USA 2006 - PART 3

April 1st - Day Off

After a hard week and a few beers the night before I decided that I would have a day at home. Mike and the guys were all working so I had an extra few hours in bed before watching some football.

One slight problem though, I am desperate for the toilet, there's no toilet paper and I have no key to get back into the room! With a couple of bits of newspaper, some of Mike's Bounce sheets and an iron will I survived until 2pm til the inevitable!

Kyp and Nikki were heading down to the cinema and then to the bowling alley. Not fancying the movie I dropped them off and headed back to the ranch for a night of beer and snacks before my final day in Keystone.

April 2nd - You Try Coming Down Here On Teles!!!

Roy and I were heading to Loveland(2410ft, 1365a) which, as the closest to Denver, I was worried would be busy on a Sunday. Roy and I would set off at 10am and agreed that if Mike were to get shunted he would also join us. With an hour to spare Roy waxed all our skis and eventually the three amigos were ready to hit Loveland.

The sun was shining and after a little argument regarding tickets we decided to wait until the half day tickets started. Our first run of the day in earnest was from the top of what used to be the highest quad in North America. The views were incredible but almost as you would expect the wind was howling. Roy was preparing for his tele exam the following day and was finding the conditions particularly testing. I could not help but laugh every time he said "you try coming down here on teles".

We headed for the majority of the afternoon over to chairs 4 and 8 and the conditions were exceptional. Lots of untracked powder, no lift lines and great company. We concentrated on getting some good action shots and it was a laugh a minute as Roy and I managed to annoy Mike and his attempts to capture us on film and video. We would fall over, go the wrong way and generally muck up to the bemusement of Mike. On one such run Roy had linked a good dozen turns together but went behind instead of in front of Mike who was capturing it all on video. Mike's immortal line of "keep going, keep going… oh keep going... wrong way you f**king useless b**tard" brings a smile to my face no matter how many times I hear it. As Mike turns around he finds Roy in a heap in deep snow. Fabulous day.

One peculiar aspect to Loveland is at the end of the day when you have to take your skis off and walk through a treacherous underground tunnel underneath I-70. It was almost like going down the mines!

A nice cold Guinness to end the day we picked up all our gear from the ski school in Keystone and headed back to the ranch. Nikki joined us for a burger and we did a little shopping before we said our goodbyes to Roy who I personally hope to ski with again in the future. Top guy.

Packing up I was amazed that Mike managed to get all his kit into his large bag. Tomorrow we were off on the road and would be leaving Keystone for one last time.

April 3rd - No Sleep

Monday was the Keystone employee day at Aspen Snowmass(4406ft, 3128a) and our plan was for Mike, Nikki and I to drive to Snowmass and meet everyone else before we headed to Salt Lake City for a few days. Nikki would fly back to Denver while Mike and I would end our trip in Wyoming and Montana.

Another early start saw us on the slopes shortly after 10am having stopped for a lovely breakfast at the Red Rock Diner in Carbondale. We headed up to the Cirque at 12510ft and after a short wait as the poma was broken down we gathered the troops together and headed down the Cirque Headwall. The snow was average but after a hard trip I was really struggling. Catching edges and generally not having fun.

After separating from the rest of the group Mike, Nikki and I went off and had some fun. As the day went on we found some superb stuff in the Hanging Garden area. The 6" of fresh snow overnight provided us with some great turns and our opinion of Snowmass began to turn.

Heading on our way on the 420 mile journey to Salt Lake City and knowing the road I made good time and did it easily in under 6 hours but driving for such a long distance in the dark with so many wild animals and police cars takes its toll and I was both tired and psyched up and at 3am I was still totally awake.

On route however I had used my long distance sight to spot a patrol car around 2 miles behind us. Slowing to the speed limit I allowed them to pass us and stayed a decent distance behind. Mike and I laughed at the number of cars that roared past unaware of the police only to pull in behind the police car and stick to the limit!

Despite reading for a bit using a small torch under my covers I was getting more wound up so decided to get up, have a shower and go to the car and get some gas and sit and read until day break!

April 4th - Tom Wilson-North

After no sleep at all I was hardly champing at the bit to make our way to Powder Mountain(2100ft, 5500a). Having been up all night and finding the temperature to be in the mid teens and raining at various times I doubted that we would see the best of one of my favourite mountains.

Sure enough we arrived at the resort to find overcast skies and above freezing temperatures. We waited for Tom Wilson-North, who Mike and I had met in 2004 in Utah, along with two of his friends to arrive before heading out.

In truth the conditions were pretty mediocre and by mid morning both myself and Nikki were quite prepared to jack it in but Mike was keen to continue a little longer. Extremely sticky it was virtually impossible to ski the off-piste corn so I stuck to the groomers but by 11.30 we had had enough so we headed down to the lodge for a large helping of chilli cheesy fries.

The afternoon's entertainment came in two halves. First up was Tom Wilson-North! Firstly he decided to use a wooden table outside to session and was told by ski patrol to wise up. So, he decided that he would steal a couple of their shovels and build a kicker and try all sorts of weird and wonderful tricks. His attempts made us laugh from the window and even more so when patrol came a calling again and Tom legged it into the lodge and hid behind a coke machine and then downstairs as we all sniggered and laughed as the patrollers looked around the room.

After Tom was finished Mike, Nikki and I headed down to the bar for an afternoon of Champions League football. AC Milan defeated Lyon 3-1 and we washed the action down with a few beers. A decent end to the afternoon and after saying our goodbyes to Tom and his crew we headed back to Salt Lake City where I was due to go and see the Utah Jazz take on against the defending NBA champions San Antonio Spurs.

After a shower and a change Nikki decided he would join me although Mike decided against it. We headed up and eventually got Nikki a ticket and after Nikki was refused service at one bar we both got our drinks and grabbed a seat in the front row of the second tier.

The Spurs were simply untouchable in the opening half and at one point led by 24 points. Sensing a damp squib on the cards I thought to myself that Mike had made the correct decision. Then the Jazz began to play. With a little over a minute left I was constantly on my feet roaring the team on and at just 6 points behind I really thought I was going to see a classic comeback. Unfortunately it was not to be and the Spurs eventually held out for a 95-86 win.

Having saw LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant last winter and now Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili I really have seen a lot of very good players indeed. Heading back to the ranch for the night we stopped at McDonalds for a few burgers and went back and watched a good film before heading to bed for a good nights sleep.

April 5th - Lightening

We packed up the car and headed off early for a day at Snowbasin(2959ft, 2650a) which is some 40 miles north from downtown Salt Lake City. Surely it could not be any worse than yesterday?

We got our tickets and then waited for 30 minutes until the lifts began to turn. First on the gondola we headed to the top and then over to the Strawberry lift for what looked to be a very nice day on corn snow. Then we looked over the back of the mountain. We were in trouble. The blackest clouds that I have ever seen while skiing were rolling in and if they came our way it would be miserable.

Mike chose a nice route down and we all met at the bottom of the lift and jumped in. Half way up the mountain a huge bolt of lightening seemed to almost hit us and the lift stopped for a minute before starting up and by the time we reached the top the only light was from each bolt of lightening. Absolutely crapping ourselves we decided to decline the offer of shelter and set off back to the base.

Following closely behind Mike we landed up missing the cut off for the base area and landed at the Strawberry lift and had the arduous task of walking 500m back uphill to get out. Far from happy our mood was to worsen when the rain came absolutely tipping down! By 11am we were done and dusted.

After drying out, Tom and his friends took Nikki back to Salt Lake City where he would fly back to Denver. Mike and I were now on our way north to Pinedale for the night.

With a drive of over 230 miles we stopped at Kemmerer for some fuel and a coffee. By now the snow was chucking it down and Mike was getting excited! We arrived in Pinedale at around 4pm and agreed that we would take a look up to the mountain to see how it looked. A good bit of fresh snow lay on the parking lot and we spoke briefly to a guy who was clearing snow in his digger. He reckoned that conditions would be good and the mountain would be quiet tomorrow. My kind of place!

Back to Pinedale we started looking for somewhere to sleep for the night. After much searching we found that the best deal around was at The Lodge At Pinedale with a room, breakfast and access to the hot-tub and swimming pool coming in at $74. We found it strange that a place in the middle of nowhere with little tourism could be quite so busy and expensive but it turned out that there was a lot of oil business in the area.

We had a check of the e-mails, a swim and a relax in the hot-tub before heading out for dinner. We eventually decided on Stockmans and although my 16oz ribeye was very nice, Mike was not overly impressed with his prime rib and at $60 this was an expensive meal compared to what we had experienced elsewhere during the trip.

April 6th - Our Private Resort

With just a short drive up to the resort of White Pine(1100ft, 370a) we could afford a little bit more sleep, a quick check of the conditions on the internet and eventually a quality breakfast supplied by two lovely old ladies. A great start to the day and I would have no excuse for not hitting the ground running.

I love seeing new places and White Pine had been a place that I really wanted to visit. I had been to Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee in 2004 and although Mike was desperate to head to Targhee for more powder I was not for turning and I knew having visited smaller places that I would have plenty fun here.

Mike already had his boots on and headed to the ticket office to get the first 2 tickets sold that day and even when we left we were told that they had sold only 10!

First dibs on the chair too and we decided to blast the mountain, starting off under the lift. Even 2 hours later we still saw no other tracks!

Mike and I found some amazing terrain considering the vertical was only 1100ft and in one such trail Mike found a very large rock jutting well above the piste. Taking about the only decent action shot of the trip I amazingly managed to snap Mike from below and to the side as he launched overhead. Much to my delight I wound him up that I thought my camera had missed it. I chuckled as Mike cursed me and eventually he guessed that I was winding him up. Perfect.

After a fabulous day we headed into the lodge at around 1.30 for some lunch and the lodge itself was a lovely building. Housing a lot of skiing memorabilia put together with a fabulous small hill make White Pine one of my favourite off the beaten path resorts. Some day I will go back.

Onwards we headed to West Yellowstone for the night and stopped in the local supermarket for some crackers, cheese, wine and beer. The meal of kings and a good nights sleep was called for before our day in Big Sky country.

April 7th - Drummond

Again we were up and packed early and headed north on the hours drive to Big Sky.

Mike and I had been discussing a plan throughout the trip north and we were disagreeing. Mike wanted to do laps off the tram in Big Sky and drop into Moonlight and then back into Big Sky. I felt that for almost 1/2 the price we should stick to Moonlight as the weather meant visibility up top would be limited. I stuck to my guns and Moonlight Basin(4150ft, 1900a) was our choice. I hope that I got it right!

After a couple of very ropey runs we headed into the Headwaters area and although the visibility was shocking the skiing was fantastic on a mixture of chopped and packed powder. Fabulous stuff and after a good shift we headed off for the day.

Having travelled around the area many times before there are many places I wanted to visit again. Philipsburg being one of them I suggested to Mike that I would take him to a small town America bar that I had visited in 2002. Parking up the motor we headed for a few beers in the White Front Bar.

Grabbing a stool at the bar I was happy with a Bud but Mike was looking for something a little bit stronger. Never one to turn down a free shot of alcohol Mike and I were only too happy to grab a free alcoholic jelly. After having my technique ridiculed I was happy to sit back and watch Mike and the waitress have a pretty awful looking concoction. Guinness and something that would have turned my stomach!

Heading down from P'burg to Drummond I had an uneasy yet excited feeling. On one hand I was really looking forward to staying with Bill and Kathy at the Sky Motel and having a wander down to the Canyon Bar but at the same time I was worried that Mike would not be happy at my choice of destination. Only time would tell.

After filling up with gas at the station in front of the Sky Motel I parked up and went into the reception to be met by Kathy who after a couple of double takes gave me a welcoming hug and after a quick blether with Kathy and Bill we agreed that Mike and I would meet Bill for a couple beers at the Canyon. Mike Coyle, the owner of Canyon Bar had spoken to Bill and remembered me from previous years so we would have a pretty good night.

It was good to catch up with Mike and Bill and I could see that Mike Richards was beginning to fit in. Relaxed I headed to the pool table to take on a few locals. With an average record I was happy after loosing about seven games last winter against a local female.

After a few beers Bill headed up the road and it was good to have caught up with him for the fifth consecutive year. The question now is will it be six in 2007?

With a bar that opened pretty much til 2am Mike and I took full advantage! Stotting up to our room my only recollection was of laughing at Mike as he stopped mid sentence and started snoring. Quality. The final weekend of my season and I was back home in Drummond and we still had no firm plans for the next couple of days. One piece of information from Mike Coyle during the evening was that Montana Snowbowl was open. Mike tried to get hold of a mate to show us around but he was planning a day in a raft!

April 8th - Percentages Mike, Percentages!

Awaking at 7am I felt far too well to have had only a few hours sleep. After lazing about for a bit we headed on the road and although it had not been discussed I was aiming for Silver Mountain, Idaho. After a good hours drive both Mike and I, although only later would we admit, were feeling rough so when we saw the sign for Snowbowl we headed up the track. Unsure if it was actually open I was pleased to see a couple of cars behind me.

After grabbing our tickets we headed from a warm and sunny base area on the lower chair. Judging by the conditions I was pretty sure that our best sport would be higher up on the slopes facing the sun.

Our first effort was possibly the worst run that I have had. Frozen crud made turning really tough and almost inevitably catching an edge on every turn was a given. We explored the trails off the Lavalle Creek lift and had a good laugh at a few people on the slopes. One girl who appeared to have her arms attached to strings that pulled sharply upwards on every turn along with a guy who was skiing under the chair, badly, and stopped and looked up at the chair in front of ours, muttered something about tough and then continued. Mike and I were giggling all the way to the top.

We stopped for an early lunch and to be honest I would happily have given up for the day but after a hours rest, burger and a read of the skiing magazines Mike persuaded me to go back out for a few more runs. We tried a few alternative routes from the top to the base and we both agreed that in good conditions this would be a fantastic resort. A good mix of steeps, trees and quiet slopes.

I was sitting supping on a beer and Mike on a disgusting looking Bloody Mary when Mike thought he recognised someone. Sure enough it was a girl who had worked at Big Mountain at the time that we were both out there a few years back. Trinda was now living in Missoula and we sat for a hour or so discussing the people that Mike remembered from his time there.

We headed back to the ranch and had a quick shower and change before heading next door to the Wagon Wheel for a steak. Problem, we were an hour late and they were pretty much ready to close for the evening so we decided that a pizza at the pub was our best option.

A very late night with about 50 games of pool ensued along with a heated debate on playing a 'percentages' game.

April 9th - The Last Day

After a late night on the beer and a long drive from Drummond to Selby and then back to Great Falls we made the unconscious decision to not get up until about 10am! By then it was clearly not worth heading to Great Divide for the day and it later transpired that Great Divide had closed for the season on the Saturday and not the Sunday as previously advertised.

So, after a leisurely pack we said or goodbyes to Bill and Kathy with Bill offering to chauffeur myself and my dad around the local area if we make it out during the summer. Great hosts.

We made good progress and stopped at the Badger Café in Cascade for a very nice and filling lunch. On the road again we were soon in Selby and after wishing Mike all the best I turned the car around and headed on the final drive of the tour back to Great Falls. With the sun beating down and Mike's dubious CD mix for company I made good time before checking into the Days Inn. After watching the TV and packing I decided to head out for a quiet beer to end the trip.

Wandering down the road I stumbled into Ace's Bar and grabbed a seat at the bar. A fairly quiet place with a dozen or so locals playing pool and listening to country music. Not really my cup of tea I thought to myself but I decided to stick around and have a few beers. Within minutes I was talking to a few people and chatting about my trip, where I was from and almost inevitably my accent!

Just as I thought I would head home a few of the girls from the pizza restaurant next door decided that they fancied heading to the Ulm Bar in Ulm. Less than 10 miles from town Ulm is a small place and I took my seat at the bar with the 6 or 7 others that had come along and we chatted over a couple of beers before a couple of the girls dropped me off at the hotel and I hit the sack before a 7am start. Very nice people and I made a useful contact if I ever want a cheap day at Showdown. A great way to end my trip.

April 10th - Final Thoughts

I woke early and packed the last of my stuff away, checked out and headed to the airport to drop off the Murano. After a brief diversion I found myself back where I had begun the trip almost 4 weeks before.

Once airborne I took the offer of a drink, although the stewardess seemed a little surprised that I was starting the day with a vodka and coke! The route home is long and boring but 3 stops on the way help and I always venture into the same bar beside the departure gate at Minneapolis. A couple of local beers and I was ready for the transatlantic flight to Amsterdam. On time and with plenty of free seats around me I was able to stretch out and enjoy my red wine although yet again I found the movies so depressingly poor that I did not bother taking the headphones out of the cellophane.

All my flights were on time and I arrived back in Aberdeen in plenty of time to pick up my keys for my new house.

On reflection I had had another amazing trip. Not quite up to the epic snowfalls of 2005 but having skied with Mike for almost 3 weeks along with others along the way more than made up for it.

I'd like to thank Mike, Nikki, Kyp and Tim for their hospitality in my extended stay in Keystone, Mike for his great company and tuition over the trip, Ron for his hospitality up in South Dakota, Mike, Bill and Kathy in Drummond for another great stay and to all the other wonderful people I met during my trip. I very much hope to meet some of you again in the future.

During the trip I skied in 5 states, 24 resorts of which 19 were new, visited some of the States most popular tourist attractions, went to the NBA and NHL, I ate and drank well and met a wonderful bunch of guys. I feel that I skied at a perfect mix of resorts, some of which were large internationally known resorts while others were a long way off the beaten path. The one common feature was having good fun and enjoying my skiing.

My skiing came on leaps and bounds yet again with Mike pushing me hard when needed and pushing me hard when not needed but it worked! Starting days on some of the most technical skiing on mountains became the norm and I know now that although I can improve further I can ski most terrain in various conditions. The difference confidence and technique make is quite incredible at times.

Next years trip is still a long way away but already I am looking forward to getting the skis on and getting out there again. Mike has already put his application in to work at almost every mountain we visited along with some interesting possibilities in other countries. Hopefully we will get the chance to ski together again in 2007 or earlier…

This article was written by Quintin Chalmers, a 31-year-old skier from Aberdeen in the north of
Scotland. Quintin has skied at over 70 North American resorts and is in the process of setting up
www.offthebeatenpath.co.uk designed to help like minded people find the best turns in some of the
more unusual resorts in western USA. He has over 20 years skiing experience and enjoys nothing
more than seeing new places that many people write off as being not worth the hassle.