Back home at Heavenly Valley!

After a day that involved 19 hours of travel, sun, rain, snow, and not too much sleep, Julie and I arrived in South Lake Tahoe on Friday night for a 9-day stay in the Blue World. Not unlike last year, we brought the snow with us and Heavenly Valley was blanketed with 2 feet of fresh snow through last night. When we woke this morning, the sun was shining and our third day on the slopes was nothing short of epic with bluebird skies and temps around 40 degrees. Of course at 10,000, that sun packs a punch and I kind of wish I'd put some sunscreen on this morning. Oh well. The extent of my posting this week will be from this beautiful wonderland.

Warm weather go away! Don't you know I have to ski?

I am undoubtedly am one of the only people who would make such a request of Mother Nature, but come on. This is Maine and it was in the 60's on the coast yesterday. Mrs. Nature has been very cooperative with us skiers this year and we are grateful, but please don't melt away all the lovely snow you have provided to the mountains by letting it rain on us.
My local ski hill, Sunday River, has received 100 inches of snow this season to date. Not bad for an area that averages 140 inches per season and has a fairly low elevation. Out west things are pretty good these days, too. At my favorite place to play in No. Cali/Nevada, Heavenly Valley has received 15 feet of snow to date for the season with more on the way. This time last year, Jules and I were wondering if the skiing would be better here than there, but then a massive storm dropped 8 feet of snow on the resort just prior to our arrival. While I still hope they get a ton of snow right before we get there or while we're there at the end of February, the 9 feet of snow they received last week is a pretty good start. So now all I really ask is for Mrs. Nature to play nice and let the temps being seasonal.
This won't be the case for my ski race tonight and honestly, I'm a little concerned about racing my new skis in the soft snow. I may be better off with some fat freeride skis, but I think it will be a game time decision as Shawnee Peak may have colder temps by race time. Regardless, it will be day 36 for me, skiing this season. That means that since the first resort opened in New England for the season, I have skied more days than I have not and I love it. What's your passion?

My time for vacation and the outdoors!

While millions of Americans scramble to get their vacation times in during the hottest of summer months or when the kids are off from school during the year, things move a little differently in my world. Yes, I did take a few days off over the summer and did go on a vacation with my significant other last year, but by-in-large, I tend to take my time off when others don't. I've been blessed to work for a company that provides ample time off and for most of that time, I spend gliding down what I consider to be a winter wonderland. And while I returned to work today, I spent a week and a half enjoying the great outdoors in Maine. Skiing 11 out of 12 days, I took a break to celebrate Christmas with my family. And yet I know full well that this sometimes selfish approach to time away from work will change when I have a family of my own, I feel that until that time, I should take my time doing the things I love - for the most part, that means skiing. Indeed, I was joined on the weekends by family and friends, but sometimes it's those times when I'm alone, gliding above the clouds, over freshly fallen snow, that I feel most at peace.

And while getting back to the office today was like having a bucket of freezing water dumped on my head, I put my nose to the grind with a little notion in the back of my mind that in less than two months, Jules and I will be off to Lake Tahoe for our second straight year - yes, we will be skiing in The Blue World.

The Weatherman is making me giddy!

Okay, so that really isn't the case. If the weatherman made me giddy, well, never mind, but it's that time of year when I bring my skis into the shop and have each pair ground. While I normally do my own tuning, I recommend at least one stone grind a year for your bases, even if you do your own edges.

So anyway, if the prediction holds true at Sugarloaf/USA, well be skiing in a few weeks. That said, the high elevations are might get the first coat of the season this weekend. Snow in October is nothing new here in Maine, but the first flakes are always so sweet.

Out west, our friends have already had the fortune of a few days with white gold dustings at Heavenly. The picture was shot on Friday October 5th and is the 3rd snow of the year. The season way still be aways off for Mott and Killebrew, but expect to hear the SMI cannons and snowguns getting revved up real soon on some of the higher elevations around Comet and Dipper. Go to skiheavenly.com and check on the three webcams for updates!

Okay, so now I'm giddy!

SKI Magazine screws it up again...

Yep, SKI magazine has done it again, they've made a mockery out of ski resort ratings in the most recent issue. It's no surprise, they do it every year. The magazine says that the rankings are all based on readers votes and I can see it to some degree, but there need to be some disclosure when ranking the tops 25 resorts in the country. There's the obvious aspect - I'm not overlooking - which is that resort ranking are are completely subjective, but even still, I SOOOOO find it heard to believe that a majority of the readers polled chose Deer Valley as the number one resort in the land.

Better than Whistler/Blackcomb... REALLY?
Better than Vail... REALLY?
Better than Aspen, Telluride, Snowmass, Heavenly, Squaw Valley... REALLY????

I think that the problem is that out of all the categories, SKI gives a lot more points for bed turn-down service than it does for say, skiing. They put more weight into valet parking than say, variety of terrain.

I think you get my point. Yes, Deer Valley is a wonderful resort that offer the very best of everything, but unless you are Joe Millionaire, it's not the place for you. Head over to Park City Mountain Resort for much better terrain. Another 5 minutes to the Canyons for the most terrain. Hell, get out of PC and head to Cottonwood Canyon for the BEST snow, but please, leave Deer Valley off such lists. Your magazine losses a lot of credibility with such nonsense.

Return To The Blue World

Less than six months after leaving, Jules and I have booked almost all aspects of the 2008 trip to South Lake Tahoe. From the picture to the right of this post, it's clear to see the absolute beauty of what is fondly known as "The Blue World."

Sitting at the southern end of Lake Tahoe, the towns of Stateline, Nevada and South Lake Tahoe, California provide a perfect setting for this premier vacation destination. Right from the center of town, and just a couple of blocks from the famed casinos, you can board the Heavenly Gondola and be lifted to pure serenity.

Rising 10,067 feet, Monument Peak is Heavenly Mountain Resort and Lake Tahoe's highest peak. A fairly short, albeit steep hike from the Skyline Trail and you can take in 360-degree views of Nevada and California from high alpine vistas to miles of desert to the south.

I urge anyone with a passion for the outdoors, skiing, snowboarding, or life in general, to think hard about where you go next for your winter vacation.

Check it out! The Blue World