Ski or MTB?!?! Tough Choices

[pcupach]

Since the MTB community in NM seems to be a good mix of MTBers and Skiers I thought I would throw this out there since I believe Skiing/Snowboarding is as adicting as MTBing so here goes....
I had to make a choice......

Wanted to ride my MTB but the new boots and skis have been calling my name all summer.

Went to Wolf Creek yesterday....Cheap lift tix, PLENTY of snow and tons of untouched powder in the trees and edges. The new boots HURT like hell that morning but they mellowed out after I made a few adjustments. The LINE skis ROCKED of course.

I thought biking would have at least conditioned my legs a little bit for skiing
I was doing pretty good till the around 12:00. I started getting really sloppy skiing down areas that normally dont take much effort...end result I hit a mogul WRONG and flew through the air landing in some deep POW... I took 10 minutes to crawl out of the powder before I could ski again....I was LMAO the whole time...what a rush...But the legs couldnt take much more....I figured it was better to hang it up for the day then to push it and end up hurting myself seriously..thus ending the entire year for skiing and biking. There are already enough broken bikers (Knob, Rory, and me,) over the last year I dont need to be the next

Unfortunately I ended up leaving earlier than I planned due to a big storm rolling in. Glad I did The roads turned to solid ice through Dulce and through the Apache resevation. It started snowing heavy but visibility was still good enough to cruise at 60mph...It ended up dumping 21 inches more yesterday per the WC website.
Regardless its great to have 2 great sports to spend tons of cash just to crash
I cant wait for Taos to open up 100% and Pajarito to follow for skiing

[nealpederson]

Last weekend I skied Sipapu to warm up my legs but rode 3-Bears/Cabra the following day just before the huge storm came in and blanketed Los Alamos. I XC-skied twice this past week and hiked up Pajarito one night with Ben for a 2-3' powder run in the dark with the our Magicshine's we bought for The Burner (worked great ). Today I just got back from a much-better-than-expected-early-season-day at Taos . They've already got some of the ridge open For me the biking, XC-skiing, and hiking Pajarito put my legs in perfect condition for bumps and steeps at Taos today. Boarding doesn't burn my legs as much as skiing and that's why I skied at Sipapu last weekend for an easy warm-up. I also prefer boarding unless the conditions are boreing .

By the way (and I hope he doesn't mind me transferring his quote from FB), this is from David Filbey of www.swfreeride.com (now it's a new snow sport website): "Wolf Creek critical flaw... no on site child care. Our 10 mo. old baby is in pagosa. We are stuck in south fork due to avalanche on the pass. @&$%! "


Here are some pics from today:

Open Ridge (may want rock skis )!


Myself & Ben just before hiking to Tresckow off HighLine Ridge. TJ, my family coerced me into getting this bright-ars jacket so they wouldn't lose me in the clouds. Now you know how to find me in Taos.


Ben at bottom of Tresckow:


Our last run down.


My daughter, Michelle, on Inferno after ripping up Al's with me on our last run of the day. Al's was in much better shape than Inferno. Speakin of major injuries, she had to take three months off from biking after her liver laceration last summer but was all ready for ski season :

[greg de taos]

Speaking of skiing. My little guy has decided to join the dark side. We are looking for a 118cm snowboard and size 4 boots. Anyone have anything in that realm that has been outgrown? Thanks.

[nealpederson]

Speaking of skiing. My little guy has decided to join the dark side. We are looking for a 118cm snowboard and size 4 boots. Anyone have anything in that realm that has been outgrown? Thanks.

Doh, just got rid of an old one about that size at the ski swap. It had been collecting dust for years. Try craigslist.org and EBay.

[Calhoun]

I had a dilemma last night : go board Wolf Creek, or ride my new bike. I made a last minute plan change and rode the bike. I know I missed out on some fine powder, but damn it I love this new bike!

[delnorte]

Ski SF was great all weekend. It's been drizzling snow non-stop and stayed out of the sun really well with cloud cover only over the top of the mountain. With a keen eye, one can find a lot of soft snow to romp in.
Just reserved a few days in Silverton for Feb. with a crew of awesome skiers. Wrapping up final details on plans to hit Lake Tahoe and Wyoming this year also. Looking forward to some good stuff this year.

Let's keep this thread going for some good snow stoke & photos, as well as some good Bando riding pics to remind us what the end of ski season holds for us. Hopefully, soon we'll see a pic of Bruce getting out on his bike again in the cold foothills

[Mtn. Biker123]

Fook skiing, I play golf in the winter

[crux]

Fook skiing, I play golf in the winter

[SIZE="3"]I knew it![/SIZE]


Actually I'm still riding and planning for a multi-day unsupported ride this summer.

[Mtn. Biker123]

[SIZE="3"]I knew it![/SIZE]


Actually I'm still riding and planning for a multi-day unsupported ride this summer.

Wherebouts?

[mtbike52]

What the ##ll , We need some bike porn on this thread. Be tough, ride all winter.

[crux]

Wherebouts?

North of Ouray to Durango.

[Mtn. Biker123]

North of Ouray to Durango.

I'd like to do something like that but maybe from Cumbres up to Del Norte.

[Calhoun]

I think a bikepacking would be awesome. Are you planning a solo adventure Andy?


http://www.bikepacking.net/

[pcupach]

Great Family pictures....You get the best of both worlds Biking and Skiing/boarding

Im heading to Kansas City this weekend so I wont be skiing...but you can bet your last donut I will be over the Holiday break!

[pcupach]

Damn Skippy
Keep the stoke going...maybe we can turn a few Bandos into mor than just MTB riders

[pcupach]

I want to ride the Durango to Silverton to Ouray this next summer...ya I bought a road bike...ya I wear tight spandex bibs with no shirt...ya I pour oil on my manly chest...
ya ya ya....

[nealpederson]

Great Family pictures....You get the best of both worlds Biking and Skiing/boarding

Im heading to Kansas City this weekend so I wont be skiing...but you can bet your last donut I will be over the Holiday break!

Thanks, Pajarito opens Friday . The Mother chair will be really good for the weekend but I'm not sure how long it will last until the next storm. I'll try not to cut up all the powder .

By the way, David F. did get stuck in South Fork Sunday night with his 10mo. baby in Pagosa. Both routes back to Pagosa were closed but luckily the childcare was able to take care of his baby overnight. What a nightmare !

[crux]

I think a bikepacking would be awesome. Are you planning a solo adventure Andy?


http://www.bikepacking.net/

Might be solo or a few out riding, Don't know yet. Already have most the camping gear from backpacking so should be an easy conversion. Good site by the way.

[DaGoat]

Here's your chance... do it in a day!!!

http://coloradoes.wordpress.com/swes...els-loop-bfsl/

[delnorte]

Here's your chance... do it in a day!!!

http://coloradoes.wordpress.com/swes...els-loop-bfsl/

Planning to climb & ski the Snake Couloir up Mt Sneffels this spring. It's like a 6800 ft ascent from Yankee Boy Basin, below, then ski down. It's STEEP & BEAUTIFUL.
That race sounds bada$$. I've ridden Deep Creek at Telluride. It's a pretty cool trail.

[delnorte]

Hit up a dawn patrol at Ski Santa Fe this morning before work with my homie, Brooklyn (the white dog).
It was actually a beautiful, colorful morning with some great windblown powder deposits where I skied. Skinned up Gayway to the top then hit right side of Roadrunner into First Tracks then over to Fall Line. All great soft wind-blown powdery snow up high.


Santa Fe city lights


Brooklyn making sure the snow cat knows he’s the king of this hill.






Snow was really dry and fluffy.


Gorgeous morning sky. This photo does not do it justice.


Good windblown powder in the trees through First Tracks




Brooklyn is hauling a$$ back toward Roadrunner to Fall Line. It’s like he knows where I want to go…


More great powder


I’m still waiting for another storm, darnitt!!! Can't beat having a dawn like this before work, though.

[greg de taos]

Cool dog TJ. Maybe next Wednesday for snow, give me one day before my pass is blacked out.

[nealpederson]

Nice TJ, you should have hit Pajarito this morning for opening day. All the good stuff was open with powder. Now it's all skiied up and waiting for the next storm like you.

Greg, since we got the family pass at Taos we have no blackout dates but is it worth going during Holiday week or will it be packed?

[greg de taos]

Neal, it is busy in the base area with people skiing in blue jeans and cowboy hats but I find that all the locals stay away (or are blacked out) and the good stuff is wide open, Most people that ski a week or two every year don't hit the ridge of anything with a black diamond on it. Watch out on the return trail though.

[nealpederson]

Neal, it is busy in the base area with people skiing in blue jeans and cowboy hats but I find that all the locals stay away (or are blacked out) and the good stuff is wide open, Most people that ski a week or two every year don't hit the ridge of anything with a black diamond on it. Watch out on the return trail though.

Hmmmm, bluejeans at the coldest time of year, hat might be interesting to see . If we get some pow over the holiday it sounds like I might have the ridge all to myself . Thanks for the info and we'll all pray for more snow.