Closing Weekend at Squaw...BBQ's and Pond Crossings 4/29/12

Sadly enough, Squaw decided to close early this year.  And like last year, we didn't get much of a spring.  Big snowstorms followed by big heat spells turned to snow to mush.  Luckily it finally rained and then sort of froze, so for our last weekend we finally got a little bit of spring corn skiing.  It was great!  We also had plenty of sunshine and friends around to help celebrate, so that is what we did, all weekend.  The season would be complete without our annual on-mountain BBQ up at the top of the old Red Dog chair.  Plenty of food, drink, music, and snow play for all.  And the grand finally was the Lake Cushing Crossing.  I entered again, this year as The Ice Goddess, named after the famous rock cliff at Squaw and wrapped head to toe in bubble wrap.  I also opted for a new challenge this year...crossing the pond on "skinny skis", which had to be 70mm or less to qualify for the prize category.  I made it across, just barely, and my costume was a definitely a fan favorite.  Unfortunately I don't think the judges would know a good costume if it hit them in the head, as the prize went to someone wearing the same thing as about 4 other people! Oh well, it's still a lot of fun!

Josh, John, Ally, Stacia, and Ryan getting the party started up at the top of Red Dog Ridge.

The day wouldn't be complete without a game of Polish Horseshoes, especially when there are many ski poles on hand! Ryan and Josh vs. Brian and John.

The view of our awesome hangout...cool rocks on the ridge line with Olympic Lady and the rest of Squaw in the backdrop!

John heading over to the edge for a quick view.

Evan, Ryan, Stacia, Ally, Brian, Katie, Katharine and Josh keeping it real by the old Red Dog Bull Wheel.

Don't mess with these tough chicks!

Josh, Ryan, and Katharine relaxing and enjoying the views of our favorite place.

Almost 5:00 and looks who showed up to kick us off the mountain...our friendly neighborhood ski patroller.

And finally....The Ice Goddess preparing for her amazing crossing of Lake Cushing!

Transue's Tour Tahoe 4/5/12-4/9/12

Josh's parents, Bruce and Kelly, finally came out for their first visit to Tahoe since we got married and first visit ever in the winter. We did our best to make sure they got a full tour of the awesomeness that we know and love called Squaw Valley. Between my parents, me, and Josh, they definitely got a full tour of the mountain, and the skiing was pretty dang good too. We even took a little trip over to Northstar so they could see what that was about as well. We had lots of great home cooked and eat out lunches and dinners, lots of laughs, and all in all, a great time. Hopefully they'll make it back out again a bit sooner this time, now that they know how awesome it is year round! Thanks you guys for everything, we loved having you here!

Sabrina and I dragged Bruce up to the top of the Palisades for a run. He doesn't like to hike, he doesn't like heights, and he's not used to skiing through narrow chutes. He was ready to strangle me when he got to the top and saw what was in store!

Bruce and I scouting our line with Lake Tahoe in the background.

We ended up doing a cool chute skier's right of National Chute. The snow was perfectly soft wind buff, he ripped it up, and was glad for the experience! (Bruce is small dot up in chute, top of photo. Sabrina ripped Extra Chute, lookers right, also a small dot.)

Josh, Bruce, Kelly, and I enjoying a beautiful sunny lunch at Cornice Cantina.

We got stuck dog sitting for Kishka...lucky for her Bruce and Kelly were dog lover suckers!

Cuddle time with Uncle Bruce!

Bruce was about to kill me again...last day, last run, he's totally exhausted, and we drag him down a chute in Silverado...steep, narrow, and slushy.

Again, he totally ripped down it, enjoyed the good conditions, and was happy to have the bragging rights!

Winter Wonderland in Whistler 3/31-4/1/12

My friend Jonathan and his coworkers earned themselves an all expenses paid trip to Whistler, Canada for the weekend, and lucky me, I got to tag along!! It was the most amazing weekend! Fresh powder skiing both days, two huge mountains with fabulous terrain, and lots of fun. We even managed to meet two really cool local people on the lift, who we instantly made friends with, and then they were our personal mountain ski guides the rest of the weekend, showing us to all the best secret stashes on the mountain. We skied so hard that even my legs were toast by the end, and then we topped it off with a little back country powder snowmobile adventure. I tell you, Whistler is the Disneyland of the Skiing...totally incredible! I can't wait to find a way to get back as soon as possible!

Saturday morning, Jonathan and I are all smiles as we head up the gondola on the Whistler side to get our share of almost a foot of fresh powder!

Riding up the Peak Chair with our new friends Wes and Rebecca.

Looking back down the valley from the Peak Chair on Whistler Mountain.

Riding the Peak to Peak Gondola from Whistler to Blackcomb with Jonathan, Wes, and Rebecca.

The Peak to Peak Gondola set records for being the highest and longest freely suspended lift (or something like that)...Unfortunately it was too foggy to get the full effect, but looking out you could still tell you were going a long way down into the abyss!

Even Jonathan was a little nervous at that height!

Jonathan and James enjoying the window views of the village from the day bed in our sweet pad.

Nichole and Jonathan enjoying a little Apres at the Garibaldi Lift Company slope-side bar.

We were all smiles after an incredible day of powder skiing!

Sunday morning brought even more powder for us to shred...looking out from the gondola at the winter wonderland that is Blackcomb!

We found some amazing terrain and good, long steeps in the Spanky's Ladder area.

Rebecca and I were all smiles after getting fresh powder in Ruby Bowl three runs in a row!

The line-up of people trying to hike up Spanky's Ladder...after seeing it like this, we realized it was very appropriately named!

Looking down into Garnet Bowl where I still found fresh snow at 12:00...that never happens at Squaw!!

Jonathan checking out the amazing views and terrain in Spanky's.

Riding up the Glacier Chair we found so many cool rock formations all over the place!

Skiing back down to the village from the upper lifts after you are "done skiing" is still a really long run...somewhere around 10-15 min even for fast skiers like us!

Couldn't get the grin off my face after the amazing weekend of skiing we just had!

And as if all the skiing wasn't enough, now we headed out into the back country past Blackcomb for a cool snowmobile adventure!

Pretty views and lots of fun fresh powder to rip around in...it started out fresh, but we tore the place up!

Me getting my snowmobile stuck on a powdery hillside!

The guide helping dig me out of the powdery hillside. Those guys don't have quite the glamorous job that you might think...apparently they dig out each client an average of 2 times, talk about hard work with 5+ clients!

Jonathan trying to get rad and looking like he knows what he's doing (looking like being the operative words here)!

My friend Trevor always makes this sport look so easy, but believe me, ripping around varied terrain in the deep powder was not easy at all...I got stuck 3 times! Luckily these still shots make me look like I was much more bad ass!

Talk about a gorgeous place to be in!

Great views from the summit.

Nichole and James up at the summit.

Jonathan and I showing off for the photo opp!

Although we were so sad to be leaving, the beautiful drive back to Vancouver along the "Sea to Sky Highway" is still part of the adventure. The ocean seems to go almost all the way up to Whistler...so cool!

Playing with the Northstar Ski Team 3/23/12

I finally was about to pick up my free spouse pass at Northstar, so I headed over there with Josh one gorgeous day to see what all the hype has been about this season. Let me tell you, all the rumors are true: Northstar has tons of long, steep, runs with great grooming and great snow. I brought my GS skis, and was able to rip some fast arcing turns for the first time this season, which was a blast. It was also crazy to realize how much the place has changed since the last time I was there over 15 years ago! And, the best part was in the afternoon, I got to accompany Josh's group of 8 year old ski racers out on a little nordic skate ski adventure. It was pretty cool because the Nordic Center was right up at mid-mountain, so we just skied right over, switched into different boots, and set out on the trails. We went a total of 6k round trip out to the Caboose Hut, and while some of the kids might have whined a bit, I sure had a blast! All in all, a fun day over at Northstar, where we were "not exactly roughing it."

Josh playing around with very skinny skis and very tall poles!

This little cutie was Emma, a ripping little athlete when she wants to be.

And Emily here was the best skate skier of the bunch, totally comfortable and natural on her feet, and even able to go fast enough to keep up with me!

Me after a great skate...I think those poles were taller than me!