El NINO!

So while it continues to rain on the Vancouver hills, Apex is getting snow nearly every day.  So much that it was January 16th before I got my first bluebird day of the season. 

The freestylers were in town, and with the National Team using Apex as a training ground, it was a sick show from the new schoolers.

I don’t remember doing backflips in the bumps when I used to do moguls.  Now my knees hurt just watching.

Our old buddy Jamie Morrison was also up this weekend to watch his kid compete.  That’s Noah below, throwing an off-axis 720 off the second jump.  He stuck it clean and everything.  Which when you consider he placed 7th makes you realize how much depth there is in the BC bump scene.

Well, I can’t hang around in bounds all day.  The pack is stable and visibility is good for a change.  See if you can spot our tracks…

Went for the first hike of the year with “Onesie” Wendell.  Just out to Secondary for a couple of short laps.

Oh look, no-one has been down here at all this year.

Sure you can go first…this time.

2nd run, and I wasn’t going for any sloppy seconds.  If someone offers you first tracks down the Pencil, you take them.

Yeah, seconds.  Good days.   Much more snow has fallen since these were taken, but it’s been foggy almost every time out.  I’ll see if I can scare up some better shots if and when the sun comes out again.

Siobhan’s First Ski Day

It was a full family outing today.  The Mom’s in the family are all out with injuries of one sort or another. My Mom managed to crack her pelvis skiing (now you know where I get it from), and Barb had her appendix out last week so those two are taking it easy.

My sister, on the other hand, is shredding hard.

The old man is out there too.

It was a nice day today.  The great winter drought of 2009 is finally over, and we’re back into some powder.  Today was springlike on the south faces, and knee deep fluff in the north trees.  My buddy Gary was keeping me company in the tight stuff.

..and Jenny was up for the sunny side glades.

Then, to end the day we took junior out for her first run.

Not sure if she really appreciated it, but she may as well get used to the idea.  As a fourth generation British Columbian, she has to learn to ski

The Bowls Are Open!

The snow continues to fall, and the bowls are open early this year.  I’m not saying I didn’t hit any rocks (it is Apex, remember).  I’m just saying that 135cm is actually pretty decent in the Okanagan. 

It’s a whole lot better than whatever Whistler got so far this year.

This is some random guy I did a run with on the Wildside. A bit more exposed with the southern aspect so not as deep.

I was choking on it on the north side….

Funny that I’m not running into any regulars.  It was the last day of our stay that I finally ran into some familiar faces, and even then it was ski buddies from decades ago.  I even did a run with a (formerly) little girl that I used to coach way-y-y-y-y-y back in the 80’s. She was a tiny 8 year old ripper with a shy smile and a big helmet.

She’s all growed up now and kicked my ass. 

Ahhhhh, life.  Good times.