Update 16 March

I've been out of touch for a bit while enjoying a trip to Utah for SkiPalooza2009. We had outstanding conditions for this trip and sampled the skiing at four different resorts. I can see why people move to Salt Lake City just to have access to the incredible number of ski hills.

This year's trip had six participants - Martin from Leavenworth, Zeke from Boise, Blake from Boise, David from West Seattle, Steve from all the way back in Pennsylvania, and me. We rented a house on the eastern edge of Salt Lake City that provided enough room for all of us although we could use a bit more space for future trips.

We started the trip with a visit to Solitude - a beautiful day with lots of new snow, this is a very nice location with a nice variety of terrain and lots of steeps and was quite exciting. When the sun is shining as much as it was on this day, it would be hard to find problems with anyplace.

On Sunday we made a bit of a drive to SnowBasin - I simply can't say enough about this place. From the incredible experience of skiing the Grizzly Downhill - from the 2002 Winter Olympics, to the widely varied terrain, and with the nicest on-mountain lodges I've ever visited, this place will most certainly be on the list for next year's visit. It also has the nicest restrooms I've ever seen on a ski hill - maybe anywhere. The food on the mountain was incrediblely good and unbelievably well priced. You must try this place !!!!

Monday we went to Deer Valley and hooked up with my friend Bill Drummond who is working there as a ski instructor this winter. The snow was falling so hard I never even pulled my camera out of my jacket pocket. We were lucky to have Bill along because with the poor visibility we would have been lost pretty much the entire time. It was hard enough with the foot or so of new snow and with trying to keep up with Bill as he led us down the steeps and through the trees. A great day - thank you Bill! Getting home that afternoon was also a challenge since the road back to Salt Lake was plugged from the snowstorm.

Our last ski day was at Snowbird, a place we also visited last year. What started out as a bit of a frustrating day, with delays and a lost ticket that had to be repurchased, turned into a fabulous experience with terrific snow, lots of sun, and thanks to 5 hour energy, a full day of endless skiing that didn't include stopping for lunch. We got to ride through the tunnel that connects the front of the mountain to Mineral Basin - an interesting experience -


Everyone made it home on Wednesday without incident - a great end to a great trip.

I can't wait for 2010!!!!!!