2000ft. In 2 minutes
Video from last spring of an early morning run down Riva Ridge. Crispy. More or less top to bottom in two minutes…now, can you do it faster?
12/20 Hey Ullr, we’re f*****g waiting…
Well….
What can we say here at EVI, except what a difference a year makes. The Christmas crush is on here at Vail and I truly feel for our VA worker bees at the moment. With limited terrain to operate with and a full Christmas crowd they have their hands full, good luck to the folks in the trenches.
EVI is supposed to be about all things East Vail. Honestly at the moment, there is nothing to report on because skiing anywhere out there isn’t worth it. We are in an early season powder hibernation with plenty of sunny high pressure dominating our weather while the Pineapple Express soars northward and pounds B.C and AK. There have been a few reported defectors I know of that have bolted north. Cowards. Most of us are here for the long haul, to ride it out and wait for the weather shift in a long season to come. Luckily, we are better off than Tahoe and parts of Europe, and are open. We all (myself included) need keep that in mind and be grateful for the little things while waiting for the faucet to turn on.
I refuse to bring out the bike again (out of principle) and will be taking a break from the Christmas skiercross on Vail Mountain. I’m considering a walk into the Gore on Wed to check out the snow pack, but it’s obvious the snow is lacking the pack at the moment. The little settled storm snow on top of loose facets of various size and shape, brimming with surface hoar doesn’t bode well for the next snow load. Danger is said to be moderate, and I’m sure that there a areas of wind drifted slabby old storm snow that could pop and drag you for a rocky ride, but my concern is looking forward, as there is no avalanche danger on my couch where I will be untill conditions drastically improve. Posted a new HP (hard pack) video from last spring, I’m sure you all can identify with the sound of edges on fresh, frozen groomed. Good fun, scary fast.
Do what you can out there people. Wash your car, tune up the race skis, start painting you house, whatever it takes. Sacrifice a virgin? Might be a little early for human sacrifice, we’re pow addicts not monsters right? Plus it’s the Vail valley, so good luck with that… Merry Christmas all, ask Santa for a three footer if you get a chance…
Old Man’s 11/7/11
Hey all,
Headed out into the bluebird Wendsday afternoon, eager to escape the groomed confines of early season Vail. I decided to head to the emptiness of EV. I skinned up Sourdough and headed past Two Elk, where the workers were just starting to pull out the picnic tables from the stacks. The back was empty and parts of the West Wall sat pasted an early season brown and white. Up the Silk Road I went and headed out the back door route to Old Mans’. It was nice to get out and stand on top of the ridge and take in the expanse of EV once again, though it looked vastly different than the last time I stood on the ridge. The prominent cliff band off the right side Old Mans’ entrance, which disappeared some time in January last year, was in full view now. At present it lies just below the ridge crest, but after a half season of regular snow load, the cliff band is at least thirty to forty feet below the entrance. The growth of the scarp above the cliff band is a true testement to the amount of snow transport that occurs at this spot due to the prevailing Westerly winds. Rocky tiers, cliffs and shrubs belie what was a smooth, fast entrance crowned by a massive cornice eight months ago.
I picked my way through the entrance and dove between rocky ledges and shrubbery, taking time to cut various pillowed pockets between rockbands. These small wind drifted areas provide good test spots for stability. There was little reactivity, and the old settled storm snow sitting on the usual layer of larger loose “October” facets skied like two feet of baking soda feeling unconsolidated and, of course, thin.
I skied cautiously to the flats and headed out to the highway instead of braving the thin cross cut over to the bus stop. I linked super slow pow turns in the trees on my way down, working my way past the half buried stumps and downed trees toward the highway. More snow than I thought, but two feet away from glory… Paitence friends and think snow.
11/30/2011 Uniquely Uneva
Still in the midst of the waiting game, Wednesday November, 30th was the perfect opportunity to dust the cob webs off the ‘ol Avi gear and put the “Avalanche Thinking Hat” back on to go poke around in the Vail Pass Backcountry.
The week was full of sunshine and moderate temps that kept the somewhat minimal “snow pack” at a danger scale of Low or Level-1 on NW-S aspects below treeline up to the peaks. Aspects near and above treeline facing N-SE were rated as Moderate, or Level 2. Wednesday afternoon was a true bluebird day, mid thirties on the mercury, 34% humidity and 5-10 mph winds out of the west at 10,600 ft. All signs pointed to Uneva as a first good “tour” of the season, with relatively safe conditions and a chance to hunt down some ski-able powder.
Starting out at the Vail Pass Winter Rec Area, sets of perfect powder turns were already visible up on the SW facing aspect of the drainage just South of the Uneva bowl. A well established skin track already set on Corral Creek Trail made it very nice not to have to break trail, but here and there to keep in tune with “Avi-Thinking”, it’s really important to me to get out of the grooves and break some trail of my own, to gather info and tune into the signals and Red-Flag warnings the ascending trek and snow pack can scream or whisper at me… i.e; whoomphing, collapsing, cracking and sinking up to the top boot buckles. Not to mention poking into the snow pack to gather data on depth and what kinds of hazards are lurking under the deceiving white surface of snow. There are still some buried roots/downed logs, “Shark Fins” (buried rocks) just waiting for an unsuspecting rider to viciously end their season early… Right now the data is a mixed bag of sun drenched areas with zero snow up to two and a half foot deep drifts and everything in between, so be very careful on the way down!
Each step of the trek through the old fire-scarred area just South of Uneva up into the 30 degree sloped gully produced incredible views that improved with each lunge upward. Soon, treeline was well below and Panoramic views of the Ten-Mile and Sawatch Ranges started to peak out in all directions. The ridge-top was so scoured by 20-30 mph wind gusts that boot packing was the only remaining option of ascent. As I traversed north to the ridge-line that lay south of Uneva Peak, it was obvious that the prevailing west winds have been working hard to load the easterly aspects with as much faceted snow as possible. This wind loading is burying the “White Dragons” of the past record-breaking 2010-2011 winter season and hiding potentially very deadly scenarios for our upcoming season. Just stick that under your Avy-Savy-Hats and save it for later on this winter…
There was the first “Red-Flag” of the Tour! The Next was a 40-60 meter long crack that had shot up-slope from where a bunch of dog tracks danced in circles out on the wind loaded cornice. The crack measured a fist and a half to two fists wide creating a semi-truck wide cornice that would have no doubt given that pooch a First-Class ride to a summit county demise on the east side of the ridge. The third and final “Red-Flag’ of the day was my misstep from the scoured solid earth of the ridge into a thigh deep hole just short of the previously mentioned cornice. What a way to emphasize the oldest Avi-Traveling rule in the book… never walk out onto a cornice! That sixty pound dog was lucky, just another 100 lbs. and a few more of those deep steps out onto no-no-land and you’ve got the human factor that so famously causes deadly avalanches.
With all the data and info fresh in my head, “Red-Flags” resonating their priceless messages and the final ascent to the 12,522ft peak that is Uneva, I took the time to sit down and reflect on my journey to the summit. All of the little details and warnings add up to one of the most important decisions of the tour; how and where to descend. I opted for the SW facing shoulder of Uneva north of the Cirque, stuck to the 30 degree and fewer pitches and stayed clear of the rock features that create the chutes. Half traversing, half dropping into steeper zones, navigating the terrain was a mix of sun baked crust, facet filled depressions and full-on powder near and below treeline. Sticking to the shaded sides of the trees and the uphill side of the drainage that flows out of the Uneva Basin, I quickly descended to the natural downhill ramp that leads back to corral creak trail, the car, safety, a hot meal, and not to mention cold beers with good friends.
Not a bad first tour of the season! Being able to take advantage of the chance to dust off the Avi-thinking dust and cobwebs, the opportunity to snap shots of the surrounding mountains and scenery are what makes living and riding in the Vail Valley backcountry so rewarding and enjoyable!
Snowbird Video Contest
Its December and there’s finally snow on the ground in Vail. A classic Vail 9″…aka, more like 6, but hey, we’re not complaining. Haven’t ventured out to the chutes just yet, but we did have time to enter our 2012 Preview video in the “Local Hero” contest going on over at the Snowbird Facebook page. The first round winners are chosen by fan votes, so we’re calling on our readers to help us out. Just click the link below, vote for us, and hope we win. If we make it all the way, there might be some North Face swag give-aways for our Facebook / blog readers!
Click Here to Vote
Sunset Over EV
Taken from Uneva Peak, this shot was submitted from one of our FB friends Lucas. Thanks! A beautiful view and with December coming, we’re staying positive for snow!
2012 Season Preview
New video is live! Some of our favorite hits from last year and a few bits footage left on the cutting room floor. Big air, cliff drops, deep pow, and tight trees…all the usual fare from us. We put this up to get psyched for the 2012 season…here’s to hoping it’s a lot like last year! The Black Keys provide the sounds.
11/19/11 The waiting game
Well the one two punch that the weather service called for last week was a swing and a miss. A few inches of the funkiness up above 9000′ lots of graupel and dense wet snow, otherwise the system that was supposed to dump eight to sixteen limped on through. Ever notice when they call for 12+ inches we usually get a lower amount? Converesely, my favorite forecast is the one to three variety, some of the biggest dumps I’ve seen have come from the storms that are only supposed to be glancing blows. Probably just the psychology of ski bum perception and logic, but hey if the shoe fits…
Opening day at vail was pretty average, with warm temps and a few screamers to satisfy the jones. The afternoon became a zoo. After getting stuck in the aftermath of a fatal accident on Gitalong Road of all places, I decided it was time to get out of the way of those looking to cram an entire season of near season ending experiences in one day,all hopped up on red bull and ski porn. It was great to ride some lifts, face in the sun, and ski a couple runs with ski friends just emerging from off-season hibernation. Feeling the edges on the first groomer of the year there is a sense of awakening, of the purpose of the next seven months. Each season develops uniquely and writes its own story. What will this year bring?
The snow is back briefly this weekend and should hopefully provide the extra snow needed to open the next series of lifts and terrain, getting our access farther east and filling in the terrain hazards in and out of vail boundaries. It’s the waiting after the waiting, and it’s good to see the snow falling outside the window again. EVI will be out digging in the snow as soon as its warranted and let you know what we find. Stay calm and move along.
Weather Forecast
Coming at ya! Absolutely pouring down rain here in Tacoma, WA. Should be coming your way in Colorado over the next few days. Something you all should know about me, pretty much whenever I fly into Denver or drive back up from the airport…there is a huge snow storm. Last time I can remember, we were in the last car over Vail pass for the night and really shouldn’t have been allowed to proceed. Couldn’t see a damn thing! The next morning was 13in. of light and fluffy pow with the city of Denver trapped on the other side of the pass in summit county for the whole morning. So, the answer is yes, I will start accepting payment if you are fiendin’ for some powder and want me to fly somewhere.
11/7/11 First turns of the year
mid vail on Nov. 6th
Well, I broke down. I couldn’t wait any longer and the eight inches of light density snow were enough to get me out of bed at six a.m. and to the bottom of the Vistibahn by seven to meet my freind Brenden. Time to get a run up on the frontside of Vail mountain to kick my ski season off. We headed out of the Visti corral and headed up the cat track/road to the cut off to mid Vail. There were many folks heading up chair ten way, so we deided to take the road less traveled to the top of chair two. The skin was a leisurely two hours,enjoying a crisp, sparkeling morning that held both snow and sun for us . We chose to gingerly ski Avanti for the first run on Vail mountain for the year. I’m pretty superstitious about early season turns. Always hear the horror stories of some poor soul ruining his ski season early due to some ill advised early season charging. I intend to never end up in that circumstance, so caution was the name of the game. Indeed, I harvested the suprsingly good early season pow turns at a less than blistering pace, always wary of what is lurking underneath the thin snow. We skied our way down to Bear Tree, enjoying the six to eight inches of light density snow without hitting bottom. As we descended, the snow gradualy set up and thinned out, but we only had to walk 25 yards of the cat track to get back to the Visti. The steep pitch on Avanti was suprisingly nice reintroduction to powder turns and we had it all to ourselves. Anytime you can start the season off with some pow turns that’s all you can really ask for. If you head up, take care and be aware of the unseen hazards of early season conditions. Water bars, stumps and of course , rocks can ruin your day. Its a long season, make sure you stick around for all of it.
Friends…
East Vail Institute 