MY BROTHER'S GIANT HEAD

it blocks out the sun

Hunter Discounts

Amy Klein

Big Lift Card ($45) gets you half off during the week and 25% off weekends and holidays. If you don't have a car or any hook ups on the mountain, the bus from Homage (http://www.homagebrooklyn.com/) might be the best deal. It's $59 for the ride and ticket. Emilios (http://www.emiliosskishop.com/) and OvRride (http://ovrride.com/) will do transportation only ($40); Homage does not. Every other bus trip from the city to Hunter with a lift ticket seems to be around $80.

Amy Klein

ps- do not be fooled by the snow ads on                                       craigslist

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY GAPING

Gapers get after sagebrush on the south slope of Lookout- Sun Valley

Hunter Mountain

Hunter is a cool little mountain. It's about two and a half hours from the city. It has a vert of 1600 feet. Little mountains grow real love though. If you grow up on a little mountain you have to be really creative. Some of the best riders I know grew up on little mountains.

Paul

Evan

 

the crew

Yuko and I had some great guides this trip. Yuri and Evan practically live on the hill and Paul grew up an hour away. Lots of our heads came up from the city; sometimes we were riding 13 deep. I dont know how i feel about that. It's so beautiful and fun when everyone gives each other space. Other times its like a dangerous pissing contest. It is pretty amazing to watch all your friends kill it down the hill, though. I found some crack in the woods.

WRITING ON THE WALL

After the Rain- The Beast

It snowed 18 inches in Killington and we planned our trip. Then it rained for two days and never got colder than freezing. It was spring in Jan when we got there!

RZ and Yuko last Feb.

Killington is a giant resort in the Green Mountains. It's got a vert of 3,050, 750 ridable acres, two gangalas, 9 high speeds, and five other lifts. It takes about six hours to get there from the city. I love the tight trees in Killington, alas it was not to be this trip, plus Tim (my tree guide) has moved to Big Sky.

Killington has a gorgeous park- The Stash (http://www.thestash.com/). The Stash was built by Jake and the Burton team. The Stash is mainly made of wood (it goes hard). There are giant carvings of headless Yetis.  There are five other Stashes in the world the newest is in Jackson. 

http://stopdownphotography.com

 Sunday night it finally froze and Mon. was a bit overcast (Yuko calls it Gassy) The infamous east coast ice came out in the afternoon with a sweet blue hue. The great Yeti, who had been killing it all weekend was finally taken down by the blue steel and it chipped his ribs. Q still drove home despite the offers from RZ.

ELEVATED LOCAL Yuko:
YUKO KAWAGUCHI from elisabeth toft on Vimeo.

 Yuko grew up riding  Nagano, Gifu, and Niigata. She works for Burton which is where I met her. She also does Kendo, rides a track bike around Brooklyn, makes killer omelets and quiche, and loves nail polish. Sometimes she puts make-up on Ryan when he sleeps. (video- RZ)

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY GAPING:

M C HAMMER CALLED....

DISCOUNTS:
We stayed at http://mountainsportsinn.com/ Q used his AAA discount and it was a bill a night. It's clean and they make you a complimentary real breakfast (omelets and Frrrrench Toast)!
We got tickets on Liftopia, but before Nov. 15th you can buy half off tickets on Killington's website.
Check this site out: http://www.skimaven.com/post/vermont-lift-ticket-discounts-skiing-deals-in-2010-2011-for-vermont-residents-and-our-friends-eve/
Baja Burrito has a killer happy hour as does Charity's.

MY BROTHER'S GIANT HEAD:

What I Got for Christmas

6 days at Sun Valley, 3 days at Pomerelle, 2 days at the dreaded dentist- that'll teach me the importance of teeth brushing. What a wonderful visit home.

There was a big dump in Sun Valley while I was there. Man, was it fun to go everywhere. On the powder day the parking lot was full of locals at 8:30. There was a line for the gangula and the lift at the bottom of River Run (Which broke down and shattered dreams- people were stuck for a while). By 10 AM the top of Baldy and the bowls were skiied out (skied out for Sun Valley- very different than actually being skied out). Then all the locals went to work and the hill was empty. Dream day.

Blue Bird from elisabeth toft on Vimeo.

ELEVATED LOCAL - RACHEL
I love riding with this one: She's a snow-maker. While we drink beer and stare at things after we get off of the hill, Rachel is digging out snow guns and checking the snow. She is shoveling. She is sledding all over the mountain. She controls the FFP (fresh, fake, powder). There are bad nights, her eye lashes have been known to freeze together, and I heard it's been -10 lately. But mainly, Rachel and her snow-making family enjoy the gorgeous nights on the mountain. So after all this, she takes a nap and then meets me on the hill. Just to check on the snow- she is dedicated to her work. In the summer she makes money acting like Bill Muray on the golf course.

THE RIPER
I chased this cat everywhere around the mountain. He rips. Anyway, I have no idea who he is, but I followed him to many a secret stash.  Mountain crush (he's probably 12 and I'm gross). Thanks secret bright guy



AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY GAPING:



DISCOUNTS
Sun Valley: Liftopia, Costco in Twin Falls does deals for 2 or 3 days, and early and late season you can stay at the lodge and ski for around $80
Pomerelle: They wont give me a discount and I taught there and my fam still teaches there, but the freshies in the trees all day is worth the $38

MY BROTHER'S GIANT HEAD: