For perspective we are only at about 95% of average for snowfall so far this season.  These powder shots are just “average” or even slightly “below average” for Utah.   I’n the past month I’ve  done lots of resort riding, splitboarding and even some pow surfing.  I have been so lucky to ride so much with my family and friends.  It’s nice for a  41 year old weekend warrior like me to have the storms line up with my holiday vacations.  Let’s just say I took advantage of my time off!

RESORT RIDING

They call this zone “Hokkaido” at Brighton. Obviously named after pow zones of Japan.

My teenage son throwing up pow plumes at Snowbird.

Snowbird can be frustrating with closures, crowds, angry tourists and locals, but sometimes you will have the run of your life that keeps you going back!

My wife rips Snowbird! Give it up to the mom shredders out there!

Avalanche danger had many frustrating closures at Snowbird and I wasn’t about to venture out in the backcountry either.

The catwalks made for some fun jumps at Snowbird!

Snowbird

Brighton

Brighton

POW SURFING, NO BINDINGS

About to drop without bindings.  Yes my heart is pounding.  You really have to think about your line.  It is not like you can come to an instant stop like you can on your snowboard.  You really have to surf the mountain, think ahead even more than usual.  It is super addicting.

You can see my line in the center.  Not to brag but I think it is so much more fluid than the ski and snowboard tracks to my skiers left and right.

Deep powder turns on a board without bindings might be the ultimate high in powder snowboarding and skiing.

Self portrait

SPLITBOARDING

Always grateful to get a shot of me.  I invested in an airbag this season.  Float 22 BCA.  Good day pack, but pack light.  the Float 32 might be better for those that like to pack a bit more than the essentials.

Fall is my favorite time to visit Moab and the desert!  Go out and ride!

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Nicaragua

I  lived in Colorado for 4 years before the winters of Utah drew me away permanently.  I had the best summer of my life and the worst winter of my life in Crested Butte.  I am a Utah powder snob after all.  But seriously, Crested Butte in summer is one of the most amazing places to ride a mountain bike and I try to go back when I can.  I have mountain biked some incredible places, but for me nothing compares to the Butte!

Upper Upper Loop and Snodgrass

Lush singletrack, yes please!

Sometimes the ride to the ride isn’t all that bad.

Don’t be fooled, the buff is always followed by some technical.  That is one of the reasons I love the trails here!

Just a typical view while riding.

Did I mention Crested Butte is world famous for its wildflowers?

Trail 401

Trail 401 is probably the most popular trail in the Butte.  After a long slog up to Schofield Pass and then another mile or two up some steep singletrack at treeline you are blessed with one of the most scenic descents around in the world, for real, in the world.  High alpine riding with wildflowers and some real technical sections thrown in make this ride unforgettable.  It is a must do classic for anyone who rides!

Can you see the singletrack going across that mountain?

Don’t crash enjoying the views through wildflowers!

The climb up was scenic but lung busting at this elevation!

My wife enjoys the down more than the up, don’t blame her!

Mt Crested Butte

Monarch Crest Trail/Silver Creek/Rainbow

This is an absolute must classic up there with the Whole Enchilada in Moab.  This is high alpine riding at its finest.  You get dropped off at the top of Monarch pass, riding over 35 miles with most of it singletrack and downhill.  This is not an easy ride though, there is some lung busting climbing at close to 12,000ft  and some wicked long descents that will push even the best.  The Silver Creek section is a personal favorite piece of trail I have ever done. It is all downhill  and every type of riding mixed in, plus it just keeps giving, it is unreal!  Be ready to be self sufficient though since you are deep in the backcountry and it is a long day in the saddle. No bike mechanicals wanted out here. Sorry I don’t have more pictures of Silver Creek my mind and body were to preoccupied with flowing down the trail.  Rainbow section is up and down but super flowy and ends with a steep and rowdy downhill.  This is an epic ride on so many levels.

Just riding some singletrack above treeline.

Yes I am stoked to be here and away from my windowless office!

My wife probably has more fun than me.

Doctor’s Park 

Another Classic.  Really long climb up but super scenic.  I think it is like 12 miles of climbing for 7.5 miles of descending.  But truth is that descent might rank as one of the best pieces of singleltrack around. Once again no real pictures of the rowdy downhills, kinda preoccupied from not crashing.

River crossing at the top of the dirt road climb crossing  to the doubletrack climb.  I am tenderfooted so I thew some flip flops in my pack.  Not a bad idea since a lot of rides in the Butte have real river crossings.

You are looking at a small portion of the doubletrack climb after the river.  Be ready to go up at the Butte to go down.

After the ride hang a hammock next to the river and forget all about your cell phone and tv!

Reno/Flag/Bear/Deadmans Loop

I think this is the most XC loop in the Butte.  Probably the only ride you may come across people on hardtail 29rs people seem to love so much in Utah.  Most of the trails in the Butte warrant a full suspension rig, preferably a true trail bike with 5 plus inches of travel.  But you do a lot of climbing out here and you need something that can go up as well as go down some real terrain.  This trail has some super flow and is super scenic like all the trails.  3 climbs up with 3 downs.   The last downhill is technical and rooty.  Real mountainbiking!

Did I mention how flowy this trail can be?

Miles of flow, yes please!!

Town Trails

After riding almost 200 miles in a week it was time to head out.  Ended the trip with the trails right out of town.  Not bad views from town!

Singletrack in flowers with a view never gets old.

Kebler Pass

If your drive home can take you over Kebler Pass I highly recommend it.  Some of the best camping and aspens forests.

I’ll be honest, this is far from the best winter I have had in the Wasatch.  Saying that, I still rather have a bad year in Utah than an epic winter in most places.  So what have I been doing with myself this winter? Lots of resort riding, lots of splitboarding and even some more surfing.  I am feeling lucky to still score pow and waves this winter.  Stay stoked!

The views from Snowbird Tram.

Dave Suhre enjoying the pow! Even in a bad winter we still get waist deep days!

Dave Suhre sends a cliff on Baldy at Snowbird.

Dave Suhre enjoys the fresh at Snowbird. 

Devon King sends a method at Snowbird. 

Jesse Coss playing in the powder at Snowbird.

Jon Schofield rips some pow on his splitboard in Silver Fork.

Jon Schofield slashing in the sun on his splitboard in Silver Fork.

Jon Schofield rips some pow in LCC on his splitboard.

This is me ripping powder at Snowbird!

Me again, not too bad for a 40 year old! Snowboarding keeps you young!

My wife Melanie enjoys the fresh snow at Snowbird. I love that smile. Go team mom!

Full moon splitboard tour up at Brighton.

Tony Madrid keeps an eye on the moose on a recent splitboard tour out of the Canyons.

Pete Wurster, owner of Unity Snowboards, enjoys a splitboard tour out of the Canyons.

My son finally is big enough to have a splitboard. Here he is on his way to the top of Patsy Marley via Grizzly Gulch.

My son Sam stands on top of Patsy Marley.

Just because it was his first tour on a splitboard, doesn’t mean he is a stranger to powder!

Sam quickly learns the benefits of splitboarding!

Jon and Quin head up for another lap in Silver Fork.

Yeah when it snows in Utah, it usually dumps!

February wasn’t all powder for me. I actually surfed as many days in California as I got on my board in Utah for the month!

Warm temps and offshore winds, what more could you ask for!

Take me back!!!!

Since winters no longer exist out in the Western U.S., I decided to head to California for some surf.

 

Scoring!!!!!

 

 

With all the epic waves, the pros were stacking footage for their latest videos or trying to score a cover shot!

If you look closely, you can see the surfer on the outside wave. Gives you a good idea of how big the swell was in some spots.

Can you spot the 3 surfers about to get crushed by this closeout bomb? “When the wave breaks here, don’t be there, or you are going to get drilled.”, says Turtle from the movie North Shore.

Only in SoCal!

Slashing!

Empty lefts.

Sunsets were not to shabby.

Seriously the waves were perfect!

 

Three major storms in 2 weeks brought about “Powder Panic” in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains.  The first storm was so serious that half of Snowbird Resort remained closed for 3 days!

The next storm would roll in a couple days later.

After the storm cleared it was time to enjoy the fresh snow and sun on the splitboards.

Another storm was right on the heels!  The resorts in both of Utah’s Cottonwood Canyons were firing for days!

With Snowbird getting tracked out, it was time to go back out on the splitboards.  All of the terrain shown in this post of us splitboarding is threatened by One Wasatch and the Alta expansion.  Not only will this terrain be lost to backcountry use, but snowboarding will be banned with Alta’s expansion.  Sad day when more of the Wasatch will be shut down to snowboarding!

The forecast was saying the storm was going to split, and if we were lucky we might see 6 inches. Over a foot later, no one was complaining. A Northwest flow had set up over Little Cottonwood Canyon delivering  a sneaky storm that many did not get out of bed for. It was an amazing day at Snowbird with my youngest son.

My 15 yr old son Sam enjoys the fluff at Snowbird!

Sam sends it!

Sam enjoys the whiteroom.

No line at 9:25 am for some incredible runs!

Snowbird had early trams and donuts for season pass holders!

Though we haven’t had much snow lately and have had record warm temperatures, it hasn’t kept us from getting out and enjoying the mountains. Pray for snow!

Super fun day with my son up at Snowbird. Season is finally off to a proper start!

First day at Snowbird 2014, with lots of pictures of Little Cottonwood Canyon snow

Pow Surfing is a throwback to our roots.  Riding deep powder without bindings gives you the true snow surf feel!

Early season powder surfing by Forrest

Here’s some pictures from a quick splitboard tour up Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.  Conditions are thin, but still felt good to get back on the snow.

Had a nice Fall weekend in Moab, Utah and wanted to share some pictures from the trip.  Started things off with the Intrepid Trails at Dead Horse Point State Park!

Mountain Bike Adventures in Moab, Utah

After a good warm up day we were ready to tackle the Whole Enchilada. Probably one of the most epic mountain bike rides in the USA!  26 miles of downhill starting at 11, 200ft Burro Pass and ending at 4,000ft at the Colorado River.  Even though it is mainly downhill, you still pedal a ton!  I have been riding in Moab, Utah since 1994, however I have never been able to do the Whole Enchilada until this past October.  In Spring there is too much snow, come summer I am off to other adventures and I avoid the desert heat.  Come fall there is usually an early snowstorm shutting down the starting point on Burro Pass.  This year things aligned for me.

Ended the weekend with a Mag 7 ride!