Exercise

Not feeling inspired this evening, way to much holiday cheer and go, go, go has finally caught up with me I think.  I have a few different shots than mk from last weekend, so though I'd just add them.  The wind generators just past Mountain Home always intrigue me.  So I had to take a photo as we drove down the interstate towards the Gooding exit.  These are actually just out of Mtn. Home.

My Saturday a.m. view of the mtns. from the house.

After our guests arrived we made it out to the ski area to see about poaching some runs.  The ski area is not open and rumor has it that it may be January 22 before they are able to open.  Various reasons for the delayed start.  The new lodge may be a large part of it.  They certainly have enough snow now.  With over a foot of new in the past week it is looking very good.  Below is a shot of Steve looking down as Steve comes up the ridge.  Nice thing about skiing with Steve I never get the name wrong.  :)

One advantage of carrying a camera is that I use it as an excuse or reason to stop and catch my breath.  Need to take scenic shots you know.

Some day maybe I'll get more education on how to take photos.  I was a bit slow in getting my camera out as the sun worked behind the clouds and looked like a ball, really cool then, not as good in the final product.

And now Steve is ahead of Steve.  I needed a drink and to take photos.

So after climbing to the top and looking around you'd have thoght that I would have some exceptional shots of us skiing knee deep powder, right?  Wrong.  Yes the snow was deep and fairly light on the north slopes, but one little problem.  Steep.  Not gonna happen today.  The snow pack is in such a fragile state that it talked to us all the way up to the top.  It just kept whumping and shooting cracks out 20, 30 feet away from us as the pack collapsed under the new snow.  As we worked our way up and across slopes it became obvious that skiing just anywhere wasn't to be the grand plan.  There is basically just this rotten base down below that doesn't act like it wants to play nice.  So we stayed to some low angle slopes (wasn't a lot of choice it's Soldier) and as Steve put it we wobbled a few turns down the hill.  Did see some fairly fresh elk tracks down near the creek.  Thankfully the other Steve didn't have a camera on him or we might have a photo of me doing my best impression of a full on face first trail inspection.  Hate it when I forget that my heels are unlocked, look over there more elk tracks, cool, oh crap I'm now flying forward and my skis are not.  Snow tastes good.  At least I got in a nice climb and some excercise.