#Send-IT!

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

Author: samuraif16 (Page 2 of 5)

Spring in the backcountry…continued :)

April 5, 2021 /
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 :).

  • Steve and Nellie starting the early AM journey with me up Quandary peak…tx for sending me off!
  • View of Quandary peak from Steve’s deck…had to climb and ski it after staring at it this winter
  • My bro Steve…
  • Beautiful easter AM
  • Nellie and new pup Karma. 🙂

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

April 4, 2021 /
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 :).

  • Breanna…she represents Wolf Creek well!
  • Mascots glacier and couloir…
  • Beautiful views from the ridge!
  • Interesting way to get to the high traverse”Knife Ridge”..wonder why that name 🙂

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~

Taos NM…sh…sh…sh…

March 30, 2021 /

I love everything about this place…magic. Both the ski area (Karma is a bit different than sun valley — better 🙂 as well as the nearby backcountry.

backcountry in the “waterfall” area. Our skin tracks in center and ski lines to the left. Think they call it “us” chute

Great few days with my buddy Chris Burg and his son Seth.

  • Lov’n life on Mtn Top…
  • Seth and Dad crushing it up hill…
Fun to ski the day with our great guide…John Kear (mountain skills rock guides, Taos)
little boot pack to finish the “Up”…

Other peaks to ski next time 🙂

  • peak with no name…
  • wheeler peak…highest pt in NM
lake fork peak..classic taos ski lines

Tomorrow #Send-it and driver are off to central CO. Some backcountry with buddy Sam Barber, some ski mountaineering with Colorado Mtn Guides, and finishing the ski season with great friends in the San Juan MTNs CO.

Not roughing it in TAOS..tx to Chris and Seth burg:)

Love ya…what a journey. Thankful for my family, health and opportunity. #Send-IT!

Crested Butte — lov’n it even if we need to share with the Texans:)

March 20, 2021 /
Super fun family trip — missed Erik (who had to work). Love sharing one of my favorite areas and all the “spicy” terrain with family and my nieces! Lucia and my “niece” Kjerstin hiking into the north bowls

Was fun “guiding” family into the awesome terrain with makes Crested Butte famlous!

Crested Butte has a very “big boy and girl” approach to the area. Fun when speaking to the family we talked more about journey’s then ski runs 🙂
  • Kristian + Air!
  • Sonja is an awesome skier!
  • Ruby lov’n spicy!
  • Still can keep up with him 🙂
  • Entering the fun zone!
  • I love this Woman!

Of course — needed some spring break “lounging” :). Couldn’t be all hiking/skiing.

  • CB + ice cream
  • Glad nobody picked them up…
  • Ski fast get time to rest..
  • Lunch on the Mtn 🙂

Send-IT! is heading South…for a week off of skiing + family! (since Jan 9th) in Phoenix. Then back at it to finish up the ’20-’21 year with trip to Taos NM w/Chris and Seth Burg , Silverton with my ski buddies, and some assorted trips in between. Perhaps hike and ski Quandry peak in Breck…

Send-IT’s! crew for two weeks…she loves the company (so do I!) 🙂

Welcome to Stanley, ID. Pop 63.

March 7, 2021 /

I am so fortunate (thanks to my buddy Chris Morgan recommendation) to have explored one of the most beautiful and remote places I have ever travelled in the USA.

  • View from where I am staying
  • 40 deg days and 2 deg nights…
  • Apres…Stanley style
  • Looks like the Tetons…right. But not the craziness of Jackson. Peaceful.

Was fortunate to book the Sawtooth Mountain Guides for two days of Backcountry skiing in this magical world– so impressed with their operation…and most of all for my kickass guide Everett Coba.

Meet Everett…he is awesome. Has lots of experience wrapped in the young looking package:). Winter in Chamonix France, Ski Patrol at Silverton, lots of experience in the mountains. Really liked his preparation and knowledge..almost like an F-16 Pilot :).

Backcountry skiing was awesome, spring conditions. Everett is a machine so he took me on about 20+ miles and 8,0000 feet of beautiful vertical over two days. We skied some of the best corn ski I have been in years. For non skiers, corn is snow that freezes at night, and just enough (i.e. perfect) warm/sun hit it and when you ski it…all you can do is smile! Like skiing a perfect glazed ice cream sunday….

  • a bit different than Teton pass…nobody here!
  • Everett pointing at Copper MTN
  • Top of Copper MTN
  • NW trees…one of our runs
  • A good team 🙂
  • Corn Snow! Love it…
Skiing beautiful Corn!
Why does walking back to Send-IT! on a HWY always make me smile!!!

Tomorrow off to the Wasatch (SLC, UT) and then a stop to ski & camp (near Steamboat) a brand new ski area (no lifts)…called bluebird backcountry. Then on Friday pick up Lucia and Sonja in Denver! Get two weeks with them as well as Ms Ruby my sweet, talented/beautiful niece — Crested Butte CO (Skiing) and then down to AZ for some non skiing! sun and visits. Also working to coordinate spending time with Kristian and Erik (still working schedules). I miss them!

Cheers…the journey continues (Send-IT! and Driver)

Send-IT! taking a break on the edge of the Salmon River, somewhere on HWY 93 South of Salmon ID.

WI in Northern Idaho…?

March 2, 2021 /

Meet Lauren and Corbet (like corbet’s couloir :). Schweitzer ID locals..

Not only does Lauren own the local must go…bar/grill…hangout, the St Bernard. But her uncle is a huge birkie skier..almost famous!

Send-IT! and I are fortunate that we 1) met Lauren and Cobet (Chopper Pilot!) 2) we are now sleeping in their parking lot and 3)…

The views, terrain, and skiing in the Selkirks is awesome!

Don’t tell anyone about this place 🙂

“Indy” Ski Areas…

February 28, 2021 /

One of my goals this trip..was to hit “the local favorite” ski areas. Ones you and I probably never heard of. I am finding they have 1) better snow (not skied out) by 11 AM 2) Cooler Ski Karma 3) Super nice people / families who just want to ski. Who cares they don’t have 6 seated, heated express lifts! I love the pace and vibe of a fixed two seater with a liftee that has been working the place for decades — dancing to his Spotify playlist that he promotes w/yellow pull off stickies!

Welcome to Lost Trail Powder Mountain (border with Idaho/MT on the continental divide). Waist deep powder all day…
  • This is not deer valley 🙂 (i love DV, but this too!)
  • Almost like camping.
  • Look at those prices! Compare to over $200 at many resorts…

Besides awesome workers and snow…I love the analog (failsafe) way to communicate open chutes (wall of ski patrol shack) and the little rope tows to help you move around the place!

  • You want info on lift status /open chutes? Check with ski patrol!
Nothing technical…just works!
  • Could they be cuter…
  • If you could only hear the playlist!

A special shout out to the Dupont family (Greg and Kelly) and friends … treated me to my first parking lot party — Kids, Hot Dogs and a few local refreshments (beer that is!). Awesome vibe!

A few of the party goers! Love this gang…
Send-IT! after an awesome day at Lost Trail Powder Mountain…what is next!?

BTW if you like to support these independent ski resorts…a great way is buy an indypass (about $250 and you get 2 free days at dozens of ski most family owned ski areas…).

Birkie and the peaceful warrior…

February 26, 2021 /

Just completed the American Birkebeiner (Birkie). Most popular nordic (cross country ski) marathon that in normal years happens in the iconic northwoods of northern WI (Cable to Hayward). Well this year it happened for Send-IT!’s driver in Big Sky.

Lone Mountain Ranch nordic ski trails at Big Sky Montana.

I have to say while I love the birkie (my big event of each year)…the crowds, the fans cheering, partying, banging on drums, trying to push jägermeister and brats on skiers trying not to puke up hills:)…

Almost 1600 feet of climb before a downhill…beautiful snow falling and mountains around me!

I loved my virtual birkie…absolutely zero other skiers (ok maybe a few, like 4), no clock, just complete quiet for almost 5 hours — just the banging of my heart pumping as I climbed thousands of feet at between 6500 and 9000 feet.

Right HERE, Right NOW!

I had lots of time to think about a book I have been reading in Send-IT!. Dan Millman’s “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” — upon a recommendation from no other than Kristian Bell. I think this Birkie was such a great manifestation of “Right HERE, Right NOW”. I am working to be more present to what I am doing…whether my AM routine in Send-IT! or how my hips are positioned while I climb a hill on my skis. My body felt great and was a very rewarding day even without an “official time.”

Had to flag a worker to take a picture. Not downtown Hayward with crazy fans…but equally as awesome.

Big Sky + the Haynors = awesome!

February 24, 2021 /

Great few days at Big Sky with our friends and old:) Hudson neighbors.

Big Sky is one of my favorite ski areas…awesome terrain, few crowds, and lots of acres/skier (as Eric says). This is a shot of the headwaters headwall…a place we did some skiing.
  • Treated like VIP…Jayne & Eric, Harrison and +1 Michelle
  • Eric achieving pole position
  • Harrison w/epoxy broke ski..

One of the highlights was being guided by Harrison (24)… as we tackled a few of the spicier runs via the headwall hike/traverse.

  • Headwaters picture (at entry gate) — Harisson took me down Hellroaring:)

A super fun morning we had together…Harrison provided complete guide service including helping the old man get his ski on at we transitioned to ski/ride 🙂

  • Entry gate…
  • Fearless leader
  • Is this a good idea? 🙂
  • A little downhill walk to get into the “run” (couloir). Harrison yelling up the rope is very secure :_)

These signs mean something…

February 22, 2021 /

Enroute from Tetons to Big Sky. On country road 32 north of Tetonia — Send-IT! and driver came to this sign just put down by the snow plow. We noticed a few cars going around…big mistake when we decided to go around.

Image result for image of road closed sign due to snow covering road

Route we were trying to take…

This road got progressively worse (after looking pretty good)…eventually complete white out / multiple foot high drifts. I checked on two trucks stuck in drift…both ok. One of them called for search and rescue and rescue snowmobiles were coming to extract them the other was sitting in his truck with his little buddy heater waiting for snowplows.

This was the road right after the closed sign..doesn’t look too bad…right? Well 10 miles later road disappeared like a white abyss…

I decided to reverse (along with a fellow car who has been following Send-IT)…well we made it back. Barely — really pissed at myself for a shitty decision. After going back around..had to speak to a sheriff. Told them about 2 trucks 13 miles up and also had to take an appropriate lecture on the meaning of “CLOSED” signs.

The driver of the subaru followed me to a gas station…he thanked me and Send-IT for helping him and his pup get out of a real crappy situation. We are now buds…Ben Hamilton along with his companion Jasper (a beautiful blue heeler). Both Ben and his girlfriend Julia (via facetime) thanked me…I told them to thank Send-IT! for getting us out. Ben and I are skiing some lines today at Big Sky!

Ben (Subaru), Send-IT! and driver. After the drive from hell!

Lesson learned…511 (every state has one) is your friend. If I would have checked here is what DOT was saying about the road I was trying to pass!

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