ABC's ski bumming season 2017, Part II, North America

[abc]

If you were wondering where Part I was, it's the Hokkaido, Japan thread:
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/138823-Hokkaido-Japan-(Jan-4-10-2017).

(and if you are curious as to the background of my ski bumming season, it's here: http://forums.alpinezone.com/showth...-skier-and-corporate-life?highlight=corporate )

I've been on the road for a few weeks now. Unfortunately, internet access is proving to be somewhat difficult where I was crashing at. I'm only now starting to catch up on the trip report. So please bear with me. Hopefully, between skiing hard and sleeping hard, I'll find a few minutes each day to write up some of the more memorable days.

Day 0: (1/20)

First thing I put in the car, are my skis: 2 alpine, 1 cx, 1 tele.



Staring at the skis neatly lined up in my trunk, I was mesmerized by the sight. It suddenly occurred to me, this isn't just another ski trip. It will be my first "season", which is a whole new different kind of ski experience I've never had before!

And at my age, it could also be the beginning of the end of my corporate life if I'm not careful.

 

[snoseek]

ok you got my attention

 

[NYDB]

awesome. have fun, and hope you can euthanize your corporate life and keep bumming as long as you want.

 

[abc]

First stop: Summit county Colorado.

As soon as I got my pink slip, I bought the Vail resort's Epic pass. That gives me 5 mountains in Colorado alone. Plus I have a buddy there who has space for me to crash for a few weeks.

I pulled out of New York on Sunday 1/22 just ahead of that big coastal storm that partially paralyzed the entire east coast. Good omen, I considered.

The drive through the plains though, were mind numbing and seemed never ending! It reminded me why I fled the midwest and moved to the east coast (and had been reasonably content in New York for all these years: I had a low standard to compare with).

When I finally got through Nebraska and saw the sign "Welcome to Colorado", my heart skipped a beat, and my head was suddenly filled with excitement!

 

[snoseek]

First stop: Summit county Colorado.

As soon as I got my pink slip, I bought the Vail resort's Epic pass. That gives me 5 mountains in Colorado alone. Plus I have a buddy there who has space for me to crash for a few weeks.

I pulled out of New York on Sunday 1/22 just ahead of that big coastal storm that partially paralyzed the entire east coast. Good omen, I considered.

The drive through the plains though, were mind numbing and seemed never ending! It reminded me why I fled the midwest and moved to the east coast (and had been reasonably content in New York for all these years: I had a low standard to compare with).

When I finally got through Nebraska and saw the sign "Welcome to Colorado", my heart skipped a beat, and my head was suddenly filled with excitement!

I've done this drive so many times now and I know what you mean by crossing into Colorado where 76 splits from 80. Its glorious for a few minutes then you realize you're still in the plains for 4 more hours lol. Overall I kinda like the driving after Chicagoland as the miles are a blur!

 

[Savemeasammy]

And at my age, it could also be the beginning of the end of my corporate life if I'm not careful.

I did this. It was one of the very best decisions I've ever made.

I will look forward to following this thread, ABC. Enjoy your journey!



Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[dlague]

First stop: Summit county Colorado.

As soon as I got my pink slip, I bought the Vail resort's Epic pass. That gives me 5 mountains in Colorado alone. Plus I have a buddy there who has space for me to crash for a few weeks.

I pulled out of New York on Sunday 1/22 just ahead of that big coastal storm that partially paralyzed the entire east coast. Good omen, I considered.

The drive through the plains though, were mind numbing and seemed never ending! It reminded me why I fled the midwest and moved to the east coast (and had been reasonably content in New York for all these years: I had a low standard to compare with).

When I finally got through Nebraska and saw the sign "Welcome to Colorado", my heart skipped a beat, and my head was suddenly filled with excitement!

I get the drive as we did it last April, however, I had company - my wife, son, a dog and a cat. Having never been out in some of these areas I did find some areas fascinating. We came across Kansas on the 70 and entered Colorado under darkness but pretty excited. It was a drive that changed our lives!

Maybe we will run into you along the way. Great story so far!

Sent from my SM-G930P using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[abc]

I missed the Big Dump which ended on the Sunday before my arrival. Instead, I got to tackle the drive up a barely plowed dirt road to my buddy's place where I will crash for the entirety of my stay.

Well, beggars can't be choosers. At least my car has AWD, and I had fitted them with the best snow tires I could find.

I made it up with relative ease. My little AWD sedan marched steadily up the steep section in 1st gear (it has manual override, which I used often for my short stay here). Evidence of the recent dump was easy to see:

Coming back down (grocery shopping) was a white knuckled affair. I've driven on snowy roads on the flat land, I've driven on big mountains in the dry weather. But driving up and down steep roads that aren't showing the surface is new to me.

Fortunately, my buddy in Silverthorne had been a transport bus/van driver in snow country for half her life. So I ask her to drive MY car down the hill, as a way to show me how to drive on steep & snowy roads PROPERLY. (her own choice of transport is a burly SUV, as most locals do)

 

[abc]

I'm not going to do a daily blog about my activities of each day. (plus, the site has been temperamental lately, some of my posts got lost half way through writing)

It's just skiing and more skiing. Some days has better condition than others. And a couple days I didn't ski because I had to get some "work" done. Not paying work, but just chores to make my ski bumming season working smoothly. I'll focus on days that are more memorable only.

1/25 - 2/10, Summit County, Colorado:
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/139034-1-25-2-10-2017-Summit-County-Colorado?p=970695

 

[jimk]

Keep up the great adventure. I'm trying to track your progress through your posts/threads here. You still have months to go, correct? Stay safe and have fun. I hope every once in a while you will share with us some of your travel lessons-learned and some of your trip highlights on and off the slopes.
I am interested in doing an article on the topic of "ski sabbaticals" and I might want to pick your brain at some point.

 

[abc]

I'm kind of behind in my trip reports. While I'm still catching up on my Colorado stay, I've already moved on to Utah, skiing Park City and Alta/Bird this week. http://forums.alpinezone.com/showth...y-Canyons-amp-Alta-Bird-Tale-of-two-mountains!

Condition at Park City wasn't the best due to rain/wet snow Saturday. So I cut short my stay at Park City and moved over to Salt Lake side. and skied Snowbird & Alta instead. I'll write up a bit more detail in the next couple days.

In the mean time, I've fielded several phone interviews (I got very good at fishing out lodges that has good cell reception and not too noisy), which led to an in person interview next week. So I'll be taking a quick break on my non-stop skiing to fly back east for a bit. That also gives me a chance to pick up a few things I forgot to take when I left home a month ago.

 

[dlague]

I'm kind of behind in my trip reports. While I'm still catching up on my Colorado stay, I've already moved on to Utah, skiing Park City and Alta/Bird this week.

Condition at Park City wasn't the best due to rain/wet snow Saturday. So I cut short my stay at Park City and moved over to Salt Lake side. and skied Snowbird & Alta instead. I'll write up a bit more detail in the next couple days.

In the mean time, I've fielded several phone interviews (I got very good at fishing out lodges that has good cell reception and not too noisy), which led to an in person interview next week. So I'll be taking a quick break on my non-stop skiing to fly back east for a bit. That also gives me a chance to pick up a few things I forgot to take when I left home a month ago.

Awesome on the interview. Too bad about PC.

Sent from my SM-G930P using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[abc]

Yeah, I'm bummed about Park city too. I had high hope for checking it out. But the timing just wasn't the best.

Snowbird is skiing great. It's just high enough to escape the wetness. Tons of snow and blue bird days. Will post pictures later ( heading over there today, before flying back east in the evening )

 

[abc]

After a break back in the east, I picked up some of my forgotten items (a few extra layer, I was cold; another pair of poles WITH POWDER BASKET) and headed back to Salt Lake City.

The weather pattern had completely changed the landscape. While I was away, 30-40" of snow had been dumped on all the Utah mountains. And the forecast is for another foot or so in the Cottonwoods canyons, and Park City too.

Originally, I was going to drive up to Jackson and ski there for 2 days (burn the 2 free days on my MCP pass). But with the forecast of significant snow in Utah the next 36 hrs, I decided to stay at Salt Lake instead. I'll give Park City another chance, now with more snow. Or in the worst case, I could go back to Alta/Snowbird for another day too. Could be epic!

 

[4aprice]

After a break back in the east, I picked up some of my forgotten items (a few extra layer, I was cold; another pair of poles WITH POWDER BASKET) and headed back to Salt Lake City.

The weather pattern had completely changed the landscape. While I was away, 30-40" of snow had been dumped on all the Utah mountains. And the forecast is for another foot or so in the Cottonwoods canyons, and Park City too.

Originally, I was going to drive up to Jackson and ski there for 2 days (burn the 2 free days on my MCP pass). But with the forecast of significant snow in Utah the next 36 hrs, I decided to stay at Salt Lake instead. I'll give Park City another chance, now with more snow. Or in the worst case, I could go back to Alta/Snowbird for another day too. Could be epic!

Nice ABC, Nice. You going to be out there (Ut or Colo) in March?

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[abc]

I'll be touring the west coast. Whistler & California.

Probably back to CO in April on my way home.

 

[snoseek]

So do you think returning to suburbia is going to be a difficult adjustment after all this travelling? Will you maybe start making a plan for a more permanent move, like saving a pile of money-live lean for awhile while working?

 

[jimk]

So do you think returning to suburbia is going to be a difficult adjustment after all this travelling? Will you maybe start making a plan for a more permanent move, like saving a pile of money-live lean for awhile while working?

Good question. The answer really depends on the individual's situation, age, family, finances, etc. After my 9 week ski trip in 2015 I went back to my previous worker bee mode in East and periodic ski tripping vacationer. The thing I miss most was how stronger I felt on skis then because I skied myself into shape, but also because I could ski for all day or just a few hours. I was skiing on my terms, rather than because I had to get the most out of a day ticket or pack as much "fun" into a compressed number of days on vacation. Even earlier in my life when I had a season pass and used a family ski house every weekend there was some of that compulsion to make the most of the weekend warrior mentality because I'd made a three hour drive to the ski house.

 

[abc]

I think it's too early for that question.

As of now, I haven't quite get up to my previous season total yet. So I'm not sure I'm ready to give up what I have in NYC. Just 1/2 hr ago I got a text from my NY friend asking if I'm available to take advantage of a spare opera ticket! (We're talking about the price of a day lift ticket's worth here)

The other side of the coin, I just skied knee deep powder today at the Canyons. We did our last lap as the loftie were flipping the chair up! I'm still floating high with adrenaline 2 hrs later!!! (http://forums.alpinezone.com/showth...2-24-2017-Park-City-UT-Bonus-days-Powder-Daze)

I'll be better able to answer that question when I'm done with the season.

 

[abc]

Will you maybe start making a plan for a more permanent move, like saving a pile of money-live lean for awhile while working?

Upon further reflection, I doubt it would be "living lean" and "saving a pile of money". It's just not my style to 'live lean". I've always live "rich". "Rich" in experience that is, even though some of those "riches" doesn't cost much money (e.g. cycling)

It is however, more appropriate to re-examine my priorities. Skiing is one of the most expensive of my many hobbies. So cutting back on other hobby isn't going to make much of a den on my finance nor would it go too far to help my skiing addiction. Unless of course, if you count living in NYC being one of the biggest "hobby" (which it is to a degree: opera and Broadway shows pretty much requires living within short distance of NYC, so does good authentic ethnic food).

So there're however, rooms for change in terms of lifestyle though. THAT, would be the trade-off in priority that I'll look very closely after the season.