No Foolin'

Thursday - April 1, 2010

Mission Ridge - Women's Escape was all that and then some! With winter making a return this spring - I had the best day on the mountain yet.  Each year Mission Ridge host's a series of women specific events that includes ability specific on-mountain instruction (with female instructors), demo equipment & a delicious lunch.  I've attended in years past and this year they have got it dialed in. 

I pulled into the parking lot and was greated by the parking lot attendent immediately and directed front and center to the reserved parking area specifically designated for us ladies.  Then, from out of nowhere, a guy came to my vehicle in search for my board to take to the lodge.  Being an independant sort, I wasn't sure how I would feel about that kind of service.  I decided I could get used to it.  (Now if only he could have whisked the kids to their designated areas as well!)

Max, Sam & Eli were headed to daycare for the day.  Max and Sam told me that they were just going to take the day off from skiing to play.   I will continue to promote the daycare facilities at Mission.  Paula and her staff have made my time on the mountain much more enjoyable.  It's peace of mind and a comforting feeling to know that the boys are being cared for in an environment they look forward to spending time in.  They allow care for infants 3 months old to children 6 years old at an reasonable cost.  Justin, a local high-school student and a daycare

staffer, is Max, Sam & Eli's favorite dude to hang with.  Here is a photo of Eli getting down to business inside while Max, Sam & Justin are playing hard outside in the daycare play area, which is adjacent to Chair One. 

In the past, snowboarders have been greatly outnumbered by skiers at the Women's Escapes - this year was no different.  Being the sole boarder my instructor, Karen and I were able to go off and explore on our own.  Our goal was to see as much of the mountain that we could.  

A Head demo representative was also present to let the twin stick gals have an opportunity to try out some new equipment.  It was an AWESOME powder day too - a great way to show off what the new powder skis can really do!  I went down to the rental shop to see what they could do for me and I was able to try out a couple of boards that were not quite down the same road as the boards I tested at Whistler.  I tried a Burton Feelgood - 155 and a Burton Custom - 161.  Both boards were stiff and heavy and I struggled with the binding position.  Mostly I was not getting the response I wanted and was too impatient to get to the deep stuff so I ditched the boards and strapped on my ole trusty - no time to waste!  

Our first stop was to the 'Outback' off of Chair Three.  The Outback is generally accessed via Chair Four, but Chair Four is only operational on Saturdays & Sundays and one must know the route to get there.  Trully awesome snow and there wasn't a wrong turn to be found. 

I wanted to hike and Karen was happy to oblige.   We headed to the Windy Ridge backcountry area to ride Bowl Four.  Once we completed the 20 minute hike up to the Microwave Towers we rode the ridge and dropped into Bowl Four.  I am still grinning. 

We met back up with the whole group forlunch at the Hampton Lodge.  I had a Chak Chak panini with a salad (yum!) and found a group of ladies heading out after lunch to hike and ride/ski some more... heck yes! (I am actually going to suggest to the organizers that they consider integrating the skiers and snowboarders to allow for more camaraderie for those few boarders that do attend - as long as the ability levels are compatable.)

I was able to meet four wonderful women:  Karen M. - an amazing skier and textiles & design professional who is rehabing from a back injury, Kim A.- a great snowboarder, a traveling nurse and a mom with a son who is 15 months old,  Laurie - a ski school instructor and avid snow lover who takes time away from her full-time job at the hospital to teach skiing and to get as much time on the mountain as possible and Karen C. - my fantastic snowboard instructor who picked up snowboarding later in life and I hope is safe to say, is older than my own mother - a true inspiration.  (This actually the second time I had the opportunity to ride with Karen C. The first being three years ago.  It was really nice to spend more time on the mountain with someone I admire!)

It's actually difficult to put into words the wonderful experience of the day.  After lunch we hiked Windy Ridge two more times and took Chair Three once to the Outback.  I put together a little video of photos that better depicts the days' events.  In 9 years of riding, I have not had better conditions and terrain.  This day is marked as one to beat.  With an all-female group of talented skiers and riders, epic is the only way to describe it!  Thanks so much ladies!!

Side note:  I honestly find it very hard to figure out how some 'bloggers' are able to post daily - even multiple times a day.  I know I struggle with access to an internet connection when we are at our cabin - but even when I have access I am unable to sit and compose a comprehendable statement (or even jot something down for that matter) very easily.  I'll continue to plug away!

Whistler Mountain

Saturday - March 27th

Off to Whistler we go!  Having purchased 'Fresh Tracks Breakfast' tickets when we made our accommodation reservation, we were set with a 7 a.m. line call for the Whistler gondola.  Looking forward to a breakfast buffet and priority loading (general upload to the top begins at 9 a.m.) at 7:30 - the day was off to a great start.  As soon as ski patrol gives the all clear, we are able to start riding.  The breakfast, presented by Nature's Path Organic Food, was a hearty meal of roasted potatoes, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, assorted pastries, muffins, cereal and bagels.  It was better than I imagined. 

At around 8:30 the bell was rung and we were off.  We met a nice couple, Bill & Carole, from Vancouver Island, B.C., on the gondola ride up and they joined us for the first three runs down.  It was their first trip to Whistler and they were glad to find someone to show them around a bit.  Honestly,  I would have enjoyed spending more time with them - but I was committed to demo'ing boards at the Demo Centre hut and once they opened at 9 a.m. I was there.  We were able to get three runs in before 9 a.m.  - that was a record for me.  I am usually still shaking out the kids to the various locations they need to be (at the bottom of the mountain) at 9 a.m.

The Whistler Demo Centre is located outside the Roundhouse at the top of the gondola.  With a credit card and photo id you are able to try out skis and snowboards for a couple of hours.  The service is free, the credit card is to 'find' you in the event they don't see you or the board/ski again.  

First up the TRS by LIB Tech (154) with Magne-Traction and Banana Technology.  The Magne-Traction is supposed to turn ice into powder - which was very appealing to me as I have very little gripping power in my current board.  I have been looking forward to trying this technology all season.  While riding this board I definitely felt connected to the mountain.  In order to fully compare my board with the TRS, I headed straight to the steep and fast Upper Dave Murray Downhill run - the sight of the Men's Olympic Downhill & Super G.  In order to get the run prepared for the races they water it down to get it compacted and hard.  It would be a true test of the edges and I was sold.  It locked me to the hill and I hardly noticed the block of ice that was the run. 

Next stop - Harmony Ridge & the Symphony Amphitheatre. The resort opened new terrain called the Symphony Amphitheatre three years ago which is accessed via the Symphony Express chairlift. Whistler-Blackcomb is a resort we generally visit during Thanksgiving which is opening weekend for the mountain and in late November that area is still closed due to low snow levels.  One of the main reasons we picked Whistler as our get-a-way destination was because of the Symphony area.  Off the Harmony Express chair we are able to get a glimpse of the open bowls and vast terrain, but to experience it full handed, what a treat!  

After a brief text-in with the kiddos back home, we headed in the direction of the Symphony chair.

Here I am on the far right side of the photo - no that is not an ant.

Where's Elisa?

The shear vastness is something one can only grasp in person.  Photos are a poor representation of the bigness.

Time for a new board - next up the Skate Banana also by LIB Tech.  Right before lunch I exchanged the TRS with more of a 'park' board.  It was a bit shorter (151) and had a lot more flex.   I took a run and decided right away that I did not like the softness at all.  I didn't feel like I had any control and felt pretty slow. 

I exchanged the Skate Banana for a Burton Feelgood (149).  Rob and I wanted to head back to the Symphony Amphitheatre area and wanted a board that would be comparable to the TRS.  The Feelgood was a shorter board than I am used to, but handled well.  I would like to compare the TRS in a 151 to a Feelgood in a 151 and make my decision from there. 

Wanting to make the most of our day, I was late (45 minutes) turning in my last board to the demo shop.  (I overheard the guys working in there that any time before 3:15 was ok - 2:30 is the suggested time...I took them up on it)!  I straped on my old board and rode a bunch more.  We took the last chair up the mountain at 4 p.m. and rode all the way to the village - it was awesome!  Still smiling today.

Blackcomb Mountain

Friday - March 26th

Rob and I took a big plunge and hired a willing soul to watch our hooligans and headed to one of our favorite boarding spots, Whistler-Blackcomb, eh.  The Olympic & Paralympic Games are over and the crowds should be less impacting, so we hope!

Upon confirmation by our sitter that she would be willing to watch our three boys & two dogs for the weekend, I jumped on Central Reservations on the Whistler-Blackcomb website and selected what I found to be the 'best' option.  I also checked Vacation Rental by Owner and Owner Direct Vacation Rentals, two websites we have found accommodations during past stays at Big White, Sun Peaks & Whistler.  The Horstman House was the choice, as it was $150/night (CAD) and had a kitchenette and living room with a king size bed in the bedroom.  The reviews were positive and at that price, I was willing to give it a try.  Of course I admit, as we approached our destination I was getting nervous as the last 'this price is too good to be true' delivered an interesting place - comfortable, but odd.  Sometimes pictures are very deceiving and Rob had not previewed my selection.  In the event the choice was a bit 'off' in a way - I'd hear about it.

The drive to Whistler, B.C. Canada,  from Poulsbo, WA is 225 miles plus a 30 minute ride on the Edmonds/Kingston ferry.  We departed on the 1:40 p.m. ferry and arrived at our accommodations in Whistler at 7:35 p.m after making a wrong turn (Mt. Baker Hwy vs. Guide Meridan) and hitting rush-hour traffic in Vancouver, B.C.  The boarder crossing (Aldergrove)took a meer 5 minutes, the real patience game started shortly thereafter.  We passed the time joking about our wrong turn and by practicing our Canadian enuciation of 'about' and 'eh'. 

Luckily, The Horstman House was a fine selection.  Rob did mention his preference could include a spot a bit closer to the village and the gondolas, but he had no real complaints about our room.  (Bonus, his F250 fit in the parking garage!)  On our walk to dinner (at 9 p.m.!!) we passed the Four Seasons and the Pan Pacific, both five star hotels and he questioned how much a room was there.  I did not have a response, they did not show up on my accommodation search.  Hmmmm?  Apparently, I missed a search option - hotels.com.  Duh!  Rob figured that since we were visiting during a slow time, we could have found a place at a high end (not that Horstman House was a dump, mind you) place for a dirt cheap price.  I spent the whole night questioning my decision.  He joked with me throughout the trip, but really we had as good of a place as any so there were no complaints.  (When we returned home, the first place I looked was hotels.com and found that a room at the Pan Pacific or Four Seasons ran about $300/night...  we definitely had the right choice from the start.  We would not have been able to get $450 more fun out of a different spot.)

Oh how extremely wonderful it was to only be in charge of myself!  I was enjoying my freedom more than I imagined I would.  The debate became which mountain do we ride first?  I was thinking Whistler as we are not able to enjoy all the above alpine areas when we visit during opening week (Thanksgiving), but I know that Rob predominately prefers Blackcomb.  Both mountains are awesome, but it is a choice we needed to make before we stepped onto the gondola.  In theory, we are able to change our mind once we get to the top - just step inside the new Peak 2 Peak gondola and in 12 minutes, we could be at the top of the other mountain.  The fact is, it will take an act of god to make Rob step foot in that 'ride'.  Once we decide on a location, we are committed.  Blackcomb it is. 

The photo below is the view of the high alpine area near the Harmony chair on Whistler mountain from Blackcomb. 

I have to admit, I struggled in the a.m. with the spring-like early morning conditions.  It was warm and rainy the day before and the groomed runs had hardened into ice during the night and I was having difficulty connecting to the mountain. 

This is the time when I need to insert a disclaimer on my behalf.  I am riding a 2001 K2 Eldorado (154 cm) board.  It has seen many a day on the mountain and beginning to delaminate a bit.  The edges are beyond grinding to make useable and my ability to hold an edge is tough.  I am in desperate need of a new board if I am going to ride hard all day.  Up until this trip, the riding I have been doing this season have been accompanied by a couple of boys that are under the age of 7.  It has been sufficient.  I have been relucant to buy a new board without trying it out first and all the demo days on my local mountain have fallen on days I did not make it up.  Excuses, excuses, excuses. 

After an early lunch at the Rendezvous - poutine none-the-less (french fries, cheese curds & gravy) and some 'about-eh' lessons (I needed all the Canadian support I could get) I was ready to get back out there.  I also wasn't complaining that the temperatures were getting warmer and the snow softer. 

Things were looking up!  Off the Solar Coaster Express lift we ducked some ropes and found the closed 'Children's Adventure Park' and did some exploring. We are easily amused on the ride up, we found the highlight of the day - THE BOARDERCROSS COURSE!  I've watched the races on t.v. and have always wondered where one would go to actually ride a course.  I was just telling Michelle a few weeks back that boardercross is something I would dig... and I did!  I am still giddy about the run.

We saw cloudy skies, fog and sun - sometimes all on the same run.  It seemed that the weather varied in 500' increments.  Visibility was questionable from time to time, but if we just kept riding we would run into something different.  Tree riding was variable as well.  At the top of a tree run we would have awesome conditions but traveling downhill we found wet heavy snow that was soft and tough on the ankles to get the board to respond.  No complaints. 

It's always a great day (either early or late season) when you can ride from the top of the mountain all the way to the base.   We parked at Base II and was able to ride right to the truck.  It was apparent that the snow conditions were dwindling as shown here with a view from the half-pipe just above the parking lot.  But we were happy!!

Powder Rules still in Effect

Saturday - February 27, 2009
by Elisa

It's a little known fact around these parts that during the winter months I spend very small amounts of time at our house in Poulsbo. (It's actually year-round - who am I kidding?). The reality is I have not spent a weekend 'home' since October 2009. Every Friday night the husband and the kids (& dogs) pile in the car, sit in line for and ride the Kingston/Edmonds ferry and drive 2 to 3 hours (depending on number of potty stops, errand running & traffic) to the recreation Mecca of Washington which is located near Plain, WA. (Plain is just a short 1/2 hour drive from the quaint Bavarian town of Leavenworth). It is in Plain where my husband and I have a small cabin we purchased in 2004 to maximize our snow recreation abilities.

As winter's go, this one is not one for the record books. With no significant snowfall since the first week in January, snow levels at the 1,500 feet elevation (and 2,000 & 3,000....) which is where the cabin sits are left to the dirty piles of cinder & sand mixed crud at the side of the roads. It has been a warm and foggy late January and February. Snowmobiling and snowshoeing opportunities are much less than optimal. Having snowboarded for 9 straight weeks, I was ready for a weekend at home. My oldest son was done with lessons for a week and the Chilly Hilly was on Sunday. That was good enough for me.

Until Friday morning. Snow report stated 4" overnight and another 5-9" throughout the day and night. That's all it took. I can ride Chilly Hilly any day. Powder Rules.

My husband had already committed to snowmobiling with a buddy, so it was my boys and I off to the mountain. A true BLUEBIRD day! I was beaming from ear to ear. I couldn't hear the whining and complaining going on the in the backseat. We were all going to have an awesome day. No matter what!

Well, hmmmm.... Powder rule: No Friends on a Powder Day was going to be a challenge. When your mountain friends are your offspring one's obligation is adjusted a bit. Oh, that's okay. I was out on the slopes on the BEST conditions of the season. We were going to have an awesome day. Heck, the pure energy from the hoards and hoards of people that were also out to get a piece of their own frozen happiness was enough to make anyone smile. (I have never seen so many people in a lift line at Mission. sshhhh!)

I was still optimistic at the end of the first run. The boys, not so much. The terrain park was closed (I don't blame them, the WHOLE mountain was a park at that point in time!) and it put a major hole in their sails. Sam kept getting stuck in the powder and I was making him get himself unstuck (WHAT WAS I THINKING???) and the time came where Max (who is the family cheerleader) finally felt a twinge of jealousy from the attention that the 3-year old snowboarder receives. What was I to do?

Quick! Plan B. Early lunch was in order. Put some carbs & protein into their bodies and reward them with sugar. I even stuffed my pockets with more candy to ensure the rest of the day went without further whining. While having a private moment it dawned on me ....

.... it was me. My expectation was too high. I wanted to have the best time I've had all season, yet, I was holding my kids to the same standards that I hold them too each mountain day. If I needed more out of the day, I needed to give the boys more. I needed to help Sam if he got stuck, I needed to give more to Max (he was asking to go to daycare... yes, he just wanted to play) and I needed to put into perspective what the point of 'family' skiing/riding is. It's to spend time with each other. This too shall pass and they will be invoking their own 'powder rules'.

So, I left my bad attitude in the bathroom and we went out and goofed around on the mountain the rest of the day. Max got his wish and played in daycare for an hour where he built a snow fort and had a snowball fight with one of the staff members, he was in his element! Sam & I had some one-on-one snowboarding fun for last time as a three year old.

Top it all off - ice cream in town (it was 60 degrees out) on our way home.

In a shameless effort for self-promotion (or kid promotion), feel free to check out this video of my riding partners in action! All footage was shot during the past week, including a few clips from this epic day.

I'll see that 15K feet...

...and raise you one snowboarding preschooler.

Having never actually calculated vertical feet, I had to get assistance from the resident skier of our house (who is six years old). Apparently, it's a skier thing. But that wasn't all. I had to actually look up Mission Ridge's mountain stats to do the math. A great way to learn a bit more about my favorite local sliding spot.After replaying the day's events with Max, I actually giggled to myself. How extremely lucky I am to have kids that are as excited to spend a day on the mountain as I am. Sam, my three year old (I only say that because I am quickly running out of time to do so) throws a huge tantrum at the end of each day when we announce that 'this is our last run.'

My husband and I have a slight advantage, if we take into account BOTH days we rode/skied this weekend our total vertical feet is somewhere around 18,000 feet. It just takes us a little longer to get there, but we get it done! Did I mention we practically had the mountain to ourselves on Monday?! (Oh, yeah - we played hookie...)

We've been going to Mission Ridge in Wenatchee, WA since 2006. Currently, Mission is the ONLY ski/snowboard resort in Washington with childcare. As my family is back in the Midwest and Rob's family is on the East Coast, without childcare, well, I don't want to think about it. The daycare is run by Ms. Paula who does a fantastic job managing the facility. All three boys have spent countless hours in the caring environment so conveniently located at the base of the mountain.

Max recently concluded his first Mission Trainer consecutive week lesson package which consisted of a two-hour lesson each Saturday for six weeks and he had so much fun is now signed up for the Spring Sequel, a four week lesson package. This past weekend he was also given the opportunity to give Jr. Devo a trial run. Jr. Devo is an all mountain ski program designed for the younger skiers and snowboarders. We are pretty sure we know where Max will choose to be next year. He had an awesome time being challenged by some older, more experienced seven-year olds.

Did I mention the snow at Mission Ridge? Cascade concrete it is not. The cold temperatures and dry air of eastern Washington keeps the snow that lands at the resort less icy than it can be at other ski areas nearby. On second thought, having the mountain all to ourselves on Monday was pretty cool. The snow isn't that great. Go to Stevens Pass!