Loveland Pass

 

 

 

IMG_2082We headed west on I-70 toward the exit for Loveland Pass.  The Rockies along the spine of the continent loomed overhead.

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Heading up the pass.

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We stopped at the summit.  The pass is at 11,990 feet.  We walked up a small hill to reach 12,000 feet.

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Avalanche control is done using long range weaponry in this part of the world.

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Skiers and snowboarders were riding fresh powder in the bowls and basis to the north of Loveland Pass along the continental divide.

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These two vertical lines on Mount Bethel north of Loveland Pass were very curious-looking.  We couldn’t tell what caused them to be so straight.  Satellite imagery of the area makes it look very man-made.  According to the internet, it has two snow fences to protect I-70.  One of these days I think I will hike up the mountain to see just exactly what makes those two lines.

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At 12,000 feet.

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A 360 degree panorama from the summit.  The approach from the east side of the continental divide is in the middle of the photo.

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Heading down the west side of the continental divide.

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Looking toward the western drainage and the Pacific Ocean.

STA_2144 - STI_2152_fusedOne of the many ski resorts that dot the mountains along the continental divide.

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Looking toward the mountains that loom over Breckenridge.

Shredding the gnar at Bachelor with Jesi, Brent, and Felix

Over the weekend I turned off my mobile phone, abandoned email and social networking, and headed over the mountains to Bend with Jesi, Brent, and Felix for some hot snowboarding action.  Mount Bachelor was having an EPIC POW DAY when we hit the slopes.  Thanks to dancing to Team Banzai down at Cloud 9 with a few friends on St. Patrick’s Day, I had a free lift ticket for Bachelor.  It was pretty surreal to have so few people on the mountain on a weekend with such epic dumps.

 

Very few people riding the slopes or the lifts.  The first half of the day it snowed continuously.

In the afternoon we had a few bluebird patches.

Getting ready to shred down Canyon.

Jesi enjoying some sick gnar gnar.

 

 

The whole gang taking a break in the afternoon at Pine Martin Lodge.

 

 

As we stepped out of Pine Martin Lodge for a few last runs, the skies parted and we had a beautiful bluebird sky.  The top Outback Express was almost deserted but they were still turning the lifts on the northwest side of the mountain.

 

Looking down toward Ed’s Garden.

Suiting up and getting ready to drop into some epic gnar gnar for a bluebird run.

The man with the vision for Mount Bachelor.

 

 

 

Post-boarding, I had a touch of Shackelton about my face.

 

 

It was still snowing in Bend as we prepared to head back over the pass on Sunday.  What an epic shredding weekend.

 

Eaglecrest Ski Area

Emily learned how to ski and snowboard at the Eaglecrest Ski Area on Douglas Island.  She taught for many years as well.  We visited the ski area in the off season just to check the place out.  They might not get much snow but the pow is supposed to be pretty epic.

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Emily’s parents got married here when the resort first opened.

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Striking a snowboarder pose.

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