Living the Dream February 25, 2009

To the Men At Work tune “Land down under”:

“I come from the Land of Powder

Snow does fall by the hour.

Can you ski, can you ski the powder?

Better run, better take another…

tram lap.”

-Terry Stebbins (Musician and song-writer, and the best après ski entertainer in the world.)

 

The lyrics could not have been more fitting for Wednesday last week. I woke up to a snow filled wonderland. “Our mountain is a giant etch-a-sketch, and it’s just been shaken and ready for new lines to be drawn.” exclaimed my ski buddy Jaymie. Pow day.

I entered the Big Sky base area at a quarter to nine Wednesday morning. I took a look at the faces in the Swift Current line. ‘Not too many regulars’ I thought to myself. It meant that although I was a bit late, I still had a good chance at getting first tram that morning. I slid into line and after the nervous shift at about five minutes to the hour; I was firmly positioned for third chair. Why bother getting up early and racing crazed locals for a spot in the first tram? “Because I can’t afford heli-skiing” I always tell people. There is nothing greater than standing at the peak of a mountain at over 11,000 feet looking down at a steep wide open, completely untouched piece of mountain real estate and knowing for that moment it’s all your for the taking. That is what helicopter skiing must be like, but I didn’t have to pay thousands of dollars for it. I get those turns just for a lift ticket and for a season pass I get them all winter. I can honestly say there is nothing that compares to making first tracks in the high alpine through fresh snow.

The morning was cloudy, and the peak was not visible, perfect powder day conditions. Because of limited visibility it discouraged many “scenic tram riders” to wait for another day. Each lap the snow blew into different sections of the mountain and although each run didn’t compare to the first, the skiing was undeniably exquisite. My buddy Jaymie and I rode the tram all day exploring every aspect of the peak. Lenin was my first run of the day, pristine pow all the way. The Dictator Chutes were kind to me and the Wave Wall was deep. At the end of the day I took a line down Liberty Bowl, still making fresh track and with the snow flying over my head. “Bell to bell, that’s how it should be on a powder day.” said Jaymie. He was commenting on the fact that we skied all day while the lifts were open, no breaks 9a.m. – 4p.m.

Needless to say we were exhausted after the day, we retreated to (an un-named) lodge in Big Sky for some hot tubbing. We reminisced about the day, recalling our favorite skiing moments. Before we knew it the whole hot tub was full of locals soaking over-worked and already sore muscles. As a lodge employee approached I could hear him say “Nice guys, ski bum soup at the guest lodge.” Then he jumped in with us.

The next day I was lucky enough to catch first tram again. The wind had re-deposited the snow all over the mountain and smoothed out the peak, so that it looked un-touched again. I recalled Jamyie’s comment about the etch-a-sketch. “Ready for new lines” I thought to myself. It was a blue-bird morning, not a cloud in the sky and I knew that my first run down Marx needed to be appreciated because the tram line was about to get long with “scenic tram riders”. They clog the line, but you can’t blame them. The chance to stand at 11,166 feet on the peak of a mountain and look across the mountain ranges 360 degrees around you is the most amazing sight I can imagine. I remember the first time that it happened to me, I will never forget it ,and I am sure none of those scenic riders will either.

Covering my goggle tan to go to work is getting increasingly difficult. Saturday the weather was extremely warm and the sky blue. I decided that this would be the best day to take a hike up the Upper A – Z Chutes. I checked out with patrol and caught up with a couple young men (as a partner is required for hiking these chutes). The boot pack is an ascending stair-case that rises about 500 feet and overlooks the tram line. The only thing I don’t like about skiing the A-Z’s; it is a super “Hollywood” line. You know that everybody is watching, and on a day like Saturday there were plenty of spectators in the tram line. After an exhausting haul to gain the steep ridge I performed a seriously challenging balance act standing on a knife edge ridge and putting my skis on. The reward was worthy of cherish. I made a fresh track all the way down in deep snow. I was proud to look at my line as I stood at the bottom admiring the turns.

“Nice work Sedmak, great line.” exclaimed one of the young men who had hiked with me. I smiled back at him satisfied with all of our lines on the giant etch-a-sketch which is our mountain.

Living in Big Sky is truly living the dream. I hope that all of you also get the chance to experience heli-skiing without the helicopter, stand and look out at the Tetons from Big Sky Montana at over 11,000 feet and most importantly; I hope you too take the opportunity to make fresh tracks through untouched snow and understand what a magical dream you are living for that moment.

“I skied Third Gully

it made me nervous,

I nearly ate my knees for breakfast.

Skied Lenin today.

Fresh snow, not much else to say.

I said to my friend do you like the powder?

Because I come from the land of plenty.

I come from a land of powder

snow does fall by the hour.

Can you ski, can you ski the powder?

Better run, better take another…

tram lap”

-Terry Stebbins

 

Living the dream,

Erin

 

Presidents Day brings BIG FUN in BIG SKY! February 17, 2009

President’s Day weekend is always a hugely popular weekend for families, couples and friends to travel. The Big Sky area flourished with travelers from all around the country and beyond for this holiday weekend.

The weekend kicked off with a bang! Big Sky Resort was holding it’s annual blue grass festival. My buddy Scott called to tell me that his wife was out of town on business and he had a “hall pass” for Friday night. He rounded up the Moonlight Basin and Timber’s bar crew and we met for a quick “pre-game warm-up” drink at the Bambu Bar, and then headed over to the Whiskey Jack to listen to the Drew Emmitt Band. Emmitt had been a member of the popular Jam Band “Leftover Salmon” as lead singer and mandolin player. He now focuses on more traditional “bluegrass” sound as opposed to the “jamgrass” he helped pioneer. (Source: http://www.drewemmitt.com/press-group-4.html) The show featured a collection of talented string musicians. They jammed all night and brought the crowd to their feet, dancing until the early hours of the morning.

The next day I met the boys at the Timbers bar for some early morning hiking. Not too hazy from the night before I jumped off the Headwaters lift at Moonlight Basin and looked across a still and rather glorious morning sky. The light reflected off the clouds just enough to create a vanilla sky. Casey, a dedicated Moonlight Basin rider, let the group up the ridge and over to Hellroaring. I jumped in first and made some surprisingly deep, powdery turns down to the first constriction, and then over to the ridge between Hellroaring and Firehole.  I watched as the rest of the group followed excited by the great reward their hike had wrought. We decided to take Firehole the rest of the way since the 2^nd constriction in Hellroaring is a little tight right now. Everybody was pretty happy with their lines as we looked back up at the enormous wall of chutes above us.

Saturday night was Valentine’s Day, the one night a year that the boys do not go out with their buddies – no matter what. As a single gal, I prefer to work this night and make some money. At Buck’s T-4 we offered a special “Sweetheart’s Dinner” for two, complete with a bottle of Miamor Malbec from Argentina, a salad, a rich chocolate desert and a decadent 16 ounce filet served ala Oscar (topped with crab-meat and hollandaise sauce) and served with white and green asparagus and parsnip whipped potatoes. As a special treat for the holiday, we gave each guest (21 and up) a glass of champagne with a long stem-strawberry in it. There was no better place to be with your sweetheart than at Buck’s T-4 on Valentine’s Day.

Sunday brought another great day out on the slopes. My buddy Scott managed to get his wife home despite mistakenly booking her return flight for March 14, instead of February 14. The three of us met on Sunday and headed straight for the Lone Peak Tram in search of some deep snow. We found velvety turns and also some unlikely but very nice powder turns. After our ski day, we devoured the famous Timber’s Nachos.

Monday brought sunshine to Big Sky. I strapped on my telemark skis and headed to Moonlight Basin, where the fresh corduroy was in impeccable condition. I found some blown in snow and soft turns through Alder Gulch and had a great time skiing under the Lone Tree Chair. Although it hasn’t dumped in a little while, we still have plenty of snow and plenty of fun in Big Sky.

The best thing about President’s Day and Valentine’s Day weekend in Big Sky? You still don’t have to fight the crowds. All weekend the lifts were easy to load quickly, the trails were free of other skiers yet the bar was still full of friends and people who have not yet (but will) become your friend.

Love, peace and nacho grease,

Erin

I like that ole’ time ‘Montana role’, new service just ain’t got the same soul! February 4, 2009

There is nothing better in life than knowing you are surrounded by friends in a community of supportive members and good people. There is not another place on earth where I can say this has been for true for me than in Big Sky, Montana.

Living in the mountains in Montana with a Honda (and no snow-tires) I have gotten use to hitting snow-banks. A couple weeks ago, I found myself in the familiar predicament again. Luckily a kind man passing by saw that I was stuck and offered me a ride home. We made each-other’s acquaintance and have remained friends since.

Another morning not too long ago, I was having breakfast at the Corral, one of my favorite spots in Big Sky. I had parked my car in a rather icy patch without realizing it. As I tried to leave I noticed I was stuck, couldn’t even move that old Honda an inch. To my delight, three local gentlemen I know pulled up in a truck and were pushing me out before I even knew what was going on.  “Thanks so much” I yelled as they pushed. “No thanks required, Erin. Just happy to lend a hand.” One of the men replied.

It’s not just the roadways where that friendly Montana attitude is revealed. It is on the ski runs, in the stores, on the chairlift and in the bars.

The Lone Peak tram has been skiing phenomenally the last week. Wind events have smoothed the surface creating a groomed effect. This makes for fast skiing all the way down. I was lucky enough to have a friend visiting from Chicago this past week. He and I sped down each run enjoying the wind in our faces as the rest of the world was blur in our peripheral vision. Each time we raced around to get in the tram line again, I was met by familiar faces and friends.

“It sure is amazing how everybody knows one another up here.” Stated my friends visiting from Chicago. “Everybody is so kind and happy to see each other.”

Thinking about his comments made me proud to live in Big Sky and made me happy that we have such a fantastic community made up of strangers that have travelled here so we can all enjoy the same thing. Everybody who has the same love for snow, for speed, for skiing, snowboarding and for this paramount mountain somehow has a mutual understanding with each other.

Each time I ride the lift I am lucky enough to meet somebody new. I have heard the human story told by people from all over the country and even the world, just by riding the chairlift and striking up conversation. Often times I tell people about Buck’s T-4, not just because I work here, but because I genuinely feel that coming to Buck’s is a Big Sky tradition, and a unique place that shouldn’t be missed if you are visiting the area.

I would like to meet you too. Please come by and see us at Buck’s. Experience authentic and genuine Montana hospitality and world class skiing. Dine on elegantly prepared wild game in our Main Dining Room, soak in our hot tubs and come meet us. We are looking forward to meeting you.

Until then,

Erin

 

For great deals on lodging and more information see www.buckst4.com