Diamond Peak Uphill/Downhill Dash

Pano from the Snowflake Lodge.

Last week, I participated in the Uphill/Downhill Dash at Diamond Peak.  It worked out well as it started at 7 am, and we were done by 9.  So I could get back to the family by 10 am.  The part that didn't work out so well was when I took the wrong turn and ended up back at the base of the mountain instead of mid-mountain.  That error cost me some prizes, as I came in 4th, and would have definitely come in 3rd, if not fighting for 1st.  Alas... I think all the prizes were Diamond Peak related (i.e. season pass, then a few tickets, and some food coupons).  Anyway, it was really fun.  And they hooked you up with breakfast of anything on the menu at Snowflake Lodge, which covered the 10$ entry free IMO.  I hope I get to do a few more of these in the near future.  It's really the only time you push yourself so hard skinning.  And the only time I really feel the altitude in Tahoe.  So the three races like this I know of are:

• This race...
• Billy Dutton Uphill @ Squaw - I hear this one is awesome too
• Bear Valley Adventure Race - which I participated in a few years ago.  I'd love to do that again.  

I think this lodge is the best part about Diamond Peak.  Look at the view... and happy hour from 2 pm on.  Then a drunken ski down to your car.  That sounds fun.

At the start.  It was an anything goes race. And the guy that came in 1st ran up in his spiked Solomon shoes.  I passed him before I made the wrong turn...

Big Blue!

Here's the track: http://app.strava.com/activities/118717062

Weekly Pano: Schallenberger Ridge

L to R: Mt. Rose, North Star, Monument Peak, Anderson, Tinker Knob, Sugar Bowl, Castle Peak

From the Environ House on Donner Lake, there are some backcountry skiing options (more when there is an average amount of snow).  This time, I went full on bushwacking for a good hour plus to get about 10 turns in.  Oh well... it's still more fun then reading the New Yorker.

Here's Bob Burd's description http://www.snwburd.com/bob/trip_reports/judah_4.html

Here's the strava link: http://www.strava.com/activities/118881862

Weekly Pano: East Bay Bike Party!!!

Is pretty awesome.  Check it out if you are in town on the second Friday of the Month.  http://eastbaybikeparty.wordpress.com/  It's hard to describe, but it's like Critical Mass, w/o as much chaos, no confrontation, and more partying.  I'm sure around a 1000 folks show up, a dozen or so folks with huge PA systems hooked up to their cargo bike, some with lamp oil torches, disco balls, turn tables, etc.  Not sure how long the ride goes for, but I've done it three times now and I've peeled off after around 20 miles... I love representing on my Coker.  This was from last Friday with Toro.  Ran into Vince as well.

10 days in Tahoe! (First Spring Break in Tahoe)

So for Nikko's first Tahoe trip we decided to stay up at our family cabin rental in Tahoe Donner for a full week + a few.  Although it happened to be Ski Week, the weather was spring-like... making snow play with Kai easy and fun.  Nikko did great in the car, on the snow, everywhere.

• day 1 (V-day): skied Alpine with J. Chase
• day 2: dawn patrol with Dres, short run around the hood
• day 3: group snow play (Kimbo got sick), skate ski 
• day 4: snow play (used the Chariot for the first time), skate ski
• day 5: went to Truckee and picked up some used AT boots for Kimbo, ski boots for Kai, and Skate Ski boots for me! Then went skate skiing.  Stefan joined us that night.  
• day 6: Went up to Castle Pass for the day.  Threw Kai in the Chariot for naptime!  Met up with Stefan (who skied his first day at Sugar Bowl) at the Mellow Fellow for a drink.  
• day 7: Snow play in the morning (Stefan on his Muni), then we rented fat bikes and rode Emigrant trail, and then went ice skating at North Star (free! just pay for rentals).
• day 8: took Kai to Squaw Valley to ski.  Skate skied in the afternoon, then hit up the hot tubs
• day 9: went sledding with Hoefts.  Skate skied in the afternoon
• day 10: snow play in the morning, then drove home.  Caught the sunset from skyline.  

Kai at Alpine with Kimbo, who just skied her first turns in a couple of years...

Bath Time!!!

The group shot... sans Kimbo, who was sick for the day....

Test run on the Chariot!

Got Kai outfitted with some new boots, and Jack's skis!

At Castle Pass for the first family BC tour.

Ice Skating at North Star!

Great combo... unis and ski chariots.

Stefan's butt has been muddy Fat Biked.... 

Kai on his first lift ride ever! (at Squaw)

Group Shot with the Hoefts...

Notice the kids aren't smiling...

First Family Backcountry Skiing Mission... a success!

The day before, we had gone into Truckee and stumbled into the Sports Exchange... which happened to be newly managed by Murph, one of Metres' friends.  Anyway, they sell consigned gear there and so we picked up tiny ski boots for Kai, an AT boot for Kimbo, and a skate boot for me.  A fantastic stop!  So the next day we decided to head out to the Donner Pass Sno-park and ski out to Castle Pass for a family outing.  The day turned out to be perfect.  Beautiful day, easy skinning, and when Nikko was hungry we stopped and Kai got to practice skiing!  After lunch, it was naptime and Kai took a short nap on our way back to the trailhead.  Voila!

The fam!

Kai telling Kimbo to "hurry up!"

staying hydrated

Kai getting some turns

Nikko's attire

Lunch time!

Kimbo loving her new boots.  Her foot grew a bit due to pregnancy and so her old boots hurt.  Check out that smile!

Squaw!!!

So far this year, I've skied 3 hours at Alpine, then 3 hours at Squaw, and on my third day at a resort, I got an 11:30 start and got to ski for 4 hours.  It was too gusty for many of the lifts to open, including Granite, Emigrant, Headwall... but Shirley and Siberia were really fun.  Even KT was ok, although the snow conditions were a lot better up high.  The creamy pow provided enough cushion for my landings... my back wasn't even all that sore today.

Here's my 3rd day resort skiing:


This year has been quite mellow for me.  I've been skate skiing 6 days, and gone on 3 mellow tours with the fam (Nikko in the ergo, and Kai in the ski pulk... so REALLY mellow).   So it was really fun to jump off things...

FAT bikes with Stefan...

Fat bike are all the rage... and I've been yearning to hop on one.  So after a quick play in the snow with Kai, Kimbo, and the crazy German riding a uni on snow...

We did our best to forget about this horrendous ski season and got ourselves some fat bikes from The Backcountry and rode Emigrant Trail! The vid doesn't show the squishy fun we were having, but this was awesome.  It felt like the first time I rode a mtn bike after riding dirt on BMX for so long...



here are some more pics from the day's adventures.

muddy trails + fat bikes with no fenders...

Kai gave the fat bike a thumbs up!

Here's the strava link... we turned around when I got a flat... and had to run back a bit... I'd love to try to ride one down Sun Bowl.  

So who's gonna buy the Mongoose Beast with me?  We could just leave it up in Tahoe... 

http://www.strava.com/activities/114814145