Despite low snow conditions around the Western US, I had a great season traveling to 2- and 4-star Freeride World Qualifier events, freeskiing at my home resorts of Alta and Crested Butte and touring in the Wasatch, Uintas and Crested Butte backcountry!

Flylow Gear, Ramp, Flyin Ryan, Soul Poles, Pit Viper

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 headed down to Taos Ski Valley for my first ever Freeride World Tour Qualifier 4 Star event with a bunch of hooligans, better known as my teammates, from the Western State Mountain Sports Big Mountain Team.  Conditions were not good when we arrived for inspection of the venue, but the forecast called for snow for days.  After months of promises this winter, the forecast sounded like more of the same.

We woke up to a pleasant surprise as it was nuking, but that came with its own set of problems.  Taos Ski Valley is a rocky place, and the foot of new snow now meant we couldn’t see the sharks lurking just below the surface.  Adding to that was the problem of visibility.  It’s hard to judge a competition that you can’t see.  The organizers did the best they could with a “split judging” format where some of the judges took positions on the upper part of the venue, while others remained at the bottom.  Realizing they would be running competitors intermittently between squalls meant there was no way to run all the groups on Thursday.  They cut the men loose for the day, and we took full advantage!

With more snow overnight, the venue was really shaping up now.  What a difference a couple of days can make when you’re experiencing a 100 year storm cycle!  An intended early chair load slipped past as Patrol worked diligently to control the venue for potential avalanche hazards.  A quick inspection lap and the men were up.  Limited visibility, variable snow conditions and hidden sharks made for challenging runs.  I caught a shark as I sent my final air, pitching me forward and spoiling my clean landing.

My disappointment at missing the cut for the finals was short lived as we awoke on Saturday to the deepest conditions of my life!  The combination of super deep pow and ripper skiers and boarders made for high stoke all over the mountain!  But it wasn’t over yet.  Piling into the van at the end of the day, completely worked, we sped back to Gunnison in time for a foot of fresh at Crested Butte Mountain Resort!

This turned into one of the most memorable weekends of my life.  I can’t wait for some more snow!  Winter isn’t over yet!

I had a very progressive and fun season, traveling to new places and competing all around the Western US. I worked on throwing more tricks off of natural jumps and cliffs.  Near the end of this edit you’ll get to experience the biggest air of my life!

I traveled to a bunch of cool places for competitions; Grand Targhee, Big Sky, Crested Butte, and Breckenridge on top of my standbys of Park City Mountain Resort, Alta and Snowbird. Overall I had a super fun season, and I’m stoked for this upcoming season!