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04-16-2018, 06:37 AM #1Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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SR: FROM FAST FROST TO FACE SHOTS - A WELSH WINTER
WEDNESDAY 01 NOVEMBER 2017
Here we go again and the Stereophonics say it better than anyone
"There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
The clocks go back
Railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time"
Stereophonics - Local Boy In The Photograph
Opening Day in the Brecon Beacons National Park was 19 November last season and snow-forecast and the Met Office are calling for wintry showers and heavy snow from Saturday (02 November 2017).
Looks like the heavy precipitation will be accompanied by high winds in excess of 70 km/h and the freezing level will be crucial.
As it always is.
A sunrise mission on Tuesday 05 November 2017 could be the go at this stage
Weather and Webcams
Brecon Beacons National Park
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Penyfan/6day/top
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/...brecon-beacons
https://www.mountain-forecast.com/pe.../forecasts/886
Snowdonia National Park
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Snowdon/6day/top
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/...asts/snowdonia
https://www.mountain-forecast.com/pe...forecasts/1064
Derek 'the weather' Brockway on BBC Wales TV and Radio
Brecon Beacons webcam
http://www.breconbeacons.org/webcams
Storey Arms web cam
http://members.traffic-wales.com/cct...amera4001.jpg?
Previous seasons reports
SR: It Snows in Wales - 2016/17 Winter Season in the Brecon Beacons & Snowdonia National Parks
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=128099
Facebook messing around with image coding again, so please have a look here for pics
https://www.facebook.com/mike.richar...6688623&type=3
SR : Wales 2015 / 16
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...790816#2790816
Facebook messing around with image coding again, so please have a look here for pics
https://www.facebook.com/mike.richar...6688623&type=3
SR : Wales 2013 / 14
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...eacons#2388201
SR : Wales 2012 / 13
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...mike+pow+wales
And plenty of pics and vids on my Instagram account
https://www.instagram.com/mikethesnow/
But even with that information you never know until you go.
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04-16-2018, 06:44 AM #2Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2017
'TIS THE SEASON
Opener in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales for winter 2017/18
It started sleeting in Llandeilo around 8pm on Friday 24th, and by 8am on the Saturday the Brecon Beacons National Park and surrounding hills were whitewashed with 5-10 cm of dry, spongy snow
I avoided the crowds of the Central Beacons Massif and drove to Llanddeusant - the staging point for the Black Mountain / Mynydd Du in the west of the National Park
Didn't arrive until 9am but I was still the first car there
The snowline started at the car park and I didn't have to leave the slopes enclosing the glacial lake Llyn-y-Fan Fach to lay down the first turns of the season
Even got a first descent on one of the faces which plunges down to the lake
Not many turns because it cliffs out and not enough snow to fill the gully skier's right which drops to the lake
A brilliant first day
Llyn-y-Fan Fach, Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales
25 November 2017
Having trouble with YouTube so here's the Instagram link to the vid in the meantime
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb_nWPln...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 06:45 AM #3Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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FRIDAY 08 DECEMBER 2017
A FAN DANCE
Not 'The' Fan Dance yomp around the Central Beacons but a short walk up and ski back to the car park of Fan Fawr.
Fan Fawr is the peak and ridgeline on the other side of the A470 from Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn overlooking the reservoir.
The weather was all over the place - from sunshine and clear skies to full on Arctic blizzard with 50m visibility
Not a deep covering but surprisingly consisent and rock free!
VIDEO
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcdQ9zdH...by=mikethesnow
IT'S A SMALL WORLD
But I wouldn't like to paint it!
After skiing Fan Fawr I stopped to watch a family sledding on the lower slopes next to the car park.
Turns out the mum, Jayne, was a fellow Snow Japan forum friend.
Originally from Swansea, she, her husband Tony and son Ioan were over from Singapore to see family.
Ioan hasn't snowboarded before, but he was cruising the slopes on his sled like a champ.
Hokkaido next winter!
Ioan
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04-16-2018, 06:45 AM #4Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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SATURDAY 09 DECEMBER 2017
POWDER IN THE HOLE!
A fantastic morning in the Central Beacons Massif with a beautiful sunrise and soft, dry snow top to bottom.
The drive from Llandeilo to the Pont-ar-Daf car park was a bit hairy with heavy snow and white roads the whole way.
But once on the mountain it was plain sailing with low wind and excellent visibility.
Skied the south face of Pen-y-Fan down to the foot of Cribyn; hiked to the summit of Cribyn then skied the East facing ridge; Cribyn down to the foot of Pen-y-Fan; and to finish off Cefn Crew back to the car park.
VIDEO
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcfj-hqH...by=mikethesnow
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcfkspAH...by=mikethesnow
More snow forecast for tonight and the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan is looking very inviting.
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04-16-2018, 06:46 AM #5Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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MONDAY 11 DECEMBER 2017
MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
They come from far and wide to revel in the winter conditions in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Dan McIntyre (@danmac4114) had driven from Bracknell, Berkshire; Tom McConnel was up from Devon; and John (@j__p__e) had driven from Talybont.
Although John's journey was the shortest it was the most difficult as he had to dig the car out first.
I'd set out before sunrise in anticipation of catching first light from up high, but when the forecasted sunshine failed to materialise and the high winds chilled me to the bone I took off the skins and started to ski back to the car.
About halfway down I met Dan, Tom & John and after a quick chat changed my mind about bailing for the day.
They set off ahead of me as I put the skins back on.
By the time I caught sight of them again they'd headed right to ski the Cefn Crew slopes and I'd continued on to Pen-y-Fan with local photographer Anthony Pease (@pease971).
Although I didn't get to make turns with the boys - I saw their handiwork on my way down to the car at sunset - it was great to meet like-minded people on the mountain.
Dan, Tom & John
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04-16-2018, 06:47 AM #6Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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It was an absolute pleasure to meet photographer Anthony Pease (@pease971) on the path to Pen-y-Fan this morning
I'd set out before sunrise in anticipation of catching first light from up high, but when the forecasted sunshine failed to materialise and the high winds chilled me to the bone I took off the skins and started to ski back to the car.
About halfway down I waited to see if there would be a break in the weather and met Anthony who was on his way down from the summit of Pen-y-Fan.
We saw a glimmer of blue sky, changed our minds, and made our way back to the summit of Pen-y-Fan.
We were both very glad we did.
Despite the howling winds and biting cold it was magical when the sun broke through and revealed unlimited views across the Brecon Beacons National Park, from the Black Mountain in the west to the Black Mountains in the east, and the pearl - the Central Beacons Masssif - in the middle.
Anthony 'Getting The Shot'
VIDEO
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcpc2Gun...by=mikethesnow
To see Anthony's fantastic images please visit his Instagram gallery
https://www.instagram.com/pease971/
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04-16-2018, 06:48 AM #7Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
After making one run into Cwm Sere from the ridge line skier's left of the Pen-y-Fan gullies, I got back to the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan to take photos and drink in the views.
Whilst I was up top I met a Brecon Beacons legend, Bryn Evans from Caerphilly (originally from Cardiff).
A retired Royal Marine, Bryn is a fit and sprightly 71 years of age who still has the passion to walk the Brecon Beacons, especially under a blanket of snow.
Over a wonderful conversation he shared that he still skis; has skied across Scotland from East coast to West; and spent many years in Norway training Royal Marines in Winter Warfare & Travel.
He's also responsible for one of the most gruelling selection exercises for the British Special Forces - a timed march from Llanddeusant in the West of the National Park to Capel-y-Ffin in the East which has affectionately become known as 'Bryn's Ball Buster'!
I started skiing the Brecon Beacons National Park in 1997, where I would often be the only person on the mountain some winter mornings let alone the only skier.
Bryn told me that he started skiing the Brecon Beacons some 30 years earlier in 1967 in leather boots and cable bindings!
He said he'd have a look up the attic to dig out some old photos of skiing in the Beacons.
I can't wait to see them
Bryn Evans
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04-16-2018, 06:49 AM #8Mike Pow
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
On my way back to the car I stopped to talk with photographers Ian and Nick (@nickmasonphotography) who were on Cefn Crew setting up for sunset shots of Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan.
Ian is a lecturer in Creative Arts in Coleg y Cymoedd Nantgarw and he was out shooting on film on an old fashioned camera.
It was very interesting to see him set up his shots with a loupe on the back plate and then don the hood to block out the light.
Think I'll stick with my @Panasonic GX80 micro 4/3 set up
Ian
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04-16-2018, 06:50 AM #9Mike Pow
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Had the full gamut of weather conditions and light on and around Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn
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04-16-2018, 06:51 AM #10Mike Pow
- Join Date
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PEN-Y-FAN POWDER!
I bid farewell to Anthony Pease (@pease971) on the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan and dropped into Cwm Llwch - the glacial cirque between Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan - and traversed round to the ridge line which separates Cwm Llwch and Cwm Sere.
Cwm Sere is the glacial cirque between Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn and looked to have the best snow conditions this morning. And it was bathed in sunshine
There was a fair bit of windblown snow on the ridge line and the east facing slopes, which created some interesting patterns and ski conditions.
I did one lap in boot top powder about halfway down the slope and then bootpacked my way back to the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan intending to ski around to Cribyn.
But after spending time chatting with Bryn Evans up top there wasn't enough daylight to do the Cribyn loop.
So I dropped into Cwm Sere for my second lap and skied to the river at the valley bottom.
VIDEO
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcyt25_H...by=mikethesnow
CORN DU SUNSET
Before my final run of the day - from the Cefn Crew ridgeline back to Pont-ar-Daf car park - I stopped to watch the sun lighting up Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan.
INTO THE SUNSET
My final run of the day - from the Cefn Crew ridgeline back to Pont-ar-Daf car park - was under sunset skies.
A fantastic day in the mountains of Wales meeting great people and skiing some wonderful snow.
It's hard to beat #skiingonyourdoorstep
VIDEO
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc1cGrnH...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 06:52 AM #11Mike Pow
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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WEDNESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2018
A consistent 5cm covering across the National Park but not enough to make turns
So it was ice spotting instead
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04-16-2018, 06:53 AM #12Mike Pow
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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SATURDAY 03 MARCH 2018
After two days of gale force winds which ripped the slates off the roof; sub zero temperatures with no heating as we waited for oil to be delivered; and next to no snow in Llandeilo, it was time to see what #thebeastfromtheeast had done to the Brecon Beacons National Park
But first stop on the way was some icicle hunting in Waterfall Country at Melincourt Falls near Neath
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04-16-2018, 06:54 AM #13Mike Pow
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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The upper mountin had been stripped bare by the wind, but down low there were some filled in gullies which offered up great turns
Tim, up from Cardiff, letting the skis run
Tim in green, Marcin in blue
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04-16-2018, 06:54 AM #14Mike Pow
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Marcin, originally from Poland but now living in Cardiff, letting the skis run
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04-16-2018, 06:55 AM #15Mike Pow
- Join Date
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THURSDAY 08 MARCH 2018
THE BEST FROM THE WEST
After #thebeastfromtheeast 's failure to deliver stellar conditions in the Central Beacons Massif last week it was great to see a 'normal' storm arrive from the West Wednesday night into Thursday morning
15-20 cm of dry, light powder fell without too much wind, providing consistent coverage on all aspects
And the sun came out too
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04-16-2018, 06:56 AM #16Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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After ascending in glorious sunshine, the clouds rolled in as soon as I put the skis
Firm and fast below Pen-y-Fan into Cwm Llwch
Soft and going to ground skier's left of Corn Du
Then cruisey, bluebird turns back to Pont-ar-Daf car park
A smorgasbord of sliding
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgSyYnig...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 06:57 AM #17Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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FRIDAY 09 MARCH 2018
THE YIN AND THE YANG OF WELSH SKIING
I summitted early to catch what I hoped was a glorious sunrise, with the peaks of the Central Beacons Massif cresting above a Spring inversion
Unfortunately Mother Nature had other ideas
Mist, fog, swirling winds, and an overnight thaw which had eaten into the snowpack made for some challenging skiing and routefinding
Still better than being indoors though
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgViSBXA...by=mikethesnow
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgViqsPA...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 06:58 AM #18Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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MONDAY 19 MARCH 2018
A wild & blustery day up high with sudden gusts depositing & stripping the snow in equal measure.
I was even knocked off my feet as I skinned past Bwlch Duwynt.
An eerie 'Mars' light greeted me this morning, casting a desert hue over the snow and rocks.
Mixed snow conditions from hardpack to wind crust to boot top powder made for a challenging but fun run from Pen-y-Fan down into Cwm Llwch ('Powder Valley')
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgg4hSUg...by=mikethesnow
https://www.instagram.com/p/BglQ37BA...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 06:59 AM #19Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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TUESDAY 20 MARCH 2018
With a snow texture like unbaked meringue I took the skis for a walk in the Carmarthen Fans today!
Despite the limited turns it was fantastic to experience total isolation in the far west of the National Park amongst terrain more reminiscent of Iceland than the 'Green Green Grass Of Home'.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgnhpMpA...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 07:01 AM #20Mike Pow
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH 2018
GWYNDRE GLACIER *
* shaped by glacial action, but not a glacier
Against the paint streaked peaks an ascension of kites soaring, stalling, falling from the sky.
Sheep grazing, a languid thoroughness, cropping the green baize of the hillside,
wild Welsh mountain ponies, their tails and manes sailing on the wind.
The thrum of farm machinery in fields near and far.
The shadowline of dry stone walling a sharp melt,
on the undulating landscape a flag laid out on the contours,
a Rorschach of green and white
and me the red
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgsns-_g...by=mikethesnow
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgvVEPTA...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 07:02 AM #21Mike Pow
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- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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THURSDAY 05 APRIL 2018
ON A COLD AND FROSTY MORNING
A wonderful transition from a frosted to roasted NE Face of Pen-y-Fan and Cwm Sere at sunrise this morning
Please click on the link to see the sunrise time-lapse
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhNAxybg...by=mikethesnow
IF CANDIDE CAN
Derek the Weather said there'd be snow
On higher ground Tuesday night. Rain down low.
Then cold, icy and clear on Wednesday morning
With showers by nightfall, without warning.
From the car park the peaks looked as white as the stars,
Which pinpricked the indigo from here out to Mars.
We walked up in darkness under the waning moon's stare,
The breeze light and warm, the conditions set fair.
We talked as we walked, the brothers and me,
Green fields, rolling hills, was all we could see.
From the Bwlch Duwynt saddle we saw all around
The whiteness was lunar lit frost on the ground.
It was 'One Of Those Days' with more grass than snow
But I'd carted my stuff up there and still wanted to go
Skiing on the flanks of Southern Britain's highest peaks
Who knew when it would snow next, it could be weeks.
So suited and booted, goggles on face
I pushed off from a standstill, slowly gathering pace.
The frost crystals crashing off the tails of my skis,
Grass hurtling skyward, caught on the breeze.
The hiss of the schuss like a thousand tyres deflated
Pulling up, still standing, feeling elated.
My eleventh day turning on the Brecon Beacons' peaks
Are the skis put away now for the summertime weeks?
Please click on the link to see the 'skiing' time-lapse
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhQryhyg...by=mikethesnow
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04-16-2018, 07:09 AM #22Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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MONDAY 16 APRIL 2018
Well that's all folks.
6 consecutive months of snowfall in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
11 days making turns.
Would have been almost double that if I was around in January and February, although Hokkaido was an accepatable substitute
Going to hit 20 C (low 70s) this week, but you just never know with the Welsh weather.
I've made turns as late as mid-May, so the skis aren't going away just yet
Last edited by Mike Pow; 04-16-2018 at 07:54 AM.
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04-16-2018, 10:32 AM #23
Love it. Thanks Mike!
“I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different.”
― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country
www.mymountaincoop.ca
This is OUR mountain - come join us!
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04-17-2018, 03:33 AM #24Mike Pow
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
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- Between a rock and a soft place. Aberdare and The Brecon Beacons, Wales
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04-17-2018, 05:58 AM #25
much appreciated as always. thanks for the effort, i want to get back there some day and ski it too.
j'ai des grands instants de lucididididididididi
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