incoming incomingDecember 24, 2011
Sixteen core randonnée skiers showed up at Hyak on Christmas Eve day for a unique 2 hour "time trial" up-and-downhill event in the rain and fog. The format called for putting in as many laps on the frontside of Hyak (Summit East) as possible in 120 minutes, with the rain, fog and grabby isothermal glop over ice making for even more fun (and wetter participants).
As one might imagine, the people who actually showed up in these conditions for a ski competition were the kind that take their suffering seriously, so the pressure was on (at least for the top spots). Everyone professed to have a great time, and hosts Brandon and Heather Kern provided pumpkin pie and hot cider in the lodge after the event. Good stuff! Provisional results: 1.Seth Davis (6 laps, 6,000 vertical feet) 2.Brandon Kern 3.John Mauro 4.Greg Louie 5.Crispin Prahl 6.Heather Kern 7.Holly Walker 8.Kevin Curd 9.John Stimberis 10.Melissa Chapman 11.Elissa Eng 12.Francine Curd 13.Ann Melgaard 14.Cindy 15. Dawn Frearson 16. Katie Smith
Start of the Hyak 120; Seth Davis, Brandon Kern and John Mauro are already stretching it out in front Kevin Curd photo
December 13, 2011
So many things to be thankful for . . . for those of you not on my hard-copy Christmas list, here's the picture for 2011.
Just the kids this year; the parents didn't care for any of the pictures that included them! Here's to a wonderful holiday season, even better 2012, and fresh snow sooner rather than later.
Jordan and Nick wish you the best! Yuen Lui photo
December 5, 2011
Even though it's only the first week of December, it feels like the season's been going for a while.
Most of the local ski areas are open, if only on partial schedules, people are stoked, and new ski gear is flying off the shelves in local stores. The northwest seems to be getting the lion's share of the early season snowfall, with normally dependable spots in Colorado, Utah and California just "scraping" by, but they should be getting theirs soon. Alpental opened for the season with all lifts running on Friday, December 2nd. There was very respectable coverage on the upper mountain, and management even saw fit to open Elevator Gate in the afternoon. Soft snow on the upper mountain, sunny weather with few lift lines and a mellow "family" vibe made it an opener to remember.
There's a high pressure system stuck over our area at the moment, and no new snow in the picture this week, but Kevin, Francine and I did an relaxed trip to Silver Peak today under beautiful clear skies. We found a few patches of wind-hammered fresh snow stuck between ridges of icy hard stuff, and covered enough mileage to make the legs sore. Not bad for early season.
Rolling through the meadows enroute to Silver Peak, Francine is digging the new Speed Radicals! Kevin Curd photo
Previous Incoming Pages:
China: Wandering in the Middle Kingdom
"Incoming" covers developments that have personal interest to me (ie. gear I might consider acquiring, or events I feel may impact the sport of skiing) - it is by no means meant to be a comprehensive enumeration of gear or events in the ski world at large. Feel free to contact me via the randosaigai.com link below with news or images that may be of interest . . .
© 2012 Gregory C. Louie