how's the counseling going??)
love your description of the Loveland scene too. We used to do that when I was a kid, the hairpin hitchiking with our snowboards (mini plastic surfboards attached to wood ply skateboards with a bungee strap to hold the feet in place). Nobody was allowing them on lifts yet... Big deal. Who needs lifts??
(sorry Kam... how's the counseling going??)
love your description of the Loveland scene too. We used to do that when I was a kid, the hairpin hitchiking with our snowboards (mini plastic surfboards attached to wood ply skateboards with a bungee strap to hold the feet in place). Nobody was allowing them on lifts yet... Big deal. Who needs lifts??
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