Thread: TR: Mushroom - Fresh Unseen Powder & Cliff Drop Stoke from Winter!

It is the void of late summer. All but the highest, farthest, and most sheltered snow is gone. The TRs of Spring have dried up and maggots are left to rehash already seen pictures of the last season. We have sat on these pictures, some of our best, for four months. Why? To give you guys the fresh stoke when you need it most. ENJOY!

TR: Mushroom April 10th & 11th 2004
(AKA Summit grows a pair)
10th: Blurred Elevens, Summit 1776
11th: Blurred Elevens, Summit 1776, Telekóptero, Alison, Gary, some other guy

Blurred and I headed to Vail to use the last two days on our passes. We futzed around inbounds for a while but we the inbounds snow was thin and heavy. Instead of our usual East Vail goal (Mongolia was off and we were feeling lazy), we cut a boot pack up a short steep slope to Mushroom and found ourselves on top of a long large cliff band that extended hundreds of feet in either direction and ranged from 5 to 50ft in height above a steep slope.

Stepping up to the edge, I realized that I was above a larger drop than I had ever done. “… you can do it too…” Breath. Three two one. Sailing through the air, I felt my heart in my throat. The air kept rushing and didn’t stop like before. It felt wonderful as my skis bit into the light and deep snow below setting off a decent slough. I’d just landed on my feet and my heart was racing.

Thirty feet might not seem like much to some of you, but for me it was exhilarating. I wanted more. Blurred found a ~35ft section and stomped it clean.

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Go...room Cliff.jpg
Steep Off

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Go...room Cliff.jpg
Stomped and Rippin’

The short steep section was full of luscious knee-deep powder that was dry, shaded by the trees and cliffs. It was a whiteroom and faceshot situation:
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/powder web.jpg
POWDER Whiteroom (mighta shown)

Here is a short vid clip from the shallow bottoms:
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/brett machin deep.wmv
Blurred Machin’ Deep (1.6MB)

Though it flattened out quickly, there were fun drifts to mach through.
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Mu... Explosion.jpg
Mushroom Explosion

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Mu...wderflight.jpg
Flight of Powder

The traverse out was long, about five miles. In the sun exposed flats the snow so heavy, wet, and sticky allowing us to ski up shallow inclines without skins. We were cutting the path out the whole way reminding us that we had first dibs in the bowl. I was definitely liking my Naxos as I broke trail. After about two hours we were back above the cliffs. I readied the camera.
Me: “Camera ready!”
Blurred: “Ready!”
Someoneelse: “OK!”
Blurred: “Who the hell is that?”
There were people standing directly under the cornice below us, impossible to see. After some words they finally found a safer place to stand. Blurred launched again: (cliff hidden by cornice)

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/cl...quence 4r6.jpg
Sequence 35

I tossed my camera to Blurred and savored my seconds in the air. The landing was so soft.
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/me.jpg
Summit’s Air (Image by Blurred Elevens)

The second time out we had to hike an extra mile of dirt (except Blurred, he just skied the dirt) due to a shutdown lift. It was a great day.

Sunday the 11th

Telekóptero, Alison (bunny girl), Gary, and another guy (can’t remember) joined us. I brought all my heavy pro photo gear and 36’ of cord to lower it off the cliff. Alison didn’t want to huck the main cliff, nor did Gary due to an injury so Blurred led them back and around while I found the point I wanted to launch from. While lowering my pack full of camera gear, which I didn’t want to risk in a cliff drop, I became alarmed that I was running out of rope. Then, I ran out of line and the pack was still suspended. I figured the pack must be close so I let go and the end of the rope disappeared over the cornice. I knew I was above something like a forty food drop, larger than the day before. I was feeling great though. Alison and Gary set up cameras and Blurred called out timing, telling me to back up for speed. I side stepped up and came off with considerable speed, the landing looked very far away. I relished the flight before sticking and skiing out of my landing which was much firmer than the day before.

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/aaron under cliff.wmv
Summit’s Largest Angle #1 (Below) 4.7MB (Footage by Gary)

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/aaroncliff.wmv
Summit’s Largest Angle #2 (Side) 900KB (Footage by Alison)

Though the snow was heavier, whiterooms and faceshots were easily attainable.
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/White Room.jpg
Boarding Whiteroom

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Br... the Trees.jpg
Down the Trees

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/rip bunny.jpg
Ripper Bunny

Fun in the flats:
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Al...ilm flying.jpg
Flying Rabbit

It was much easier skiing out through packed tracks. Blurred and I skied some dirt:
Picture Report: Schralpin the Dirt
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...threadid=10827

Everyone headed up for a second round.

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Br...nder Cliff.jpg
Cliff Boom

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Brett film deep 2.jpg
Deep Mushroom #7

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Brett film deep 3.jpg
Deep Mushroom #8

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/br... explosion.jpg
Blurred Explosion

We hurried up the mountain to get in the last run of the year in Waterfall Chute:
Trip Report: Closing Waterfall
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...threadid=10786

(Images Copyright SummitCo1776 2004)

FKNA!!!

PS
you're slut... i have to wait at least four months for skiing

Oh thank God it was 80 Fucking Degrees yesterday 80 FUCK

Peace
AKPM

Summit, Alisons video of you dropping isn't working for some reason.

Good work however!

Thems some fine quality photos!

Nice pics, Summit. That was some much needed stoke for this Monday Morning.

Summit, I think those are some of the best quality photos I've seen you post yet. Nice work.

Summit- always enjoy your TRs/Photo journals - Thnx

Definitely the best pics yet. Excellent stuff.

man, that jump wasn't pretty but you were in the air for a good time and you stuck what looked to be a big deceleration. Nice work.

nice stoke fellas

OMG those pics are sick, nice post guys, looking forward to that this winter. Hey Weurkel, nice flail off that cliff

Perfect timing on a 101 degree day. Thangs mangs.

Definitley some of the best pics of the season. Looks like a fun few days. Nice work!

reaaallllll niiiice, Clark.

Thought I'd see you guys at the Beer Fest yesterday. We DH'd Keystone and then grabbed some beers & Braut's.

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Mu...0Explosion.jpg

looks like blurred graduated from the Bad_Roo school of 'i don't wear no stinking goggles' with honors.

it's like a nice little f' you to the establishment.

Originally posted by meatdrink9
Summit, I think those are some of the best quality photos I've seen you post yet. Nice work.

Yup.

Well done Summit.

Very nice, those shots just cooled me down. Perfect timing for some much needed powdfer stoke.

Nononononono, Goddammit!! Didn't you read the memo?

"Vail Sucks."

http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Br...er%20Cliff.jpg

Magazine quality stokage mang. Definitely good shit.
http://tetongravity.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif
http://tetongravity.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

I was expecting a double eject, explosion in that first vid. Nice work!

Originally posted by basom
http://www.soulskier.com/mushroom/Mu...0Explosion.jpg

looks like blurred graduated from the Bad_Roo school of 'i don't wear no stinking goggles' with honors.

it's like a nice little f' you to the establishment.

Nice basom, thats funny shit

Brett and Summit, way ta stoke the fire!

Thanks summit i needed that

I'm encouraged. Nice photos.

"30 feet might not seem like much to some of you..."
Yes, it does to me.

I'm encouraged.

Great pics scummit1492!

Can we make an appointment for you guys to lead me back there this season? I'll jump off stuff for pictures.

Originally posted by homerjay
Great pics scummit1492!

Can we make an appointment for you guys to lead me back there this season? I'll jump off stuff for pictures.

Got the skills to pay the bills?

Looks like Alisons clip of Summit235883 hucking is working now. It's a much better angle, check it out.