It ALL starts w/Lucia- you should get a VAN!!

Month: April 2021

Send-IT! 2021 wrap… San Juan’s with the buddies!

Finishing up the trip in one of my favorite places on earth…with some great friends. Dusty and Travis

Well…10,000 miles and 3.5 months later. Wrapping up this little Odyssey (as Kristian calls it!). Three ski days in the San Juan mountains in Southern Colorado…San Juans remind me of the Alps in europe. Sharp, rugged, and massive views. We did one day at Silverton (not exactly beaver creek:) — one lift, boot packs, and a yurt for a lodge. We also did some great backcountry skiing…working around challenging snow and avalanche conditions (avy conditions improved while there…).

Jesse (our guide at Silverton) taking the lead…we called ourselves team “Scab”. :). No union breaks…just more skiing.
Celebrating being the last chairlift of the day…that is how we run! Thanks for an awesome day Jesse. Good luck with your new baby!!! (has he arrived yet!)
Super thankful we were able to ski a big line on the last day and last run for Send-IT! 2021. As shives said..Bell enjoy this one! We did. Perfect 2200 feet of epic Corn snow! On the east side of Chattanooga ridge…called the imogene slide path
Thats a wrap! Thanks for Dusty and Shives helping me close up the trip with such a special few days together!

Well it all started with Lucia saying “You should get a Van!”. I am so very appreciative of her love and support. This has been such a gift…but I am ready to close it out. I really miss being home…

I also want to thank so many who made trip really a powerful journey…

Basecamps…lots of people hosted Send-IT! and driver. Thank you…including the Bedford’s, Walker’s, Lindstrom’s, Haynor’s, JJ Healy, Zablocki’s, Daniel’s, Pete and Marilee Bell, Steve Bell (extended basecamp…love your new house!).

Ski Buddies..great lines and even better conversations and fun. Chris Burg (3 different trips with me – would have been 4 without the blown ACL on trip 3! — speedy recovery!), Amy Burg — thanks for the turns and even more for some of the great food!, Kristian and Erik (nice job carrying Mom ski’s up the hike!), Lucia and Sonja!, Steve and Michael Bell, Ruby!, “Heywood” Zablocki (SADT!) — and the entire Clan!, “Tunga” Morgan (also for his unbelievable talented videos and photo’s as well as helping me as my Van life Sherpa!), Eric and Harrison Haynor (showing me the best of big sky!), Sam Barber…so glad we were able to spend the day together at Butler…you are awesome.

Professional Ski Guides… Jamie Bernstein (Yostmark) — Tetons, Everett Phillips / Mike Coyle / Gage Meredith / Andy Hansen (Colorado Mountain School) — Rocky Mtn National Park, Everett Coba (Sawtooth Mountain Guides) — Sawtooth Mountains, Jesse Wegert (Silverton Mountain Guide). I learned so much from each of you..thanks for sharing with me your passion, knowledge and experience of skiing smart, fun, and safely in the backcountry!

New Friends.. so many. Ben Hamilton — never again will i cross a closed road sign in the plains of the Tetons!, Greg and Kelly — thanks for the awesome parking lot party with your friends and family at Lost Trail. I really need that..was feeling a bit lonely at that time!. Lauren and Corbet…thanks for the great meal, conversation and letting me crash in front of your awesome restaurant in Schweitzer ID the St Bernard!, Tony Petrilli — sharing a great conversation and chairlift ride #4 at LT, best of luck in your journey!, Jesse / Mickey / Nick — great time on Quandary and best hamburger ever in Breck!.

Liftees .. thanks for every liftee..especially on fixed doubles and triples as well as the T-bars and rope toes. You were sometimes the only human I had a conversation with — you rock. Love your music and style!

Random Act of Kindness — thanks to the cashier at the truck stop who gave me a free coffee. You didn’t want me to call you out, take your picture, etc…. so I am just thanking you! That was a highlight of my day!

Thanks for lots of encouragement from many of you. If you want to know more…just ping me. Van life, ski touring, favorite places etc. Bell out!

Last meal in the Van…330 AM somewhere in NE 🙂

early AM rest area breakfast :). Last one for Send-IT! 2021.

One of my “new” favorite places…rocky mtn national park.

View from Emerald lake at the Dragon Tail and Dead Elk Couloir…we skied the line to the right.
Looking up at the Hallet Couloir (hidden up in middle of pic)..another line we skied

Send-IT! and I started the trip back at the start of Jan taking an avalanche education and safety course (along with Chris Burg and Kristian) in the Rocky Mountain National Park (by estes park, co). Was so impressed with the organization https://coloradomountainschool.com/( and the beauty of rocky mtn national park)…had to finish the trip with another visit. This time — skiing some of the bigger lines that open to ski mountaineering with the more stable spring snowpack.

Have to enjoy the up almost more than the down…just the beauty of being on the mountain

Had an awesome day with CMS guide Andy Hansen…we spent a lot of time working on decision making, assessment of terrain, snowpack and weather. We also spent time on traveling…setting a better skin track, boot pack and use of tools like ice ax and boot and ski crampons. What an awesome day…fun and a ton of learning…

Andy and I on top of the east ridge of Hallet Peak.

Really fortunate for this awesome day…being in a beautiful place, building my experience, and meeting and getting to know Andy.

Gettting ready to head Send-IT! down to the San Juan MTNs (Southern CO) to finish the trip with a few buddies and hopefully Kristian (if schedule allows). The San Juans are one of my favorite mountain ranges in the US.

Cheers! Love Ya

Send-IT! and Driver

Spring in the backcountry…continued :)

Easter on Quandary…my first “14er”. Fairly easy climb and surprisingly good skiing down a conservative line.

Had a few great days touring in the Colorado backcountry…super fortunate.

Spent the first morning with my buddy and Head Wrestling Coach from the US Air Force Academy…Sam Barber. Great man, husband, father and has taught me a lot about decision making in the backcountry…thank you SAM!

Sam and I in the butler gulch area…near the continental divide

I was also able to hike up and Ski Quandary peak…one of the 58 “14ers” ( mountains over 14K) in this great state of CO. It is a pretty moderate climb and ski..but beautiful and inspiring.

Easter Sunday sun rise starting the early AM climb
Meet Mickey — carrying up her split snowboard up the east ridge…I met her and her buddies Jesse and Nick on the skin track. Skin tracks are a fun place to make new friends!
Quandary peak “Debrief” 🙂 with Jesse, Mickey, and Nick…fun group.

Big call out to my brother Steve (and Nellie!)…he just moved into a beautiful house in Blue River CO..just South of Breck on way to the Hossier Pass on HWY 9. Has been great seeing Steve more than I have since we were kids. His house is a great basecamp as well for Send-IT! and I :).

Wolf Creek CO…where is everyone :). I guess biking…

I guess no need for the overflow parking lot closing week at Wolf Creek…locals tell me this lot is full normally. It was Send-ITs! home for two days while skiing Wolf Creek.

Wolf Creek is the last family run ski area in Colorado. I was lucking enough to go into the ski shop to buy a sticker and left with a complete Beta (knowledge) of the ski area, where to ski (spicy terrain) and treated to amazing hospitality by Breanna — who husband’s family is the 3rd Generation owner of Wolf Creek. You can feel family here…everywhere. From the ski patrol, to the liftee’s, to the guys directing you to parking (not really needed first week in April :).

I really have enjoyed the last two weeks…been awesome seeing winter turn to spring. Something i was looking forward to… Nice opening up the Van door and letting in the sun and fresh air! Fun change after a few months of cold, snow, and dark~

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