Family Cat Skiing up at Grizzly Gulch

It’s always great to see family, but getting to ski with family is ideal. In my family you learned to ski as you learned to walk, there was no room for “crying babies”, as my grandfather use to say, and you had to reach a certain ability level to get to break out of ski school and ski with the family.

Oh, but I remember that first day was always a right of passage, one complaint, one needing hot chocolate, one extra bathroom break could have you sent right back into ski school. It might sound crazy or a bit over the top, but it worked. To this day my family’s favorite way of getting together is on the hill and last week my Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Mike came into town and graciously invited me to go cat skiing with them up at Alta.

We lucked out with the snow as a system pushed through  the Wasatch and blanketed the cottonwoods with over a foot of fresh utah pow.

It was a great day, filled with laughs, many face shots, and doing what our family does best! Thank you Uncle Mike and aunt Steph for treating me to such a great day!!!!

Alpine Meadows Big Mountain Comp

The first Freeride Telemark comp of the season took place last past weekend, with heavy hitters from all over the country showing up to support.

The Venue

There were such influential characters such as Josh Madsen, Noah and Jonah Howell (of the Powder Whores), and JT Robinson as well as phenomenal performances by Ebon Mond, Will Cardomone, and Paul Kimbrough. On the female side Megan Michaelson, Paige Brady, and Kate Cardomone battled it out on the snow to decide their podium positions while Lizet Christiensen and Brooke Edwards along with Tough Guy Productions, worked their butts off to create an incredible event.

Looking down the Keyhole

The venue was the Keyhole area of Alpine Meadows which offers a bunch of exciting options for descents. While the conditions were a bit boney and the snow quite firm, athletes still pushed the limits and pulled out some spectacular runs.

Joana, Will, and Jake enjoying the apres snacks

Along with the high energy that the competition brings, the sense of camaraderie and overall positive energy that was put forth at Alpine is definitely note worthy. With most of the competitors getting put up by Megan Michelson’s mom, “Momma Phelps” we were able to bond beyond the nervous start gate and relieved finish line, to spend time and communicate over home cooked meals,  some beers, and even late night dance parties. Building friendships and talking about the future of our sport and our individual visions for the telemark community and industry is what it will take to continue to grow the sport that many of us have dedicated much of our young lives to.

Dinner is Served!!

End of comp. dinner and dress-up party!!

Candy getting her party face on

Dance! Dance! Dance!

We'll be back Next year to Do it all over again!!!

Filming with Madsen

Out here back side of the Canyons getting some Work done