12-28-08

Today was a good day, double grab fs 3 felt really good. It put this smile on my face:

Then I pulled off into the trees

to find a special treat left by Santa, he didn't forget about me after all,

and I enjoyed a candy cane.

Walk on trams are awesome!

12-27-08

A beautiful day looking across the valley to the west.

With all this snow and little opened yesterday, we headed back to the Bird for some early morning pow searching. Things were slow to open again, but once the Cirque did it was fun fun and more fun. The tram line was long as usual, but not bad for a Saturday during the Holiday season in which Mineral Basin, Baldy, and Road to Provo have all still not opened.

Kristian Jelm and Jessica Wastell wait for another tram.

Kristian and Jessica getting a little air time.

December 26, 2008

Solitude Sunrise

Snow totals were in the 1.5 to 3 foot mark across the Wasatch. Little Cottonwood was closed so we headed up to Solitude until the canyon opened to traffic. We got four chairs in at Solitude when we got the message that Little was opening at 10:30. We finished out our run and headed to Snowbird.

This is not the first time I have hit two resorts in one day, and again I was not denied good snow. Snowbird was typical holiday cheer, with tram line equal to the festivities; too long. :-) Then, electrical problems on the tram shut it down and everyone headed for the chairs. Half-hour later the tram reopened along with now being able to get silver fox, and other gems. As well as walk on trams, boo-yah! It was no wonder why they delayed the opening of the Peruvian side, there were wide spread avalanches on all aspects. The chunder was everywhere you had to ride through it to get anywhere and it hurts to fall on, so I didn't. Baldy, Cirque, Andersons, Black Jack, Who Dunnit all slid out. Beacons on in bounds this season.
With only about half the mountain open today, Saturday is looking very promising.

Kristian Jelm makes some pow move.

Bring in the Year

Merry Christmas everybody. I hope it is treating you well. The holidays bring people together and usually brings out the best in people. Lately this has been mostly true for me. Some incredible people have been in my life recently and they have turned my soul. I think now that most people are good, and sometimes they behave bad, but in everyone is good. I've learned many lessons in 2008, and I feel I am a much better, more rounded, understanding, and rational person. I have learned empathy, I have learned how to let things go no matter how harsh the consequences I have learned to accept fate and destiny. I think all things do happen for a reason, and I believe that life is round like out planet. Things rotate around and eventually come back full circle, a new sunrise perhaps. Sometimes they return in different packages, and sometimes just the same as you left it but now refreshed, polished, strong and smiling. I have been to some great water this year with just a hand full of people. I have snowboarded with great friends and some great 6 month winter friends. I have drank some great wine, and through 2008 I have had some great times. I have spent time with family. I have opened new windows and doors that have been shut for a very long time.
Though, like any year in any one's life I have had my struggles. Yet, I don't feel downed by my struggles, I feel empowered. I feel the time of change and revelation. I feel stronger and more focused. I feel I learned in 2008 how to attack my struggles, to face them head on and make the changes that need to be made. Old things can be fixed, changed, and reinvented. I invite you to reflect back on 2008 and recall your best and worst times and enjoy them, look for the lesson or lessons you learned from your experiences and ask yourself what you gained and learned from those experiences and continue to apply them to today, and tomorrow. Hope 2008 was great for you and 2009 even better. Make some resolutions you really want and make them happen. I know I have mine :-).

-Merry Christmas and Happy New Year