All Stars

Thinking back to the Mammoth Biathlon Weekend and the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra/Wounded Warrior Project that weekend puts a big smile on my face.

Having people with such big hearts around you, really makes life enjoyable. It was such a memorable weekend of cross country skiing and just playing in the snow.  Finishing the race with a smile on everyone's face is always the best part.

Devon and RickyD! Love these guys.

Amy's Moving!

My USFS Mammoth gals are moving away it seems. Amy worked in Lee Vining this summer. She was the only girl living in the barracks with Steven and I when I moved here.  She was here this winter and her, Mary and I played outside a lot.  Goodluck in Wyoming Amy!!!!

After staying up rather late the night before, we thought we'd skin or boot up Earthquake Dome...

Whoops, what was I thinking?

There will be no grilling going on for a few days...

 But there will be more skinning... Where'd Barrett go?

Squaw on April Fools!

Thanks to numerous people, Amy, Mary and I were able to make our last ski trip together of the season happen.

We adventured to South Lake Tahoe, but didn't ski. We almost did get some vouchers from Juanito or Tati... whoever they are.

89 North was open through Emerald Bay and we got some great shots and wished we had just skiied up and down Mt. Tallac.

Yeah Emerald Bay the only day is was open!

The Past 3 Days (not counting the Biathlon)

Great Thing About Living Here: Is there is always more ice cream in there (Jen, like my desktop?)

Our Ink is out at Work, so I can get artistic (right...hmm...) and draw in the danger rose

Lunchtime Nordork Sessions

The beauty of living close to a trail.  The beauty of new fluffy snow.  The beauty of skiing back to work.
1 hour lunches are pretty great.  It's hard to go back to work...

 I definitely need some wider waxless skis someday. Took out the Fischer S-Bounds 112.  Couldn't really turn on the downhills. Got 4 solid tele turns down and sank, BUT it was super.

I love Visitors

Chantrelle came to visit on her road trip back East to Maine. It was great to see a Maine Outing Club friend!!! We did a lot of adventuring. 

XC skied to Mineret Vista

Look What I Saw At Work

Sometimes it is fun to take in skis at work for repairs and such.  Last week I got to see the Bomber Tele binding, the Bishop, which is no longer produced.  It was pretty sweet.

I also got to help Glen Plake try on black softshell pants, but we don't have the photo. You'll just have to confirm with Jon and Mr. Evers.

YaR! Wooden Planks and Saddles!

My co-worker is very handy in metal arts, and wood carving... and free climbing and coffee roasting.... and I'm sure there's more.  So I couldn't help but notice the uncomfortable looking, yet amazing work of art his commuter bike has on it. 

It even has a "comfort channel" but he says it's still pretty uncomfortable. It is wood afterall.

Seen and Heard on the Hill

Sasquatch? 

I apologize. These are all taken with my phone or a low quality digital H20 proof camera

Attempt at Tele...alone...in powderrrrrr

So Friday was a good day...

I borrowed some Got Back's with BD 01s from work.  I did miss the sun from the morning, and caught the weather in between storm systems.  I decided to create my own skin track and avoid the snowmachines (yes snowmachines, Philp) that were going up the right side of the Tele Bowls and Punta Bardini.   I went to the left and toured through the MotoX track and then tucked in up through the trees.

Oh just leaving from my house 

View near MotoX Track

What I was looking at when T called. Kind of looks like Vermont. Part of the Sherwin Range.

 Oh! And Tristan called me from Vermont on my skin out! See the Tele Bowls in the middle?  It was good to catch up quickly.  I miss home everyday.  As far as skiing, I didn't do any high aspects or anything, as I was by myself. The 01s are more fun to use than my non-tourable BD 03s.  My Avi gear arrives Friday! Woo! Avalanches? What are those? 

Eastside Blogs

Here's some great new posts from some of the Eastside's best:

• Christian Pondella's Spray On Ice
• Dave McCoy himself Travels Along The Eastern Sierras and Tahoe

And oh man, Simon Rex was/is in Mammoth and guess who else? Gwen and Gavin.  Although I don't know who Lady GaGa is, I at least want to have someone famous (and nice) come into my work this week just for S & Giggles.  Why not, right?




Photos Property of Christian Pondella

Vermonty Times Had on the Eastside

At least I still am on the Eastside of something. The Eastside of the Sierras is a great place. There's at least 3 publications about it... Eastside Magazine, Eastern Sierra something... there's more, but I'm typing this in my car and my feet are cold. Wi-fi at home soon? A luxury or a necessity? Necessity when applying to grad school.  That aside. Let me ramble.

My roomate, Don, is gone to Peru (hope you're having fun!!!) and I decided why not finally host a couchsurfer.  Couchsurfing.com is a great resource. You just have to have a sense of adventure and trust. Both of which I seem to have a majority of the time.

Well, let me tell you as fate would have it, I was contacted by someone who grew up about 60 miles north of me in Vermont.  Right now he's stone's throw away in summer on the other side of Yosemite in El Portal doing outdoor education.  A career I dabble in from time to time.  In winter Tioga Pass is closed, so he's 8 hours away.

We haven't had the best snow after the Snowpowcolypse of 15+ feet of snow- but it doesn't mean there isn't any skiing. It just means you have to wait for the snow to corn up. There's not much avalanche danger at the moment either.

Let's just say I couldn't have had a better time skiing and talking about CA and VT.  It made me a little homesick, but it also made me realize HOW MUCH stuff is out there that I still have to do and see.

New Year's Eve-ski

Us hearty New Englanders (and those not- sorry NY doesn't count, and neither does CA)  skied from Main Lodge to the Mineret Vista. Here are the photos.

Where is the Vista Booth? 

01.01.2011: That's a lot of 1's

In reflection, I had a wonderfully blessed December 2010.  I got to go home and see most, but not all, of my favorite people ever.  I got to see Family  and friends and I am making this list mainly for my memory, but also to thank you so much for being a part of my life. Without you all I would not be who I am today.  To those I didn’t see, I miss you terribly. 

Of course no visit home is complete without seeing my family: the parental units Poppa and Momma Cassano, Grandma, Sonny, Martha, Beverly, Mike (you and Chris are the brothers I never had), Pamela and Everett, Great Aunt Palma, Aunt Tina and Uncle Meatball, my favorite uncle ever, Curt, and his kids McKenna and Canaan, and Kait’s parents (basically my 2^nd parents aside).

Bestest Friends I got to see: Ms. Meaney (duh), Katherine M, Michelle J, Kathryn W., Phil, Tristan, Sarah, Kip, Jen, lil’ Indie, Paul, Kate, Andrew and his wife that hold the whole ORS crew together and I didn’t name all of you cause there are WAY too many- but who else was naughty on the ORS Santa List? haha). Amanda and Ava, Amanda and Miles and James, almost saw Mike Lincoln (way to ski at Killingtron Mike!), Heather M. and Chris. 

But Last Sunday was a good day

Must listen it this song while viewing photos. Thanks Sarah for enjoying Ice Cube and our adventures this summer! 

Mammoth bluebird day. November 28th, 2010. 

 

off of Chair 14. Santiago Bowl.

Bear Sighting/Skiing with Jane/Hiking McGee

well I still don't have the patience to format this. So the photos are in reverse order.
McGee Creek Hike.
Skiing in Yosemite.
Then the photo with the skis in it is Rock Creek and the trailhead we tried to ski, but ended up turning back, and after the photos is a narrative.