One of the nice things about a multi-lap day is that you can keep scoping out the aspects and conditions. Lap #3 had the best conditions of the day, when we found just the right aspect and then skied a couloir that Ben likes to call the Buttcrack. Maybe that needs another pen or pencil name, though. While I’ve skied 4th bowl a few times,
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The turns from the top down to my first safe zone were pretty incredible- soft recycled pow. Once I stopped, I had time to get situated and get my camera out before I heard a rumble. My tracks had slowly released a sluff that had increased in size and intensity by the time it rushed past me.
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You can make lemonade out of lemons. Or this year, you can make beer out of grain, hops, yeast, and water. Which is how this year is going so far. It’s beer, not lemonade.
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If you are looking for an in-depth guidebook, this isn’t it. While there are directions to the trailhead, and a general discussion of skintrack locations, that’s it. No hand-holding here. The atlas contains only the most relevant information, such as aspect and location, along with aerial photos of the zone.
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Tickets for Crested Butte are $111 in 2017. But, you don’t have to pay that much! Here’s a list of ways you can save money on lift tickets when skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort during the 2016-17 season!
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“Dumb things” is probably a little bit of a strong statement for what I hope these blog posts will be. Perhaps “Avalanche mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned from them” would have been a more appropriate title, but missing the eye-catching alliterative aspects of this one. Part 1 can be found here, and part 2 is here. It is my hope that these posts will at the very least offer something to the reader to learn from, since near misses are less talked about…
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Heuristic traps are something that every backcountry skier needs to know about, and be very aware of when making decisions in the backcountry. Frank and I have both admittedly fallen prey to these at times, and any backcountry skier who denies that they haven’t would be a liar. However, you can minimize their impacts, and being aware of HOW you think and make decisions (metacognition) can help reduce heuristic traps. In my mind, it’s a topic we can’t talk enough about, because these heuristic traps are always there and the brain works in ways that keep making them happen.
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It’s no secret that we think that September is the most beautiful time to ride in Crested Butte. With the leaves changing color and falling to the ground, the Indian Summer days, and moderate temperatures, it’s hard not to resist the urge to ride. We haven’t been posting a lot about our riding in Crested Butte this year as we haven’t done too much that is new. But, here’s a collection of some of our photos from September mountain biking in Crested Butte!
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Nearly every fall there is about a 2 or 3 week window from mid-September to early October where the mountain world is full of color. The emerald green that once blanketed our valley gives way to hues of yellow, orange, and red. If Mother Nature has her way, she may even send some fluffy white snow into the mix for extra colorful contrast. Every time I am outside during this time, I am constantly amazed, and I have to resist taking a photo every 5 seconds. Here’s a collection of photos from the magnificent fall colors in Crested Butte.
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