I thought patrollers took the chair lift to go to work????

The race training on North Peak ( Keystone has 3 peaks) ended today. Which means that it's the last day that we who are stationed there has to be up top by 7am. The lifts on the front side don't run that early.

So how do we and the racers get there??? By car silly!!!!

The Keystone gulch road stays packed by us driving on it. We use chains but the racers don't. You should see how they drive the free Chevy Suburbans given to them. Man, it's like watching a commercial.

Anyway, it's fun.

The photos are of Matt driving and Mark driving shotgun. I'm in the back seat where it's safe. Marks an awesome photographer. If you need wedding photos are any other photos Mark's your man. Check out his web sites..... http://www.sixpeeps.com/ and http://www.cafierophoto.com/

COLD, COLD DAY!!!!

I woke up this morning to the thermometer in my car reading -18 degrees.

Yikes............funny things happen on mornings like that. Things like, my car makes funny noises, dash board lights flash weirdly, it hurts when you breath through your nose and many more things.

I was working on North Peak today and had to be on the mountain at 7am. The reason is yesterday and today Bode Millers wax techs were testing waxes on an area called Mozart Flats. It's interesting to watch. We pull his techs up the flats, they put on one pair of about 15 pairs of skis and make runs through timing gates.

Everything works fine till one goofball patroller skis through the gates and in their tracks. Hehe, by the way, that patroller was me. Oh man, i was laughing hard. Hey, when Bode starts winning medals I'll stop skiing in their test track. anyway, i thought my skis ran fast for not being tuned since the middle of last year.

So i would have gotten pix of all this but my camera froze. So the only pix i have are up by North Peak PHQ. The day was cold but amazingly beautiful and it did warm up to +7 degrees.

Ok, tomorrow i head up to the Estin Hut to help out teaching an avalanche course over the weekend. If the camera doesn't freeze I'll snap some pix.

Slip sliding away....

The NORAM ski races are at Kestone this week.

After the morning meeting we had to slip the race course. Hey, what can i say.......patrol does everything.

A 'trollers day off.

This is Craig Simson. He's our Asst. Patrol Director. A super cool guy and a great manager. Here he is on his day off with his little girls.

They do say that patrollers get the chicks!!!

The Blueberries are back...

Today was the first day for the new crop of rookies to work. You can tell them apart by the blue jackets they have to wear and the frightened look on their faces.

All i can say is, I'm sure glad I don't have to go through that again.

Cotton kills!!!!

During the winter I'm going to help teach several avalanche classes. Our first one starts next weekend. These classes are being done through 10th Mtn. Huts but with the help of Aspen Alpine Guides who i also work for. Check out their web site........ http://www.aspenalpine.com/

Today, i went up to the Sangree Hut outside Leadville to pick up some Avalanche teaching tools. It was a nice morning but it began to snow, which we need badly. I like the self photo of me wearing all the cotton.

Do as i say, not as i do!!!!

A slow start......

I've been on patrol for 2 day now and I'm just getting around to posting my Chronicles.

Sorry 'bouts that.

Let's see, not much has happen. I started work on Wednesday the 22nd and it was like any other patrol day. I was part of an M.I., 2 head injuries and many many taxi's.

The M.I. began with a guy walking up to us saying......"hey, I'm sure it's nothing but, I'm having trouble breathing and my arms are numb". Yeeeeah, they always start that way. We got him down to the clinic and flown to Denver where he crashed in flight but was brought around and ultimately lived and i hear is doing well.

Thursday, Thanksgiving, i was on North Peak. The middle mountains can be very slow. This was one of those day's. The picture i posted is what i thought was going to be my Thanksgiving dinner. Well, to my surprise, the restaurant at the Outpost was giving all Patrollers a free turkey dinner. Let me tell you, it was good and very plentiful.

Monday i begin a new week. Let's see if i can get it more exciting.

The Beginning of a winter.

It's now mid November and the snow is falling. Looking out my window I see strong winds blowing snow in circles.

What does all this mean?

The new patrol year is upon us.

On November 4-6 we had our medical refresher. The picture above shows Keystone's new C.O.O, Pat somebody and Mountain Manager, Chuck Tolton. It was nice to catch up and see how the summer was for everyone. We also got to hear what was new for Keystone for this winter. We have approval to open 300 more acres of north facing terrain. This gives Keystone over 3000 acres. The new terrain is Independence Bowl. We'll have Cat skiing as well as hike to and hike out skiing. There's also many other improvements that I'll report as I see them.

All in all this is shaping up to be a great year of skiing.