What are your goals for the 2020/21 ski season?

[gorgonzola]

best case Telluride and Silverton Heli

worst case winter mtb and a few BCxCD days

likely somewhere in between... some days at blue, greek, gore, and wf with some BCxCD and touring

 

[JTG]

Warning Benny, skinning uphill isn’t exactly fun, especially to ski down a groomer at catamount.

I always tell people, if you are going to spend any significant time touring you have to enjoy the up as much as you enjoy the down. As you point out, the pain of the slog is a lot easier to enjoy/endure when the reward is untracked powder.

I’m no iron man on the skin track. There have been times I’ve been a few hours in on a steep up and I’ve had to resort to counting the steps uphill. Just 25 more. Ok, just 10 more. Whatever it takes to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Granted, skinning up a green at Catamount probably won’t be much of a suffer-fest for anyone.

 

[JTG]

Living in a hotel room, eating all meals there, and then sheltering in the car at the mountain just doesn't sound like much fun. There's gotta be seriously fun conditions out there to make that worthwhile.

Slope-side lodging can make all of that easier. If the early Cascades storm train continues, copious amounts of untracked powder, both in the backcountry and inbounds, is plenty enough serious fun to have me considering a trip out to Crystal, with slope-side lodging, in the next few weeks. Get while the getting is possible (and good), in case it all shuts down.

I need some of this, from yesterday....

 

[JTG]

As for my goals....even in non-COVID years I’m never big on set goals. Take it as it comes. A few years ago I started my season in early Dec at Crystal, considering the same right now. I hope our MLK trip to Placid involves skiing. If that goes well hopefully a few more trips to Placid. I’ll try and get more days in at Gore. Hit every powder day at Platty would be nice. If Ullr is kind, hit some ADK Slides.

 

[Peter Minde]

I'm hoping we have the option to ski

I'll be riding sled regardless

Nothing happens for me until mid Dec any_A_ways. Deer season is here!

Yep. I'll be wearing orange when I run. Good hunting.

 

[Benny Profane]

Warning Benny, skinning uphill isn’t exactly fun, especially to ski down a groomer at catamount.

now going uphill for a completely untracked line in some beautiful back country? Is incredible.

Oh, sure, you know, duh. But, I've never done it, for one thing, so, starting inbounds is nice and safe for the first few times, right? And, normally, inbounds would be, at least, Killington, but, that ain't happening this year, if restrictions continue.
Listen, I look at it as exercise, first. I'm tired of putting on a few pounds every winter. I road bike almost the entire off season, and want to continue that aerobic exercise in the winter, a day or two a week, at least. Road biking up hills isn't fun either, but I'll take the rewards. Then, at end of the season, with the experiences behind me, I can consider backcountry. I'm not going to be one of those fools who search and rescue has to save because they jumped into the deep end on day one.
Hey, it gets me outside and breathing fresh air, too, which I'm really going to need, because, no Dolomites. Sob.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Yep. I'll be wearing orange when I run. Good hunting.

Thank you!

I'll be wearing orange too

 

[Benny Profane]

Slope-side lodging can make all of that easier. If the early Cascades storm train continues, copious amounts of untracked powder, both in the backcountry and inbounds, is plenty enough serious fun to have me considering a trip out to Crystal, with slope-side lodging, in the next few weeks. Get while the getting is possible (and good), in case it all shuts down.

I need some of this, from yesterday....
View attachment 6788

Slope side, huh? You are doing much better than me, it seems. I'll take a private hot tub with that, too.

 

[JTG]

Slope side, huh? You are doing much better than me, it seems. I'll take a private hot tub with that, too.

Maybe, maybe not. Different strokes and all. Some people spend money on all kinds of season passes and skiing 30 days a year. I generally get half that, so what I save on lift tickets and such I spend on lodging....and I’ll take the hot tub, too!

FYI.....slope side lodging at Crystal can be had for $200 a night, give or take. The Roadway in Enumclaw, an hour away, pushes $100. Kind of a no-brained there if you need a hotel anyway. The only slope side lodging I’ve done in the last 20 years has been on Western trips, gotta make those count.

I suppose you’d opt for a hostel in the Dolomites? Dolomites, huh? You are doing much better than me, it seems!

 

[Harvey]

Nothing happens for me until mid Dec any_A_ways. Deer season is here!

OK man let's see what you can do!