TR: Wasatch, UTopia

[Wysplit_ride]

Photos: Bob Athey, Wysplit_ride

I headed southwest this weekend after getting a pm from KarmaSurf inviting me down to sample the Utopian pow with him and JiveStick. Two days home from Coloradbro and back on the road again in search of some fresh snow. Utah did not disappoint.

The icing on the cake was having the opportunity to tour with local legend, JiveStick aka Bob “the haggard mountain man” Athey. Needless to say, I shut up and tried to take in as much snow info and systems as I could. There is no better education than getting out and touring with folks who have been skiing longer than you have been alive. I cannot thank these guys enough for letting me tag along and play in their backyard. Hopefully, someday I can return the favor. Thank you DJ and Bob for your kind hospitality.

JiveStick climbing Reynolds:



G, Wysplit, Karma on a snowy day someplace on Gobblers (photo: JiveStick):


High winds predicted, but not much loading:


Wysplit loving the Wasatch (photo:JiveStick)



DJ exits BigWater:


Wizard of the Wasatch showing us how it is done:


Wysplit demonstrates the "hardboot steeze". Who says you can't surf in hardboots? (photo: JiveStick)


The Karma Surf plays it cool:


JiveStick with the sweet tele-slasher turn:


More hardboot steeze (photo: JiveStick):


Karma and the sweet looking swallowtail. Man, they look fun!


Mark from Voile getting in on the Gobbler goodness (photo:JiveStick)


DJ getting the groove (photo: JiveStick)


The Man with the Plan:


I have found the past couple of weeks interesting concerning snow safety and people's perceptions/comments about bc riding during higher avi danger warnings. JiveStick made me feel better about my past decisions though. Conditions were considerable with an avalanche watch posted (we watched but didn't see any), but we found great safe snow and even nailed a sweet line an avalanche path. Talked to a few people at the brewery in SLC after riding, and they made the comment, "Didn't go skiing because avalanche danger was too high." Then skiing out of Gobblers area I ran into some "bc skiers" and asked what they were going to ski. They told me it was too dangerous and probably nothing worth skiing. Boy did they miss out! You don't know until you go.

[squirrelmurphy]

YEAH!!!

Nice work getting out and staying safe. Sick pics!

[Hutch]

wra's splitter handle is JiveStick? Too funny!

Awesome photos!

[RootSkier]

wow is everywhere.

[lax]

see snowbird/alta slides for why people are spooked.

[MacDaddy]

was that shit really safe?


holy shit!

I was scared of a lil sluff yesterday at Soli...this is recockulous

nice job I guess...that was sick HARDCOREMOFO.

how many laps did you guys run up there btw?

[2slikstix]

Nice pow! Sportin a Utah Woody.

[Rontele]

great pictures of wow!

[Jer]

Nice pics. Gandalf kicks ass. In regards to safety issues brought up by others - I know it's hard to tell from just some photos, but most of that stuff (with the exceptionof photo #4) looked really low angle and non-exposed to danger from above. Usually there are actually safe places to ski even if the overall avi conditions are through the roof. Looks like you guys used your noggins and as a result had a fun time.

[Trackhead]

Don't get to see too many photos of WRA, he's usually taking pics of pretty woman skiing pow with huge smiles.

Nice Tr.

[mtnjam]

great photo of the Crouching Tiger/Slope Slayer

Skied with Mark C a few years ago, fun to watch that guy ski...

[Tye 1on]

In regards to safety issues brought up by others - I know it's hard to tell from just some photos, but most of that stuff (with the exceptionof photo #4) looked really low angle and non-exposed to danger from above. Usually there are actually safe places to ski even if the overall avi conditions are through the roof. Looks like you guys used your noggins and as a result had a fun time.

Don't want to make a habit of agreeing with ya Jer, but you hit the nail on the head there. Same deal here this past weekend. 16" in just over 12 hours, lots of ways to screw up, but i'm sure there were lots of smart safe folks gettin their turns on [paging rideit...].

sweet TR splitdude! Was cattrackin out at Targhee saturday, some damn boarder was keeping up with me, chattin with him, he was on a 200cm board! Wonder how that would do as a splitter?

[wra]

Thanks for the tr, wsplitride.
That was fun.
Back to the girl photos, today.



Well aware of the slides at Alta and Snowbird. Photo taken on the way into Cardiff.



Avalanche hazard ratings are relative terms. Best not to search out the hazardous, but rather, the stable.
Come back when you can see where you're going. wsr.

[HotCarl]

No babies were hurt in the making of this TR.

Carry-on my wayward son......

[TeleSlayer]

noooyyyceee~

[mtnbikerskierchick]

some good photos in there! Yay!

[grskier]

Some cool shots, thanks for sharing.

[bones get broke]

What's up Gandalf???

[str8line]

JiveStick with the sweet tele-slasher turn:

This is obviously not the Wizard but a Snowbird race-team skier with an Athey mask on...and they photoshopped the gate out of the picture.