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Day 5: snowmass Greatest day of snowboarding in my life. I've dreamed about this day for years. A foot fell overnight and it is still dumping. Between that and the 11 inches the day before, everything is in play.

So, today was fun... Having seen how rough the trails can get on the main loop, I figured I would get to another leaf zone, Alta-Badia while the groomers were still good, ski it to death and then would suffer a little on the way back. Alta-Badia is like on the opposite side of Sellaronda, a little closer if you do the circle counterclockwise, the map shows 17km of combined trails and lifts if you don't sidetrack. I have no idea how long it would take to get there straight, as fast as possible, and I simply couldn't make myself do it because all areas on the way there were very decent this morning, groomed, wide, fast, and I was just making too many detours including stops at slope cafes... SoI got to the edge of Alta-Badia only around 11 or so, quickly went in a couple of times to feel things up, but generally stayed on the circular route and even had lunch in a familiar place there. Too bad my memory failed me, and lunch actually wasn't a bargain at all. Bottom line is that at 13:30 I was ready to go in and do some discovering. I've never been to Alta-Badia, so didn't quite know what to expect. The first blue trail after the ridge ran and ran, I thought it would never end. Probably 5-7km one way. Once I stopped at the fork and didn't like what I saw at all. One of the branches had signs for rope lifts and busses. And making bus connections wasn't in my plans at all. So I took the other side, finally got to the bottom and noticed a single gondola lift. Yay. Problem was that it was not going to where I came from but instead was somewhere to the side. Like 90 degrees to the side. And it wasn't just one problem. The second one was that signs at the lift weren't familiar at all. And generally one can ski around here by just consulting the signs, they typically mention one or two adjacent towns along Sellaronda or even just point directly where to go to ski it clockwise or counterclockwise. Here not a single name was familiar, and I've crossed the entire Alta-Badia apparently. So I took that only available lift up, and tried reading the actual map. The entire area looked like an enormous basin with trails and lifts scattered around with no system, like a giant mesh. The problem was that in order to find your way through the mesh one would need to know not only how things are connected here, but also relative altitudes, for you cannot take a trail up, and a lift down. Altitudes were marked, but still understanding the layout was a real pain. So I took what I thought was the right trail, 28, and half way down realized that I'm somehow on 11, and it's taking me back to the bottom of that gondola lift, the farthest side from Sellaronda. Time was around 2:45, and I started to get nervous, for the closure time for my home lift was 5, and some less significant lifts on the way I knew were closing at 4:30-45. Luckily, the entire Dolomites area is covered by an app, and I even took time at home to download offline maps into my phone. I've never used the routing feature before, and it took some time getting used to it. I plotted a path to Arabba, approximately half way home, the app showed scary 11km of distance to cover, but at least all the guesswork was eliminated. Some time after I got back to Sellaronda with its bumpy reds, then to Arabba area, and the time was already like 4. I desperately needed to get out Arabba and cross the ridge so that even if my home lift closed by the time I got there (there is no skiing down to Alba), I would at least go down to Canazei and take a bus from there. In short, I was rushing. I was flying those moguls like I've never done before. Crowds were receding, and it was helpful. Also because I spent most of the day today avoiding crowdy and rough areas, I was still not too tired, and it was helping a lot. I've got to the last lift 20 mins prior to closing. Phew. Funny thing is that in the end I don't know what to think about Alta-Badia. Snow there was definitely awesome, very easy skiing, but unfortunately predominantly easy terrain. A nice place to escape to, ideal when you're with kids,but skiing it all day would be boring, I'm afraid.

This is the week for awesome trip reports! Except for Salty’s His sucks so far. Salty you can redeem yourself with pictures (not of your lunch).

Wowowow. Beautiful morning with @RootDKJ here at the True Mountain. 40°s and sun. Fairly soft snow. Good company. Good runs. And pretty empty. Race going on over at Razors. Rollers still on Challenge. Skier cross course on NMDW is bigger and better than ever.

You're welcome to a futon in Brownsville. 40 min from K-ton and Magic, 30 min from Okemo. On-mountain night-hiking/snowshoeing, skinning. Brownsville Butcher and Pantry has amazing food and beer, including River Roost.

Salty you might just be dehydrated...harden the fuck up. It’s a cold not malaria.

Keep your head high and your heart even higher. We may never ski in the Olympics or get dope movie footage but we play a dangerous game. Humans are weird, to describe snow sports to aliens or even other animals would be very strange. We aren't chasing prey or running from predators, while the occasional women or man may be interested in us for our abilities 99% are not turned on by making good turns or dope tricks. We get no medals or trophies and for the most part our triumphs are personal and difficult to describe to others. Injuries are the downside to playing this dangerous game, you go out time and time and time again and you roll the dice, from a certain perspective it's amazing we can survive at all but such is the wonder to be human. There is a human sort of purity to going out and risking your body for the simple pleasure of sliding on snow, putting ligaments and bones on the line to chase the ephemeral beauty. Most of the time we are so used to doing highway speeds or bad ass tricks its not even thought about in any real sense, today was a good day because the snow was good, the integrity of our bodies never enters our minds. If your mind is right and your will strong there is no injury that can keep you from getting back in the game before you know it. Rest up, hit the PT HARD and you'll be back ripping before you know it. While patting one's self on the back is the lamest of past times remember what it is you do and maybe more importantly why you do it, let it be that nagging little voice in the back of your head that says I fucking rip and I'm Matt Edge bad ass so lets do 5 more whatever you do for a busted arm in PT. The road may seem long now but before you know it you'll be back out there because attitude is everything and you got the right attitude.

Thanks Toast. Skied 23 runs today about 27k vert from 9 to 4 with a lunch break. Skied all over the mountain, sticking to greens, blues, and an occasional advanced blue. It seems all black runs are moguled (is that a word?) Excellent conditions all day, especially in the morning when there was a few inches of fresh snow. I was surprised at how well the natural snow packed down on every trail by the afternoon just from people skiing on it. Did some blue runs in Mary Jane area which were really good and also a few easy glades. Supposed to snow all day tomorrow, it should be sick. Jadip.

Why are you posting your ski day in this thread?

FYI you can ski back to the WP side from the base of Super gauge. It’s a little uphill but go around the base lodge and you will get there. Easier than taking the shuttle. Sorry TP4, just realized I am shitting up your awesome Aspen thread. Thought this was Salty’s thread. I’m blaming it on him for posting his stuff in here 😉

There are plenty of runs on the Mary Jane side my friends and I call “non committal bumps.” One side bumped up and anytime you want to bail just move over to other side of trail that is non bumped. I have been forcing myself to try them more and more this season. I still suck at them, but am no longer scared of them. Give it a try.

I'm probably the last person to take advice from but you shouldn't limit yourself! You'll gradually get used to all kinds of conditions as you improve. You don't have to risk life and limb to make progression. Easy bumps, a little bit of powder, next time something a little steeper. Variety is the spice of life!

Don't forget to have some Rocky Mountain oysters while you're out there!

Gotta learn somehow!

First western run complete. It was legit, rad and gnarly. RIP annual VT trips.

Snowing hard at snowmass village right now. Eating at groovin bbq. Lady behind me has huge fake boobs hanging out to the point I can see areola.

Thanks for all the well wishes everybody. I ended up going right into surgery and once they opened me up the surgery went from an estimated hour to over 3 hours. All the surgeons and staff all commented on how it was pretty freaking bad break. It happened on the jump at the bottom of comearound, did a 540 and landed on my feet but way way in the backseat. Thank goodness I was with my cousin and he handled the situation like a champ. My main objective personally was to be level headed, calm and respectful of others in a time of pain. Btw Jen the ski patroller was great. Took a loooong 90 minute drive (low pro tires for the loss dawg) to Doylestown hospital and I’m very happy I made that decision (no disrespect to other hospitals). Surgery went well, stayed the night and was released this morning. Looking at a potential 6 month healing process so it’ll be a long road back but I’m looking forward to the challenge. Heavily ace bandaged with a splint in a sling. No hard cast and they want me doing PT in as soon as 2 weeks. You guys are all awesome people and the comments in this thread prove it. Part of my motivation is to heal up and get back out there to see you crazy a holes in the lot.

To Salty that looks great out there! That run straight down looks like a rippin’ Good time! WTGAI!

Breaker in Wilkes-Barre is great. Marzoni's is right off the highway and offers good views of Montage, but the beer is not very good and the food is mediocre at best.

Thank you sir! Good thing we switched our connection from Chicago to Denver last night. Chicago flight just got delayed minimum of 5 hours

Safe travels! What a great trip. See you at Blue this weekend!

My Big Buddy and assistant cook, Al will be there too. Yes, both Binghamton and Forest City are now calling for showers to end early morning. Partial clearing afterward. Spring Skiing.... The ribs will be rubbed tonight....

Thanks for the love guys! No problem at all with saltys posts, me complaining about thread jacking would be very hypocritical lol. About to board our flight

If he's gonna learn or at least try bumps, better there (sans icy troughs and / or sugar) then here.

Neither was my wife, but that didn't stop me from dragging her down Trestle. Needless to say, she didn't speak to me for the rest of the day...

Head over to Mary Jane Saltman

I’m not scared of some rain. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sigh...

Well looks like I made it. My RTMs are in the background. Made sure to lock them up since they're the most popular ski in Winter Park. Lots of fresh perder, 2 or 3 inches dumped overnight. I was complaining the whole time cleaning the snow off the rental car (just kidding!!!)

#FreeTheNipple

And remember, it will make you constipated. Hope you feel better soon bro.

Not the worst seats I’ve been in.

If they did, only use then as a last resort. The opioid addiction is fucking bonkers right now and it’s so easy to get sucked in when presented with the means to do so. As someone who works in healthcare I see this way too much, especially with orthopedic related injuries. The last thing I want to see is a PASR friend go down that route. I said it last year when @RidgeRacer got hurt - were a family of a bunch of assholes, but we really do care about each other, especially in tough times. Hoping for a quick recovery. Keep your positive attitude and you’ll be good.

Cabriolet. Not the 1970-something musical. Dotard.

Yeah, there's tons of new snow everywhere. Last time I've been here, off piste snow was only in select high elevation areas. Now it's basically all white, no matter where you are. Sunny all day. People on the lifts in the morning were talking about yesterday snowfall horrors with moguls THIS big. Well, today the groomers lasted until about noon, right when I got to Marmolada area. They still couldn't open the very top segment, but snowfall and clear skies attracted way too many people to that area. They trashed the soft groomers, and made lines unbearable. I guess, this is understandable given that often there is either fog, snow or wind on top, and today it was beautiful. Everywhere else where I went lines were non existent. Tons of off piste skiing opportunities today. Tons of avalanche warning signs as well, and personally I thing people were often skiing borderline crazy, esp in that Marmolada area. 8:20 to 4, I'm totally beat today. I'll need to stick to peripheral zones tomorrow. They're much less trafficked, and snow stays good all day long.

Only Salty would take a ski trip out west and use a potential ski day to visit government buildings.

It was probably just sitting in the oversized luggage area the whole time while he stood at the carousel waiting. Is @saltyant skiing today?

People are saying about a foot fell yesterday...

Check local ski shops.

Is there anything good up in that area? Would be nice to try something new.

Right now it looks like early morning showers then clearing up. Let's give it another day or so but this doesn't necessarily make me want to cancel. Thoughts from everyone else?

I can give you some OTC recommendations...

Thanks to icy rain in Chicago, we are now flying through Denver and get an extra 2 hours to ride tomorrow. Worked out well

Candlewood by the airport. Got to ride the Cabaret... just like Mountain Creek! Not skiing just sitting by the window watching people ski, studying the trail map and drinking free water.

Back from another fun session at the largest mogul this side of the Mississippi. Pulled in the lot at 8:20 and had to park pretty far back considering the time, not a good sign of things to come. Booted up and went in to guest services to get my free ticket, the lady in front of me was asking the attendant if they had any covered lifts because she was worried about exposure? Anyway, got on the snow at around 8:35 and first run was down black bear to scope things out. The park setup right now is nice, but other than a two rails being switched out it hasn’t changed at all from two weeks ago. Lapped the park from 8:35 until around 10 then me and some of my buddies decided to go over to F side. Timberline was closed due to a race, back up F chair and down Sasquatch. Sasquatch at that time was virtually untouched and ROTD. Lapped the park for about another hour and a half. They had a “big air” contest going on so I was trying to keep an eye on that. It didn’t seem like they had too many people entered. By 11:30 is started to get packed so we ducked into trails end to grab a beer before heading back up to meet with out two fiends on ski patrol. They were grilling some meat up top which made for a nice (free) lunch. Downed a hamburger and a hot sausages then headed back to the park for a few more runs before calling it a day at 1:30. As we were leaving there were still people pulling in. Seems like it’s going to be a busy night for them. Didnt take any pictures today, they seemed to have good coverage but there were some bare spots starting to show in the flats, that’s been a problem for years. All in all it was a good, warm day. My knee didn’t fall apart, and getting my skis center mounted helped drastically in regards to park.

Salty, I started skiing in my mid 40’s. Tore my ACL when some j@ckass skied over the back of my skis. But I love it, will never give it up. If I were you, I’d go on lots of ski trips. You have no obligations. Enjoy it now. Go on every trip you can.

Salty you should invite Root. He hasn’t been out west either.