Its Baaaack: EC roll call version 4.0(beta)

[buckethead]

i got no fight in me today. seriously, the passing of a friend in the eastern sierras this week is consuming me. if you want this to continue, which obviously you do. i'll be at the bush on sunday.

edit:'cashmere v-neck and tapered black jeans' is gold. thanks for the laugh KT.

sorry to hear buttah!
have a strong ride for your departed friend...and hope to see you at the bush sunday. will have a brew in my pack for you

[buttahflake]

^thanks. Plymouth NH is one of those places that draws young skiers, climbers, cyclist, hippies. the school itself has gotten much better since i was there. it's proximity to great skiing, cannon, loon, waterville valley, MTW. climbing in Rumney is now considered a destination not to be missed. my buddy Ted Hammond who will be on todays ride, made many of the first ascents over there. the MTB scene up there is thriving. a lot of folks, myself included tended to hang out, working just enough to pay the rent. but living a great life none the less. Kip was one the kids that was friends with everyone. didn't matter how old or what level of shread they were at. he was a humble ripper. true New Hampshire man. his accomplishments astounded all of us. we had know idea at the time he would be such a force in the mountaineering community. he will be missed! end blog. time to ride. see ya at the bush tomorrow!

edit:NH news 9 is running a story on Kip this morning. if i can embed it, i will. check it out.
http://www.wmur.com/video/27727032/detail.html

[Bottleman]

Headed to the Bush for a few hours of soft turns. I'll be easy to find - I am the best damn skier on the hill.

Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend Mr. Flake. Sounds like he was a solid dude.

[steamboat1]

Change of plans. I was going to hit up the bush for free skiing Sun. but judging by the reports & pics it looks a little thin. Plus it's likely to be a mob seen Sun. since they're offering free skiing. K-mart is offering a $10 ticket which will be donated to charity for mid-week pass holders which I am. Gonna stay put at K-mart which has better coverage to close the season & save the gas money which for me would be much more than 10 bucks to get up to the bush. Enjoy everyone & have a good off season.

Oh if anyone is interested the striped bass bite is red hot right now down in NYC. Guess where I'll be next week. Time to switch gears.

[NmbrdDays]

Buttah sorry for the loss of your friend. It always sucks to lose a good friend. If was gonna make it up to the bush I'd have a fresh bowl of Kush for you. Double Time on sun made the decision for me. Enjoy the final turns of the season.

Steamboat I hear the there are schoolies in the larchmont / new ro area. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom here so the stripers are running. Great time for my dad to donate our boat!

Since it seems everyone is changing gears, who MT bikes and wants to get up and hit the trails?

[lemmycaution]

belleayre was pretty great today, so much fun. seems at least a little less flat when you hike it. with a 10' mudskip you could get full top to bottom. great skiing with moguljunkie as always.


i guess i just smile when i ski

moguljunkie showing that racer style

[akokskis]

^^ Nice shots.

Stoked on free bush tomorrow. Not sure what I'll be skiing on, but I'll have my white lid with the red bucking bronco, and the girl will be on bros. Hoping to be having beers with at least a few of yous tomorrow.

[Breakwater]

sorry to hear buttah!
have a strong ride for your departed friend...and hope to see you at the bush sunday. will have a brew in my pack for you

^^ Nice shots.

Stoked on free bush tomorrow. Not sure what I'll be skiing on, but I'll have my white lid with the red bucking bronco, and the girl will be on bros. Hoping to be having beers with at least a few of yous tomorrow.

Magic Hat #9 is now packaged for transportation in a can.

[scottski63]

Somehow I keep missing lemmy but I was at belleayrre also. Awesome day with a margarita party at the end. Even got to try 70 era grass skis

[Vt-Freeheel]

Magic Hat #9 is now packaged for transportation in a can.

This is cool for chics, but I am waiting for the Heddy cans in June.

[Skirotica]

Mt Washington was visited by massive hordes of people. FB tells me many friends (or folks I've met enough times to be friends on FB) were there. Decided to skip the crowds and hit up Gulf of Slides. Spectacular skiing on that side but a tough climb in with much of the trail a wash. Skinning was not the advantage compared to snowshoes.

In the overflow parking lot at 0700. Was quickly aware that it would be pretty crowded. But our plan to do GOS proved wise as we found ourselves the only ones on the trail.

We skinned and snowshoed into the base and found two other guys with the same plan. Was going to be a private park for us to enjoy.

A good hike up to the top was rewarded with nice turns on super accommodating snow. Here's mag Umby.

And non-mag friend Andy, streamers and all...

Me looking halfway in control. Somehow, I managed to find the really dirty snow...


Things started to go south for me after my second hike up. I got cramped in my quad and about fell about on my second run (probably should have skipped that one). Despite going through three liters of water on the approach and between runs, I was terribly dehydrated, or completely exhausted from air travel and 3 hours nights of sleep. Getting to the top proved a major challenge as each step was hindered by a cramping quad that forced me to only stop with me left leg up. Stretching didn't help and I woke up this morning with two bruises where I tried to massage the cramp out (not sure if that helped or not).

But we had to cross over the ridge to get to Hillman's as Sherby was a much better option for our exit.

Fortunately for me, there were some good guys on the ridge who stopped to help a guy out. I was at the crest of the ridge, on my hands and knees trying to figure out how I was going to finish the crossover (and then ski down Hillman's) when a couple of good dudes (very likely mags, though I didn't ask) stopped to help me out. Thanks gents.

I caught up to my group and we finished the crossover. No pictures from Hillman's as I was the last to go down and took my time. Made it out and cruised to the base.

Overall was a great day, but I can't figure out what was wrong with me. I'm not in world class shape, but fitness doesn't seem to be the problem. Legs aren't really sore today, just where the bruises are.

Thanks again for stopping to help out, gents.

[lemmycaution]

Somehow I keep missing lemmy but I was at belleayrre also. Awesome day with a margarita party at the end. Even got to try 70 era grass skis

yeah, we have crossed paths for sure. we were up there in the am (dont get me wrong- perfect time for a margarita, but i guess you were there later) if i get a chance to get up there next weekend, will let you know, it will def still be happening though not as continuous.

[Bottleman]

Having proved (irrefutably) that I was best damn skier at Sugarbush yesterday I saw no need to return today (I think it was my yard sale on a brown patch that sealed the crown).

Actually really wanted to make it back as Saturday was really, really good but a night with Levon Helm, Warren Haynes, Danny Louis, Donald Fagan and a host of others (the Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY - check it out!) kept this old boy in bed a little later than expected.

Made the best of our late start by heading up VT125 and for those who care about such things I can report that the Worth Mtn. glacier is hanging on. Allen was better than Ross even though there was a short mandatory walk (I am all for fast grass but not 25 yards of it) but the snow was surprisingly good. Ross had better cover but the snow was sun cupped and somewhat rotten.

Hope everyone had a good day at Sugarbush!

[weasel1]

Yeah Bottle! Keeping the faith. I cheated on the Bowl and went lift-served at the Bush with the tinies, Mrs. Weasel and a weasel sibling.

On the way up the lift, the 6-year-old said "Mommy and Daddy, I want to ski that bumpy trail (Stein's)". The 4-year-old said "yeah!!! Me too! But only if it is a double black diamond!" and Mrs. Weasel said "okay." So we did. It took us 45 minutes, but we did. Actually, had they not refused to wear mittens, it likely would have taken far less time as they would not have spent so much time sobbing about their cold and corn-scraped hands. BUT! They skied it, and they are happy. I am happy, Mrs. Weasel is happy (though she felt a hot mess on Steins and is bemoaning our collective lapse in parental judgment for assenting to taking our tinies on Steins at the end of the day, when they were tired, without mittens). Happy day.

Oh, and maiden run (for me) on the Praxis RX. They are, well, spectaculawesomabulous. Dig....really, really dig. How have I missed Praxis until this year? Good god. No more here lest I be chided for jonging up the wrong forum, but hot damn, were they spot on for today...and I don't even feel the need to whine about the mounting point being too far forward!

Okay, I am done now.

[gpcharles]

chris / high anxiety on the other side of the lens

[weasel1]

^^^^ Sweeeeet shot!

[peterslovo]

chris / high anxiety on the other side of the lens

SWEET.

Felt antisocial and couldn't deal with crowds today, so hit up what remains on the west side. I found very nice conditions up at MB, skinning almost right away on the Ammo trail. Wonderful day up high - couldn't ask for nicer weather, or snow conditions, and crowds were minimal.

No gnar, but wicked fun.



On another note, saw a bat cruising around mid-day on the skin up; strange - I immediately thought of that white nose syndrome that's been decimating bat populations in the east. On the way out, I noted a sign at the trailhead to call NH biologists if bats were seen flying around in mid-day, as apparently this is caused by the syndrome since the bats come out of hibernation early in order to feed. I called. Hope the syndrome isn't in NH.

[steamboat1]

What a beautiful day to end the season.

K-town did not suck today.

[BigDaddy]

White nose syndrome.... it's a serious issue and concern. I hope it's not spreading, either. I'd thought (hoped) it was abating.

Bottleman, you're just lucky I wasn't at SB Saturday. (As a man of the eighties, you're probably thinking of a different white nose syndrome, too!)

GP and HA... Always solid quality.

[lynchdogger]

Spring is here for sure - the weather has taken it's toll on the big hill. Big props to the Gov. and the Navy Seals for taking care of some long overdue biz!!! Thanks for the sacrifice that all the service folks make so I and many others could enjoy some incredible spring skiing!

Went to high george this weekend and hit the GG on Sat. Hiked and skinned up in mixed precip and clouds and right as I hit the top of AP the sun broke! Perfect. Said hello to GP, K, Barney and HA. Fun to watch you folks rip it up. Pipeline was the run of the day (except for the exit but managed thru) - perfect untracked corn.

Sunday was up early and hit Hillman's and Dodge's Drop. Dodge's had quite a lot of runnels and is pretty cooked. Said hello to a few folks at HoJo's and then went out before it got too crazy. The crowds coming up the tucks trail always amaze me - some funny sites. Spoke with a guy Bill who was popping his Tux cherry at the age of 50 something and was he pumped! Lots of kids on the way up cool to see. Made me decide that my kids are ready to at least hike up and see the sites. Headed back next weekend.

Went into Huntington's to end the day peacefully. Made a run in South Gully from the narrows. Good for the soul.

Get it before its gone! Refreshed and ready to go. Enjoy.

[dumpy]

Slushy and sunny good times at the Bush yesterday, well worth the chaotic day I had to put in to make it happen (and well worth the dead to the world feeling today). I'm sun burned, sore and happy today.

Got to meet DoWork, ThinCover and iirc Buckethead (sorry man it was late in the day at that point). Die Living shirts, even from 30 feet up are a dead give away of maggotdom. All seemed like very fun guys, but if you were at the Bush yesterday and not having fun, you suck at life. Great meeting up w/ you guys.

All in all an excellent way to say goodbye to Ullr for a few months.

[buckethead]

edit : top o page tuneage:

Slushy and sunny good times at the Bush yesterday, well worth the chaotic day I had to put in to make it happen (and well worth the dead to the world feeling today). I'm sun burned, sore and happy today.

Got to meet DoWork, ThinCover and iirc Buckethead (sorry man it was late in the day at that point). Die Living shirts, even from 30 feet up are a dead give away of maggotdom. All seemed like very fun guys, but if you were at the Bush yesterday and not having fun, you suck at life. Great meeting up w/ you guys.

All in all an excellent way to say goodbye to Ullr for a few months.

good meeting you dumpy (yea, it was me...no worries it was late in the dayfor me as well )...yea fantastic day to be out. surprise appearances by fixed grip and do work and a late arrival by TC made for a great way to (maybe) end the lift served season. yes, burned, tired and happy...

[mtnbiker/boarder]

good meeting you dumpy (yea, it was me...no worries it was late in the dayfor me as well )...yea fantastic day to be out. surprise appearances by fixed grip and do work and a late arrival by TC made for a great way to (maybe) end the lift served season. yes, burned, tired and happy...

Being burned, tired and happy is a good thing ..... glad you guys had an absolute blast yesterday...wishing i was up north skiing but got out for 65 miles of rock, mud and hell on the dirt bikes.........

[gpcharles]

saw a bunch of cool icefall yesterday afternoon from a favorite vantage point. almost done for the year. just a bit of ice remains, and it'd be hard to time it right to be up there and catch it. this tree was unhappy:

[therudeness]

looks like heavy rains for the ADK on tuesday night.. several inches possible.. if only the temp dropped a few degrees.. (=

otherwise, maybe a few slides cleaned up