Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Yeah! Bend Bicyle Film Festival Inspired me!
A great weekend in the dirt, and watching those in the dirt on Friday. Here's how we do it in Bend, OR. Some of the over 150 volunteers in the COTA Spring Fling work party put in some new mtn. bike trail on Funner.
"Get off your tails, and build some trails!"
Friday, April 10, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
This is a really funnysnow report today...
WARNING NSFW
- Long-winded diatribe on Mt. Bachelor below
While I feel for Mt. Bachelor's snow reporter / spokesman, who's has been diligent in reporting and communicating the mountain's message much better than in the past, I can't help but use my own space to offload on some of my thoughts on this year's Mt. Bachelor snowriding season...
First off, after last year's debacle, and firing of the heads of a dysfunctional organization, POWDR had a very tough job coming into this year. Years of neglect since their takeover of the mountain had seen what was once N. America's perennial "Best Lift System", had become what many now called, "Brokedown Mountain". Safety allegations, disgruntled employee stories, we had heard or read it all...
So, from my perspective, when someone asked my participation in a focus group for the mountain, I took the opportunity very seriously, since after having spent 10 winters in living in Bend, and having ridden the mountain since childhood I felt I had some valuable information which might (for nothing else but at least in my own self-interest!) keep the mountain running. I let them know that the main objective was to "do what you say, and say what you do", something their GM wrote up on the board as one of many issues of possible concern. I told him that was the most important thing they could do, especially in regards to keeping the lifts running, which we all agreed upon was a prerequisite to customer satisfaction and their continued business success.
Most of a season later, I have to laugh at the snow report today, and many others I have read this year. The communication HAS been much better, although they haven't really changed a thing on the format of their report. Lots more honesty, at least, but glaring examples of how far there still is to go in creating better channels of communication among their own organization. Better spring hours communication lead to their decision to close the Sunrise lodge (but not lift), and this decision promptly hits them in the ass when the mtn closes down, except for the the Sunrise lift, which they have locked off as closed.
This brings up the next point, which is the truly timid (or unfunded) nature in which they now run this mountain. I remember, as a youngster and in later trips under the old management when they regularly ran Summit, (and later NWX) through snow and windy conditions, In fact my take-away memory of skiing Mt. Bachelor when young was the orange and green balls they put up to guide you down the run when it was so socked in and windy that you could barely see the next one. Maybe not my funnest memory, but still, they were OPEN. -40 windchill -yep 12-24" of new snow - yep all but the windiest days - yep. And they staffed the mountain with the objective of opening regularly, on time, and with a smile. Now a few employees (compared to the previous ownership) take on the big task of trying to open the entire mountain (1 or 2 lifts at a time) while the public is on the hill and waiting. This is the main cause of frustration amongst the public - They get to wait and watch and bitch, instead of arriving to on-schedule and reliable mountain lift service.
Reliable lift service brings me to my last point, which is crowds, and line management. The first and foremost thing Mt. Bachelor could do about crowding and lift lines (IMHO) is to run the lifts. Simple as that sounds, the Bachelor lift system, when in full operation at regularly scheduled opening times, rarely produces large lines.
Probably due to complaints about how "unfair" the current line system is, management is currently "testing" new ways to improve throughput onto the chairs by taking advantage of all the closed lifts to capture the crowd, and try new techniques for scanning and loading riders. This involved shutting down half the liftline the other day, and forcing everyone to run around to one side and group up in fours before gaining access to the turnstiles.
Debate is going on about how and if this could speed up loading of the chairs, but let's face it, full-speed on time chairs clear things out better than any new line scheme.
My own two cents on the lift line issue (maybe more now that I look back at this rant!) is that there will always be people in a hurry, and people waiting for others in their group. The objective of any line system should be to remove those passengers who are "not yet ready to fly" from the maze of people trying to load the chair. It would seem that the most sensible idea would be to create several gates for people to enter with their pass, then allow those that want to load to do so, while moving those that are not ready to the side. If this system produces a "line" inside the corral of passholders, then an employee can assist in helping to group four at a time. This seems less labor intensive, and more sensible all the way around.
After all, if the singles line is open, and you are in a hurry, you can always step on up on get on the chair, rather than wait in line - That's the way it's been wherever I have been in the West, and the reason nobody complains at those resorts is cause those lifts work, and open reliably.
While I feel for Mt. Bachelor's snow reporter / spokesman, who's has been diligent in reporting and communicating the mountain's message much better than in the past, I can't help but use my own space to offload on some of my thoughts on this year's Mt. Bachelor snowriding season...
First off, after last year's debacle, and firing of the heads of a dysfunctional organization, POWDR had a very tough job coming into this year. Years of neglect since their takeover of the mountain had seen what was once N. America's perennial "Best Lift System", had become what many now called, "Brokedown Mountain". Safety allegations, disgruntled employee stories, we had heard or read it all...
So, from my perspective, when someone asked my participation in a focus group for the mountain, I took the opportunity very seriously, since after having spent 10 winters in living in Bend, and having ridden the mountain since childhood I felt I had some valuable information which might (for nothing else but at least in my own self-interest!) keep the mountain running. I let them know that the main objective was to "do what you say, and say what you do", something their GM wrote up on the board as one of many issues of possible concern. I told him that was the most important thing they could do, especially in regards to keeping the lifts running, which we all agreed upon was a prerequisite to customer satisfaction and their continued business success.
Most of a season later, I have to laugh at the snow report today, and many others I have read this year. The communication HAS been much better, although they haven't really changed a thing on the format of their report. Lots more honesty, at least, but glaring examples of how far there still is to go in creating better channels of communication among their own organization. Better spring hours communication lead to their decision to close the Sunrise lodge (but not lift), and this decision promptly hits them in the ass when the mtn closes down, except for the the Sunrise lift, which they have locked off as closed.
This brings up the next point, which is the truly timid (or unfunded) nature in which they now run this mountain. I remember, as a youngster and in later trips under the old management when they regularly ran Summit, (and later NWX) through snow and windy conditions, In fact my take-away memory of skiing Mt. Bachelor when young was the orange and green balls they put up to guide you down the run when it was so socked in and windy that you could barely see the next one. Maybe not my funnest memory, but still, they were OPEN. -40 windchill -yep 12-24" of new snow - yep all but the windiest days - yep. And they staffed the mountain with the objective of opening regularly, on time, and with a smile. Now a few employees (compared to the previous ownership) take on the big task of trying to open the entire mountain (1 or 2 lifts at a time) while the public is on the hill and waiting. This is the main cause of frustration amongst the public - They get to wait and watch and bitch, instead of arriving to on-schedule and reliable mountain lift service.
Reliable lift service brings me to my last point, which is crowds, and line management. The first and foremost thing Mt. Bachelor could do about crowding and lift lines (IMHO) is to run the lifts. Simple as that sounds, the Bachelor lift system, when in full operation at regularly scheduled opening times, rarely produces large lines.
Probably due to complaints about how "unfair" the current line system is, management is currently "testing" new ways to improve throughput onto the chairs by taking advantage of all the closed lifts to capture the crowd, and try new techniques for scanning and loading riders. This involved shutting down half the liftline the other day, and forcing everyone to run around to one side and group up in fours before gaining access to the turnstiles.
Debate is going on about how and if this could speed up loading of the chairs, but let's face it, full-speed on time chairs clear things out better than any new line scheme.
My own two cents on the lift line issue (maybe more now that I look back at this rant!) is that there will always be people in a hurry, and people waiting for others in their group. The objective of any line system should be to remove those passengers who are "not yet ready to fly" from the maze of people trying to load the chair. It would seem that the most sensible idea would be to create several gates for people to enter with their pass, then allow those that want to load to do so, while moving those that are not ready to the side. If this system produces a "line" inside the corral of passholders, then an employee can assist in helping to group four at a time. This seems less labor intensive, and more sensible all the way around.
After all, if the singles line is open, and you are in a hurry, you can always step on up on get on the chair, rather than wait in line - That's the way it's been wherever I have been in the West, and the reason nobody complains at those resorts is cause those lifts work, and open reliably.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Spring Storms on Track...
Doesn't this one kind of look like a big wave, breaking towards California? Water Vapor Imagery from a loop at:
http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/loopsat.php?wfo=pdt&area=nw&type=wv&size=4
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Ahhh, Warmth and Relaxation...
Big, Stormy North Shore Surf...
Chillin' at the Pool
Stormy Kuilima Point Surf - In front of the Turtle Bay Resort....
Chillin' at the Pool
Stormy Kuilima Point Surf - In front of the Turtle Bay Resort....
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The vids....
Oooh my back kind of hurts:
Second time around, everyone gets their lines dialed
Finally, I just set up at the top of my first hit, and let everyone else go flyin' by...
More, More More!
G Money in Action on the North Trees of Peak 2
Practicing for North Shore Barrel time:
Where's Colonel?
Practicing for North Shore Barrel time:
Where's Colonel?
Willamette Pass is Steep!
Here's a reading from the trees next to RTS - The famed speed skiing course....
It was fun, fun, fun in the trees today at the Pass - Thursday opening meant no tracks, and lots of fun lines:
Here's the meat huckers, heading for the obvious line under the chair...
It was fun, fun, fun in the trees today at the Pass - Thursday opening meant no tracks, and lots of fun lines:
Here's the meat huckers, heading for the obvious line under the chair...
Thursday, March 5, 2009
This is Heavenly?
Got suckerd into Tahoe's infamous "Gaper Alley" on the advice of our local host and ended up in this clusterf*&k, with 4' of wet snow, and no steep slopes to get away from anyone. I'm surprised Colonel didn't get arrested!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Back to Ball Butte for some turns!
http://www.sallgoodsports.com/photos/swfpopup.mg?AlbumID=7403203&AlbumKey=qAebS
Here's Tapper shot from the day!
Headed out with Tapper and Kurt for some sled-assisted turns out on Ball Butte - We were thinking of Broken Top's Pucker Face (Middle Left line on BT, below) but it had slid out pretty good, and that aspect was not holding the best snow...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Air to Turn photo at Bachey today...
A phototgrapher friend (Grant Myrdal) shot a couple of pics 
of me up at the hill today - doing turn-to-air-to-turn jumps on the bumps on Thunderbird. They can be viewed on the daily galleries with the following link.
(Click on the < (BACK) button to view them in sequence...)
http://mtbachelor.smugmug.com/gallery/7290537_C5zsN/1/#468757159_cQXEC-A-LB
Kind of fun day, with a little much-needed wet snow to stick to all the ice. Cover that and the downed trees up with about 2', and we might have a real reboot. Weather, sez maybe, we'll have to wait and see.
of me up at the hill today - doing turn-to-air-to-turn jumps on the bumps on Thunderbird. They can be viewed on the daily galleries with the following link.
(Click on the < (BACK) button to view them in sequence...)
http://mtbachelor.smugmug.com/gallery/7290537_C5zsN/1/#468757159_cQXEC-A-LB
Kind of fun day, with a little much-needed wet snow to stick to all the ice. Cover that and the downed trees up with about 2', and we might have a real reboot. Weather, sez maybe, we'll have to wait and see.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
How's this season Stack up vs. others??
Here's a chart I Made from Mt. B's track your turns web app. It tracks each of the previous 5 year's snowriding, and shows how much I have been up this season in comparison to year's past. This sheet DOES include 8 days (almost 200,000 of vertical) from the Big Sky and Jackson Hole trips this year. Without those numbers this year would be looking pretty grim.
Hope, Pray, or ask your higher power to provide some snow, please!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
We were obviously NOT the dumbest people in Jacskon last week!
Back safe and sound from a great trip in Jackson, although there were several avy burials, four lost folks in the JH sidecountry, and then this video shows up of a Montana local on a sled - sheesh....
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Ice, then High Pressure + Swell = Ore Coast Surf Trip
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This was just 'right out front' of the beach house yesterday. I got surf everyday while here this week, and right now, the forecast looks pretty darn good for the weekend...
Thursday, January 8, 2009
In all my years...
I've never seen anything like this up at Mt. B. I went up after the major NW Ice Storm, and found 100's of trees like this one - a "Lawn Dart" from the frozen top of the tree has broken off, and landed straight down into the snow. Glad I wasn't making a turn underneath Skyliner run yesterday...
Even Sunrise Life (which was the only thing running for most of the day) apparently took some abuse. This is one of the chairs that ended up broken after the storm, and had to be taken off during the middle of the day.
Another downed tree, near rainbow - Hundreds, if not more are down all over the place, Mt. B is working on clearing the runs, but the trees will be a dangerous place this year, as stuff like this might be below every drop.
Be Careful up there! They "promised me" that Summit and NW would be open by 1:30 tomorrow...
Even Sunrise Life (which was the only thing running for most of the day) apparently took some abuse. This is one of the chairs that ended up broken after the storm, and had to be taken off during the middle of the day.
Another downed tree, near rainbow - Hundreds, if not more are down all over the place, Mt. B is working on clearing the runs, but the trees will be a dangerous place this year, as stuff like this might be below every drop.
Be Careful up there! They "promised me" that Summit and NW would be open by 1:30 tomorrow...
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Yesterday's Rippin' Run down Rainbow
Hiked the Summit yesterday before it opened later this afternoon via real live lifts. Good turns, including these above Rainbow:
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