MUScoop
MUScoop => The Superbar => Topic started by: jsglow on June 21, 2014, 11:09:26 AM
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Okay. You guys wet my whistle.
1 Alta. SLC, Utah. Little Cottonwood Canyon. God created perfection. World's best snow, most beautiful terrain and man was smart enough not to ruin His creation with boutiques. The mountain speaks softly if you know how to listen.
2 Sun Valley, Ketchum ID. Endless hours of fun in bowl skiing that a Midwestern intermediate can enjoy. Also, the simply spectacular way the mountain comes into view up the nondescript double chair on the quiet backside. (I wonder if that's still there? Been 15 years.)
3 A-Basin, Dillon Co., CO. The most Utah-like of any Colorado resort I've been to. Picnic in the parking lot. Awesome.
4 Heavenly, Lake Tahoe. Ski by day; gamble by night. 'Nuff said.
5 Solitude, SLC, UT. Big Cottonwood Canyon. Alta's local little brother.
6 (honorable mention) Ski Brule, Iron River, MI. Where we've been many times as a family and where I instilled the love of the sport in my kids beginning on Bunny at the age of 5 and 3.
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Okay. You guys wet my whistle.
1 Alta. SLC, Utah. Little Cottonwood Canyon. God created perfection. World's best snow, most beautiful terrain and man was smart enough not to ruin His creation with boutiques. The mountain speaks softly if you know how to listen.
2 Sun Valley, Ketchum ID. Endless hours of fun in bowl skiing that a Midwestern intermediate can enjoy. Also, the simply spectacular way the mountain comes into view up the nondescript double chair on the quiet backside. (I wonder if that's still there? Been 15 years.)
3 A-Basin, Dillon Co., CO. The most Utah-like of any Colorado resort I've been to. Picnic in the parking lot. Awesome.
4 Heavenly, Lake Tahoe. Ski by day; gamble by night. 'Nuff said.
5 Solitude, SLC, UT. Big Cottonwood Canyon. Alta's local little brother.
6 (honorable mention) Ski Brule, Iron River, MI. Where we've been many times as a family and where I instilled the love of the sport in my kids beginning on Bunny at the age of 5 and 3.
I'm partial to Purgatory, in Durango, Colorado. But only because that's home to me.
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I'm partial to Purgatory, in Durango, Colorado. But only because that's home to me.
nothing beats wolf creek. Pagosa springs, co
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I'm partial to Purgatory, in Durango, Colorado. But only because that's home to me.
Durango is awesome, really neat town.
I'm partial to Heavenly or Blackcomb (Whistler)
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Durango is a great town. Never skied there but I've taken the train twice in my life.
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6 (honorable mention) Ski Brule, Iron River, MI. Where we've been many times as a family and where I instilled the love of the sport in my kids beginning on Bunny at the age of 5 and 3.
Tell me more about Brule and the surrounding area. Thinking of taking the family there next season. Took the kids for their first skiing lesson in February .. need to get them on the hills for a longer period.
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I'm partial to Purgatory, in Durango, Colorado. But only because that's home to me.
Did you know Tim Halle? One of the more gifted writers I have known personally. His loss was tragic.
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Okay. You guys wet my whistle.
1 Alta. SLC, Utah. Little Cottonwood Canyon. God created perfection. World's best snow, most beautiful terrain and man was smart enough not to ruin His creation with boutiques. The mountain speaks softly if you know how to listen.
2 Sun Valley, Ketchum ID. Endless hours of fun in bowl skiing that a Midwestern intermediate can enjoy. Also, the simply spectacular way the mountain comes into view up the nondescript double chair on the quiet backside. (I wonder if that's still there? Been 15 years.)
3 A-Basin, Dillon Co., CO. The most Utah-like of any Colorado resort I've been to. Picnic in the parking lot. Awesome.
4 Heavenly, Lake Tahoe. Ski by day; gamble by night. 'Nuff said.
5 Solitude, SLC, UT. Big Cottonwood Canyon. Alta's local little brother.
6 (honorable mention) Ski Brule, Iron River, MI. Where we've been many times as a family and where I instilled the love of the sport in my kids beginning on Bunny at the age of 5 and 3.
Excellent list that is difficult to argue with. My list:
1. Taos Ski Valley. Taos, NM. Taos is ribboned with magnificent steeps that have 2,000' vertical drops that empty into long run gullies. Two of the absolute best front range triple diamond runs are Castor and Pollux. The first 100' bring you closer to God than any near death experience. But the real beauty of Taos is in its back-country experience. The Highline and West Basin ridges offer the finest chutes in North America. An extra advantage of Taos is in its latitude. Spring skiing is superb with t-shirts and bikinis under cobalt blue skies. Impeccable mountain for the serious skier.
2. Jackson Hole, WY. JH is a huge mountain which combined with its relative isolation makes for crowd-free skiing. The beauty of JH is that it has been left intact as God created it with no grading or run cuts. The front side has a great mix of runs but for the daring there are few finer chutes than Corbet and the Hobacks. All three have 3,000' vertical drops that challenge every inch of the way. For off-piste enthusiasts, JH offers some of the most exquisite back country experiences anywhere. The finest back country terrains feature cliffs, chutes and steeps in Rock Springs Canyon, Green River Canyon, and Granite Canyon. Simply the best off piste anywhere in the world. Jackson has tremendous apres ski options which made it my wife's favorite.
3. Alta, SLC, Utah. In addition to Glow's comments I would add that Alta's off piste is world class. Baldy Chutes and Wolverine Cirque are exceptional sphincter-tightening ski experiences. Best advice on apres ski is to shack up in Park City (Sodom & Gomorrah.) The Wasatch Brewery is a must stop. Try the Polygamy Porter.
4. Snowbird, SLC, Utah. Adjacent to Alta but with a very different vibe. Snowbird makes my list for one reason: White Pine Canyon. WPC is one of the most compelling back country runs anywhere. Snowbird also has Thunder Bowl, Baby Thunder and Mineral Basin which will all put some hair on your chest.
5. Fernie, BC. You get smaller crowds, fewer imbeciles, better snow, and a much better mountain than Whistler - Blackcomb. And Fernie features the best back country skiing in the PNW. Snake Ridge and Fish Bowl have 2,000' drops that can stain your Patagonias.
Heavenly is a stunning mountain and Gun Barrel is one of the better showtime runs home around. Purgatory offers great weather and is a nice palate cleanser from the other CO hills.
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Never cared much for Taos. Some people love it, but didn't particularly enjoy it.
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Never cared much for Taos. Some people love it, but didn't particularly enjoy it.
The mountain or the town? There is no questioning the mountain so it is usually the remote location and the lack of chi chi Hollywood sushi crowd apres ski that makes it less desirable.
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The mountain or the town? There is no questioning the mountain so it is usually the remote location and the lack of chi chi Hollywood sushi crowd apres ski that makes it less desirable.
Mountain was nice, didn't think the town was very kid friendly at all which turned my wife and I off. We stayed in the square, can't remember the hotel....La Fonda maybe or one of those. This was a number of years ago, my kids were pretty young. Got to the hotel, they said no kids allowed. Not pleased. Long story short, they let us stay but the Mrs. was not a happy camper to say the least.
I actually like less Hollywood sushi crowd....the less L.A. like the better as far as I'm concerned, that's why I can't wait to get out of this fake area.
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Mountain was nice, didn't think the town was very kid friendly at all which turned my wife and I off. We stayed in the square, can't remember the hotel....La Fonda maybe or one of those. This was a number of years ago, my kids were pretty young. Got to the hotel, they said no kids allowed. Not pleased. Long story short, they let us stay but the Mrs. was not a happy camper to say the least.
I actually like less Hollywood sushi crowd....the less L.A. like the better as far as I'm concerned, that's why I can't wait to get out of this fake area.
The La Fonda is the only hotel on the Plaza in Taos and they allow kids but there may be an age limit. Taos is an artistic and Native community so it isn't purpose built for kids but there are always little ones in evidence, especially in season. In fact, one of the appeals of Taos is that it is so far off the beaten path.
Before they starting developing retail and residential up in the ski valley you had to stay in town and we usually rented a house north on the Paseo. If it was just the wife and I we would always stay at the Taos Inn; I dined at Doc Martin's with my grandparents back in the day so I always want to have at least one meal there when in town.
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1) Any mountain on a good snow day. This is the biggest thing, I've had had awesome days at nearly every resort in CO, Alta, Snowbasin, Whistler, Heavenly...but again, good conditions make a good resort.
2) Vail. If you're stuck at a resort, and need a 5000+ skiable acres, this is the place to be. Not for the blue groomer crowd however. Bonus points if you pack in your own food to grill on the public grills at blue sky basin.
3, 4, 5) See #1. Which could also be #2. But note that any place can suck on a bad snow day (year).
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1) Any mountain on a good snow day. This is the biggest thing, I've had had awesome days at nearly every resort in CO, Alta, Snowbasin, Whistler, Heavenly...but again, good conditions make a good resort.
2) Vail. If you're stuck at a resort, and need a 5000+ skiable acres, this is the place to be. Not for the blue groomer crowd however. Bonus points if you pack in your own food to grill on the public grills at blue sky basin.
3, 4, 5) See #1. Which could also be #2. But note that any place can suck on a bad snow day (year).
Let me first say that with skiing and blow jobs everything is outstanding. It's just that some are more outstanding than others.
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Tell me more about Brule and the surrounding area. Thinking of taking the family there next season. Took the kids for their first skiing lesson in February .. need to get them on the hills for a longer period.
Brule is a super friendly family orientated ski area. Highlights include an excellent youth lessons program, runs up to a mile in length on the Homestead side, a wonderful restored Homestead lodge mid mountain on the back side, a decent base lodge with a friendly tavern overlooking the slopes, decent rental be it condos or single family ski chalet houses, a tubing area, a really neat horse sleigh ride at night back to buffet dinner at the Homestead, etc.
I've skied there for 35 years probably a dozen or more times. Been there with college buddies back in the day. Years later, I knew which lifts didn't have the pesky center support bar so I could get my then little kids on the chair for the first time by picking them up because their legs were too short.
Our technique when the kids were little was to put them in lessons/daycare in the morning. Absolutely the best program in the midwest for that. Chick and I would ski together as adults during that time. Then in the afternoon it was what we could all do together as a family. I still remember the first time I took my nervous young daughter to the top. Wonderful little Maple Syrup was her perfect introduction to skiing down the entire mountain. Essentially a glorified cat track through the forest from the top to the bottom. I still remember my son building a 'jump' on Bunny when he was 3 or 4. Now approaching 20 years later, I have to remind him not to leave the old man behind up at 11,000 feet in the Wasatch. 'Oh, sorry dad.'
If that sounds like a ringing endorsement...
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Excellent list that is difficult to argue with. My list:
1. Taos Ski Valley. Taos, NM. Taos is ribboned with magnificent steeps that have 2,000' vertical drops that empty into long run gullies. Two of the absolute best front range triple diamond runs are Castor and Pollux. The first 100' bring you closer to God than any near death experience. But the real beauty of Taos is in its back-country experience. The Highline and West Basin ridges offer the finest chutes in North America. An extra advantage of Taos is in its latitude. Spring skiing is superb with t-shirts and bikinis under cobalt blue skies. Impeccable mountain for the serious skier.
2. Jackson Hole, WY. JH is a huge mountain which combined with its relative isolation makes for crowd-free skiing. The beauty of JH is that it has been left intact as God created it with no grading or run cuts. The front side has a great mix of runs but for the daring there are few finer chutes than Corbet and the Hobacks. All three have 3,000' vertical drops that challenge every inch of the way. For off-piste enthusiasts, JH offers some of the most exquisite back country experiences anywhere. The finest back country terrains feature cliffs, chutes and steeps in Rock Springs Canyon, Green River Canyon, and Granite Canyon. Simply the best off piste anywhere in the world. Jackson has tremendous apres ski options which made it my wife's favorite.
3. Alta, SLC, Utah. In addition to Glow's comments I would add that Alta's off piste is world class. Baldy Chutes and Wolverine Cirque are exceptional sphincter-tightening ski experiences. Best advice on apres ski is to shack up in Park City (Sodom & Gomorrah.) The Wasatch Brewery is a must stop. Try the Polygamy Porter.
4. Snowbird, SLC, Utah. Adjacent to Alta but with a very different vibe. Snowbird makes my list for one reason: White Pine Canyon. WPC is one of the most compelling back country runs anywhere. Snowbird also has Thunder Bowl, Baby Thunder and Mineral Basin which will all put some hair on your chest.
5. Fernie, BC. You get smaller crowds, fewer imbeciles, better snow, and a much better mountain than Whistler - Blackcomb. And Fernie features the best back country skiing in the PNW. Snake Ridge and Fish Bowl have 2,000' drops that can stain your Patagonias.
Heavenly is a stunning mountain and Gun Barrel is one of the better showtime runs home around. Purgatory offers great weather and is a nice palate cleanser from the other CO hills.
We should ski together sometime my friend. Clearly you're a much stronger skier than me. But two things jumped out on your list. One, I love Mineral Basin. Two, Polygamy Porter is damn good.
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My favorite places that I've been to are:
1) Steamboat, CO- a friend of mine from MU has a mid-mountain ski out so you can't really beat it.
2) Beaver Creek, CO- as Rocky said it's all about conditions and when I went to Beaver Creek they got hit with a bunch of snow the night before so the powder was super fresh.
3) Keystone, CO- huge mountain that's probably my dad's favorite
4) Big Bear, CA- went boarding there when I was on spring break in 2008 and it was beautiful. Going down to slopes looking at that lake was breathtaking. Slightly beats out Copper Mountain, CO
5) Nubs Knob, MI- I'm totally biased here because I grew up with the owners of the mountain so it was my go to for a long time, but IMO it's better than Boyne and therefor the best skiing/boarding in Michigan (minus the UP).
I also really like Blue Mountain in Ontario but it doesn't compare to out west. Eventually I'm going to make it to Utah, Idaho, and Montana which I'm sure will alter my list
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1. Alta
2. Snowbird (w/Alta upgrade)
3. Alta
4. Tell the kids you know a shortcut to Park City through Little Cottonwood, and when the road ends, say "dang, I must have been thinking about the shortcut through Big Cottonwood, but oh well, there's a place we can ski right here!"
5. Park City -- There's just something about the fly that is Park City in the ointment of Utah.
6. Vail -- If you have to do Colorado, this is the place to start. Everything of everything.
7. Jackson Hole -- Would have been higher on the list, but Billy's closed down in 2012. RIP, Billy.
8. Mt. Hood, OR -- No apres-ski, but for the hardcore skier... where else in the US can you ski in August?
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1. Alta
2. Snowbird (w/Alta upgrade)
3. Alta
4. Tell the kids you know a shortcut to Park City through Little Cottonwood, and when the road ends, say "dang, I must have been thinking about the shortcut through Big Cottonwood, but oh well, there's a place we can ski right here!"
5. Park City -- There's just something about the fly that is Park City in the ointment of Utah.
6. Vail -- If you have to do Colorado, this is the place to start. Everything of everything.
7. Jackson Hole -- Would have been higher on the list, but Billy's closed down in 2012. RIP, Billy.
8. Mt. Hood, OR -- No apres-ski, but for the hardcore skier... where else in the US can you ski in August?
We often skied Bachelor and Hood. Since I'm a pilot we could get to either Bend or Hood River in under an hour; it would actually take longer to drive to the mountain base than it would to fly down from Seattle. As "ski" towns go, both Bend and Hood River are superb if not actually on the mountain. Plenty to do, eat, and drink in both locales since they are four season magnets.
I have a couple buddies who fly for Delta and live in Sodom & Gomorrah of the Deseret Empire. They bristle at the thought of having to spend any time in SLC and avoid places like Ogden and Logan. Utah is just a peculiar land of stunning physical beauty populated by oddly self-righteous people with a grotesque sense of place.
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We should ski together sometime my friend. Clearly you're a much stronger skier than me. But two things jumped out on your list. One, I love Mineral Basin. Two, Polygamy Porter is damn good.
Deal. I will admit, however, that my runs through the back country are now more technical than hell raising and I don't catch nearly as much air which is odd for a pilot.
But Glow, other than the radiance of the lovely women who took pity on us and graced us with their presence, there is nothing more beautiful than Mineral Basin at 0900 in March.
(http://traverstravels.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DSCN2005-600x450.jpg)
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1) Any mountain on a good snow day. This is the biggest thing, I've had had awesome days at nearly every resort in CO, Alta, Snowbasin, Whistler, Heavenly...but again, good conditions make a good resort.
2) Vail. If you're stuck at a resort, and need a 5000+ skiable acres, this is the place to be. Not for the blue groomer crowd however. Bonus points if you pack in your own food to grill on the public grills at blue sky basin.
3, 4, 5) See #1. Which could also be #2. But note that any place can suck on a bad snow day (year).
I have to say, I love the back bowl of Vail. I haven't had the opportunity to range around a ton of places other than Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin(bleck) and Michigan so it's not that great an opinion but I could spend days in the back bowl.
And I have backpacked lunch in just not the grill type, I noticed them there the last time I was up and that will be my mission next time.
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Waist deep powder on Mineral
(http://www.sci.utah.edu/~abe/snowbird-021505/smaller-IMG_0462.jpg)
(http://www.mtnadvisor.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Snowbird-cat-ski.jpg)
Dropping into the Cique
(http://www.sci.utah.edu/~abe/snowbird-021505/smaller-IMG_0501.jpg)
White Pine Canyon
(http://www.utahoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/whitepine5.jpg)
(http://www.utahoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/whitepine1.jpg)
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we had enough damn winter this year and it's not even July yet, can you please stop reminding us Midwesterners about winter?!!
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My favorite places that I've been to are:
1) Steamboat, CO- a friend of mine from MU has a mid-mountain ski out so you can't really beat it.
2) Beaver Creek, CO- as Rocky said it's all about conditions and when I went to Beaver Creek they got hit with a bunch of snow the night before so the powder was super fresh.
3) Keystone, CO- huge mountain that's probably my dad's favorite
4) Big Bear, CA- went boarding there when I was on spring break in 2008 and it was beautiful. Going down to slopes looking at that lake was breathtaking. Slightly beats out Copper Mountain, CO
5) Nubs Knob, MI- I'm totally biased here because I grew up with the owners of the mountain so it was my go to for a long time, but IMO it's better than Boyne and therefor the best skiing/boarding in Michigan (minus the UP).
I also really like Blue Mountain in Ontario but it doesn't compare to out west. Eventually I'm going to make it to Utah, Idaho, and Montana which I'm sure will alter my list
I never thought in my life I would see Big Bear make anyone's list. Its nice for us locals, but way overcrowded and usually the snow is man made. Scenery can be nice (not just the lake and trees), but because of the mass of humanity...no thanks. I took the family to Heavenly this year in April and I'm not joking when I say the longest lift line I had all day was probably 30 seconds and that might be stretching it.
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Crested Butte
Copper Mountain
Sunday River
Vail
Parc du Mont Ste. Anne
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I never thought in my life I would see Big Bear make anyone's list. Its nice for us locals, but way overcrowded and usually the snow is man made. Scenery can be nice (not just the lake and trees), but because of the mass of humanity...no thanks. I took the family to Heavenly this year in April and I'm not joking when I say the longest lift line I had all day was probably 30 seconds and that might be stretching it.
We had a blast at Big Bear. It was our sophomore year spring break and were visiting a buddies sister in LA. Woke up in Santa Monica and had breakfast on the beach, went snowboarding at Big Bear for the day, then drove to ASU for St. Paddy's day the next day. We then hustled back to Cali to catch our Warriors beat the sh!t out of Kentucky in the tourny that year (actually in your neck of the woods at the Honda center). Unfortunately we had to leave before the Stanford game, but overall fantastic trip.
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Crested Butte
Copper Mountain
Sunday River
Vail
Parc du Mont Ste. Anne
Tom
Please. There is no skiing east of the Rockies...
Seriously, though, your mention of Parc du Mont Ste. Anne reminded me of another great Canadian mountain - Banff.
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We had a blast at Big Bear. It was our sophomore year spring break and were visiting a buddies sister in LA. Woke up in Santa Monica and had breakfast on the beach, went snowboarding at Big Bear for the day, then drove to ASU for St. Paddy's day the next day. We then hustled back to Cali to catch our Warriors beat the sh!t out of Kentucky in the tourny that year (actually in your neck of the woods at the Honda center). Unfortunately we had to leave before the Stanford game, but overall fantastic trip.
Yes, the locale here does make it one of the few spots on the planet that you can surf in the morning and snow ski later in the same day. Glad you had fun
I was at that game at the Honda Center.
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Yes, the locale here does make it one of the few spots on the planet that you can surf in the morning and snow ski later in the same day.
It's got nothing on Mt Baker and Bellingham...
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It's got nothing on Mt Baker and Bellingham...
The surfing in Bellingham...no thanks. Kiteboarding, that I'll give you.
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Deal. I will admit, however, that my runs through the back country are now more technical than hell raising and I don't catch nearly as much air which is odd for a pilot.
But Glow, other than the radiance of the lovely women who took pity on us and graced us with their presence, there is nothing more beautiful than Mineral Basin at 0900 in March.
(http://traverstravels.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DSCN2005-600x450.jpg)
Possibly my worst parenting job ever. We skied the day in MB on a March bluebird day just like that. Even had a picnic lunch in the snow at at the base of the lift. Sure jsglow jr. had 50 sunscreen on. But on his fair skin only full face protection would have helped. Poor kid ended up with 2nd degree burns on both cheeks. (Thank God they healed well with treatment and he has no scaring.) I think he was about 10 years old and could already shred pretty well. Absolutely my fault. Still maybe his favorite acreage in the world to ski.
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The surfing in Bellingham...no thanks. Kiteboarding, that I'll give you.
Yea, but here's the bottom line: a year in LA or a year in Bellingham? Not even close.
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Still maybe his favorite acreage in the world to ski.
Good man. A Warrior!
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Yea, but here's the bottom line: a year in LA or a year in Bellingham? Not even close.
Weather, I'll take LA. Everything else, agree it is not close.
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My favorite places that I've been to are:
1) Steamboat, CO- a friend of mine from MU has a mid-mountain ski out so you can't really beat it.
2) Beaver Creek, CO- as Rocky said it's all about conditions and when I went to Beaver Creek they got hit with a bunch of snow the night before so the powder was super fresh.
3) Keystone, CO- huge mountain that's probably my dad's favorite
4) Big Bear, CA- went boarding there when I was on spring break in 2008 and it was beautiful. Going down to slopes looking at that lake was breathtaking. Slightly beats out Copper Mountain, CO
5) Nubs Knob, MI- I'm totally biased here because I grew up with the owners of the mountain so it was my go to for a long time, but IMO it's better than Boyne and therefor the best skiing/boarding in Michigan (minus the UP).
I also really like Blue Mountain in Ontario but it doesn't compare to out west. Eventually I'm going to make it to Utah, Idaho, and Montana which I'm sure will alter my list
Certainly a good Eisenhower Tunnel list. We're all a product of the places we've been blessed to ski. Steamboat really could have been in my top 5. I like the mountain and town a great deal. Trust you rubbed the statue's nose. Can't remember the guy's name. But you hit on it when you opened yourself up to the possibility of other states. While I personally can't speak to the Durango area, much of the Colorado front range has the corporate feel to it for me with the notable exception of A-Basin. More posers than skiers is what I'm saying I guess. I suppose it is the ease with which one flies into Denver and then heads off to more than a dozen resorts a couple hours out of town. SLC actually offers one much greater convenience but no doubt the Mormon culture and the limited social life limits the appeal.
To that end I guess I'm old school. Sure I want a decent meal and a cold beer or two in the evening. But then I want to go to bed. I've got first chair to catch in the morning. Because like keefe said, there is simply nothing better than cutting virgin tracks on a crisp bluebird day in shin high (used to be thigh high...I'm old) pow. No bar stool ever gave me that.
Hopefully you've gotten some good suggestions here. I've been impressed with folks knowledge.
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We had a blast at Big Bear. It was our sophomore year spring break and were visiting a buddies sister in LA. Woke up in Santa Monica and had breakfast on the beach, went snowboarding at Big Bear for the day, then drove to ASU for St. Paddy's day the next day. We then hustled back to Cali to catch our Warriors beat the sh!t out of Kentucky in the tourny that year (actually in your neck of the woods at the Honda center). Unfortunately we had to leave before the Stanford game, but overall fantastic trip.
I have to agree with the Bail Bondsman. Big Bear is like Target or Walmart. Great for essentials but I wouldn't buy a suit there. Close and convenient smacks too much like the fat chick at closing time. No thank you.
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Tom
Please. There is no skiing east of the Rockies...
Seriously, though, your mention of Parc du Mont Ste. Anne reminded me of another great Canadian mountain - Banff.
Au contraire mon frère. Anybody can ski out west in the perfect, dry conditions. It takes a Warrior to schuss the bulletproof ice out east. And skiing Quebec was a great cultural experience. Could drive there in 8 hours, experience Franco culture, exchange rate WAS great. Enjoy the olde city,and spend a night or two at the Chateau Frontenac. Wonderful.
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Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.
(https://b.yipitcdn.com/thumbor/u3qCVDyCcEVUfS-g2Z_cVTLupMs=/1014x400/b.yipitcdn.com/nationbiz/wilmot-mountain-1386600484.jpg)
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Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.
(https://b.yipitcdn.com/thumbor/u3qCVDyCcEVUfS-g2Z_cVTLupMs=/1014x400/b.yipitcdn.com/nationbiz/wilmot-mountain-1386600484.jpg)
You know what I could really use... more scrapes and cuts on the base of my skis.
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Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.
(https://b.yipitcdn.com/thumbor/u3qCVDyCcEVUfS-g2Z_cVTLupMs=/1014x400/b.yipitcdn.com/nationbiz/wilmot-mountain-1386600484.jpg)
Crystal Ridge dude. Kowabunga!
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Hard to top Wilmot Mountain.
(https://b.yipitcdn.com/thumbor/u3qCVDyCcEVUfS-g2Z_cVTLupMs=/1014x400/b.yipitcdn.com/nationbiz/wilmot-mountain-1386600484.jpg)
Is that a road at the bottom of the run?
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Au contraire mon frère. Anybody can ski out west in the perfect, dry conditions. It takes a Warrior to schuss the bulletproof ice out east. And skiing Quebec was a great cultural experience. Could drive there in 8 hours, experience Franco culture, exchange rate WAS great. Enjoy the olde city,and spend a night or two at the Chateau Frontenac. Wonderful.
I do love QC. My wife and I would stay at the Frontenac and there are some great bistros in the old and lower city. Went there in the fall and it was superb. Went there in the winter and it was not so much.
Two of our kids studied in New England so we skied Stowe and Pico over the years. As I reflect on those outings it was much more about family and far less about the mountain which is perhaps as it should be.
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I do love QC. My wife and I would stay at the Frontenac and there are some great bistros in the old and lower city. Went there in the fall and it was superb. Went there in the winter and it was not so much.
Two of our kids studied in New England so we skied Stowe and Pico over the years. As I reflect on those outings it was much more about family and far less about the mountain which is perhaps as it should be.
Winter there was pretty crisp. Especially if you were skiing versant nord on Beuaregard and Suprenant. That wind would whip off the St. Lawrence and just chill your bones, but the views of the seaway and Ile Orleans were magnifique! And back then you could ski for a week night and day for $120 US. Exchange rate was very favorable and the French Canadians were always dressed to the nines in that season's newest Descente ski wear. Really loved it and went 5-6 winters in a row. Easy 8 hour drive from RI. Also liked Pico very much.
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Is that a road at the bottom of the run?
How else are you supposed to tailgate?
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Winter there was pretty crisp. Especially if you were skiing versant nord on Beuaregard and Suprenant. That wind would whip off the St. Lawrence and just chill your bones, but the views of the seaway and Ile Orleans were magnifique! And back then you could ski for a week night and day for $120 US. Exchange rate was very favorable and the French Canadians were always dressed to the nines in that season's newest Descente ski wear. Really loved it and went 5-6 winters in a row. Easy 8 hour drive from RI. Also liked Pico very much.
I have skied several of the hills in Europe and as much as it pains me to say it my favorite there is Chamonix in France. Despite there being way too many French in one spot, Chamonix offers the best steeps in the world with the added advantage that most are lift-accessible. A typical Chamonix couloir has a 45 degree angle of attack and you can get in three 8,000 verticals before lunch. That is one thing the French actually perfected, well, other than surrendering.
Chamonix is really five different hills and each offer something different. But Chamonix has Europe's most outstanding back country terrain with the added advantage of stunning visuals. What amazed me is that we always pack a tracker, shovel, skins, and a camel back for off piste while the French only keep vin, pan, and fromage in their rucks.
The thing I hate about skiing in France is that the locals have no queue discipline. Americans, Brits, and Germans will line up properly for the lifts but the French think it's ok to cut the queue, literally walking over your skis to get ahead of you. Also, the French tend to look down on Americans spring skiing the front side in a college sweat shirt, bandana and gaiters instead of a neon pastel Louis Vuitton ski suit. I realize designer ski wear is expensive but why would any man want to wear white or pastel?
My wife preferred skiing Switzerland with her favorites being Murren, Zermatt, and Sass Fee. I think she found Swiss mountains offered a variety of experiences without the crowds and odd behavior of French and Russians. Perhaps the worst thing about the fall of communism is the unleashing of so many nouveau riche former commissars armed with too many dollars, boorish manners, and questionable fashion sense. For some reason the Ivans and their posses prefer French hills for their more pronounced apres ski options.
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I do love QC. My wife and I would stay at the Frontenac and there are some great bistros in the old and lower city. Went there in the fall and it was superb. Went there in the winter and it was not so much.
Two of our kids studied in New England so we skied Stowe and Pico over the years. As I reflect on those outings it was much more about family and far less about the mountain which is perhaps as it should be.
I love Québec also, but I'm very biased by being Canadien-Français on my father's side plus due to my last name I get treated like royalty in La Province when I visit.
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I love Québec also, but I'm very biased by being Canadien-Français on my father's side plus due to my last name I get treated like royalty in La Province when I visit.
I know how you feel. As I travel in Scotland the locals extend me the utmost consideration as I present my name card:
Colonel Barry MacCochinhar, USAF
Special privileges are due to special people, quite frankly, and deservedly so.
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do you also know Phi McCracken?
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I love Québec also, but I'm very biased by being Canadien-Français on my father's side plus due to my last name I get treated like royalty in La Province when I visit.
You're a Canuck? Are we allowed to say that, some people find it very offensive...of course there is a sports team named after the Canucks. ;)
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I know how you feel. As I travel in Scotland the locals extend me the utmost consideration as I present my name card:
Colonel Barry MacCochinhar, USAF
Special privileges are due to special people, quite frankly, and deservedly so.
Here in New England you always know someone who have the special distinction of being Mayflower descendants.
My family is the French equivalent - the first boat of settlers from France to Québec.
I'm always greeted with a "Welcome home." (Bienvenue maison.) and sometimes gotten hotel upgrades or something compted at dinner.
Surprisingly, my Aunt & Uncle on a capitol tour in Ottawa were given a special bonus tour to include the Prime Minister's office as well as the usually non-tourist areas of the parliament building. (Of course, this goes way back and may have even been early 80s when Trudeau was PM.)
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https://www.youtube.com/v/mptT4YDAsZg
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You're a Canuck? Are we allowed to say that, some people find it very offensive...of course there is a sports team named after the Canucks. ;)
I answered some of this on the "Dago" comments.
Like the Bill Murray line from Stripes, "We're American's and we're all mutts. Look even his nose is still wet."
My mom's side of the family is all Italian and even that's fragmented into Neapolitan via my maternal grandmother and Sicilian via my maternal grandfather.
My dad's dad immigrated straight from Québec and my dad's mom was of Polish descent.
I think I'm generationally too far away from being offended.
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do you also know Phi McCracken?
We're Highlanders. Sounds like a Lowlander to me...
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I answered some of this on the "Dago" comments.
Like the Bill Murray line from Stripes, "We're American's and we're all mutts. Look even his nose is still wet."
My mom's side of the family is all Italian and even that's fragmented into Neapolitan via my maternal grandmother and Sicilian via my maternal grandfather.
My dad's dad immigrated straight from Québec and my dad's mom was of Polish descent.
I think I'm generationally too far away from being offended.
Just playing with you and agree mostly. I'm a Dutch Kraut mostly, with a bit of the Queen's English. My wife's side, German French Irish....they like to get their drink on.
I actually think most people don't get that offended, but there is a cottage industry of folks that do and will do everything they can to gin up support to make sure others are aware of how offended they are or should be.
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Just playing with you and agree mostly. I'm a Dutch Kraut mostly, with a bit of the Queen's English. My wife's side, German French Irish....they like to get their drink on.
I actually think most people don't get that offended, but there is a cottage industry of folks that do and will do everything they can to gin up support to make sure others are aware of how offended they are or should be.
I showed up to my first F 16 squadron in Misawa, Japan. Our squadron tactical call sign was Shogun and our patch was a samurai in front of a Torii. I was gravely offended by the use of all of these cliché cultural stereotypes so I went VFR Direct to my squadron commander to voice my displeasure. He told me to shut the f uck up and I was assigned kitchen duty for the next six months...
Actually, in truth, I embraced the samurai heritage of our local nation hosts and my own DNA and was proud to fly Block 5 Vipers for the World Famous Fightin' Shoguns in defense of the Truth, Justice, and the American Way. My own initial call sign was most definitely a play on my ethnicity and I took it for the clear message of acceptance that is was.
One can take things in the spirit in which they are intended or one can seek out a fight. If I had bitched about either my own call sign or the unit's use of clichéd Japanese warrior imagery Mother Air Force would have had to unleash the JAGs and there would have been a formal investigation. This might have resulted in a massive overhaul of every Unit patch, logo, and heraldry in Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Germany, UK and every where else God saw fit to station His Most Blessed Air Force. My reward would have been a really sh1tty 30 months in that squadron, I never would have worn Rail Road tracks, and my star wearing old man would have hunted me down on horseback for being an a$$hole.
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My family is the French equivalent - the first boat of settlers from France to Québec.
That's actually very cool, Nutmeg. I have read accounts of the Acadian experience from initial landing to the resettlement in Louisiana. Those first souls in the Maritimes and Quebec were hardy souls.
I also admire the work of the French Jesuits who formed the more noble aspect of the French Civilizing Mission which characterized France's colonial experience. Our own lives were touched by this through the Joliet expedition and Fr Marquette.
For some reason the story of the Jesuit Martyrs in New France has always stayed with me. In particular, I recall reading in my youth accounts of how the Iroquois treated captured Jesuits. Fr Jogues had all of his fingers bitten off and Fr de Brebeuf had his eyes burned out with flaming sticks. I never figured out why we were taught such morbid details but as boys we discussed these stories at recess with great relish.
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I showed up to my first F 16 squadron in Misawa, Japan. Our squadron tactical call sign was Shogun and our patch was a samurai in front of a Torii. I was gravely offended by the use of all of these cliché cultural stereotypes so I went VFR Direct to my squadron commander to voice my displeasure. He told me to shut the f uck up and I was assigned kitchen duty for the next six months...
Actually, in truth, I embraced the samurai heritage of our local nation hosts and my own DNA and was proud to fly Block 5 Vipers for the World Famous Fightin' Shoguns in defense of the Truth, Justice, and the American Way. My own initial call sign was most definitely a play on my ethnicity and I took it for the clear message of acceptance that is was.
One can take things in the spirit in which they are intended or one can seek out a fight. If I had bitched about either my own call sign or the unit's use of clichéd Japanese warrior imagery Mother Air Force would have had to unleash the JAGs and there would have been a formal investigation. This might have resulted in a massive overhaul of every Unit patch, logo, and heraldry in Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Germany, UK and every where else God saw fit to station His Most Blessed Air Force. My reward would have been a really sh1tty 30 months in that squadron, I never would have worn Rail Road tracks, and my star wearing old man would have hunted me down on horseback for being an a$$hole.
Don't worry someone will take up that cause. I'm waiting for the day when they have forced tattoo removal on humans that don't comply because someone will be offended. In my lifetime? Probably.
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-Big Sky (Lone Mtn. so picturesque)
-Telluride (ta hell u ride, and great western town)
-Snowmass (big, great variety of runs)
-Snowbird (great spring skiing)
-Beaver Creek (actually like runs/layout better than Vail)
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I'm going to add a least favorite: Breckenridge, CO. A lot of people go nuts over Breck which I've never really understood. Maybe it's the family friendly thing or the fact that there's a lot of trees (my brothers love skiing in the trees) but to me it was way too flat. The few times I've boarded there I wasn't impressed.
Just my two cents.
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That's actually very cool, Nutmeg. I have read accounts of the Acadian experience from initial landing to the resettlement in Louisiana. Those first souls in the Maritimes and Quebec were hardy souls.
I also admire the work of the French Jesuits who formed the more noble aspect of the French Civilizing Mission which characterized France's colonial experience. Our own lives were touched by this through the Joliet expedition and Fr Marquette.
For some reason the story of the Jesuit Martyrs in New France has always stayed with me. In particular, I recall reading in my youth accounts of how the Iroquois treated captured Jesuits. Fr Jogues had all of his fingers bitten off and Fr de Brebeuf had his eyes burned out with flaming sticks. I never figured out why we were taught such morbid details but as boys we discussed these stories at recess with great relish.
Strangely coincidental, I was reading the latest Yankee Magazine at lunch time and there's an article on the Acadians of Maine. The article has photos from the annual Acadian festival in Madawaska that includes a photo of group entering the festival behind a banner bearing my family name.
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Strangely coincidental, I was reading the latest Yankee Magazine at lunch time and there's an article on the Acadians of Maine. The article has photos from the annual Acadian festival in Madawaska that includes a photo of group entering the festival behind a banner bearing my family name.
There was a Quebecois restaurant in QC that specialized in traditional Acadia fare. My wife loved that place despite some unusual offerings. I loved the insight into how a people adapted to new surroundings and forged a cultural identity. The first Acadians scratched and clawed for survival in an unforgiving environment.
I have spent time in the field under primitive circumstances but I had the psychological advantage in knowing that in x days a helo was taking me back to hot food, showers, and an actual toilet. The Acadians were all in; there was no helo coming to get them. A person can go cold, hungry, thirsty, and uncomfortable for a long time when there is a known end to the misery. With pioneers there is no light and the tunnel can stretch for generations. The human spirit is always amazing.
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Strangely coincidental, I was reading the latest Yankee Magazine at lunch time and there's an article on the Acadians of Maine. The article has photos from the annual Acadian festival in Madawaska that includes a photo of group entering the festival behind a banner bearing my family name.
Are you part of the "Billeterie" family or the "Salle de Bain" clan?
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Here in New England you always know someone who have the special distinction of being Mayflower descendants.
My family is the French equivalent - the first boat of settlers from France to Québec.
I'm always greeted with a "Welcome home." (Bienvenue maison.) and sometimes gotten hotel upgrades or something compted at dinner.
Surprisingly, my Aunt & Uncle on a capitol tour in Ottawa were given a special bonus tour to include the Prime Minister's office as well as the usually non-tourist areas of the parliament building. (Of course, this goes way back and may have even been early 80s when Trudeau was PM.)
I'm mostly German and Swedish on both sides of the family, but my direct lineage is actually Dutch and I'm the direct descendent of one of the families that swindled Manhattan island from the natives. Also a direct descendent of an courier for George Washington during the Revolution. Also interesting to go back to Valley Forge and see my Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather's name on some plaques there.
There were also a bunch of swindlers, horse thieves and ne'er do wells in the tree but we don't like to talk about them. ;D
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I'm mostly German and Swedish on both sides of the family, but my direct lineage is actually Dutch and I'm the direct descendent of one of the families that swindled Manhattan island from the natives. Also a direct descendent of an courier for George Washington during the Revolution. Also interesting to go back to Valley Forge and see my Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather's name on some plaques there.
There were also a bunch of swindlers, horse thieves and ne'er do wells in the tree but we don't like to talk about them. ;D
I also have the Dutch lineage. Though we're not your dirty, swindling Manhattan Dutch; we're more your foul-smelling, drunken Albany Dutch.
I remember my father-in-law (first generation American) introducing me to a family friend of his from Kentucky several years back; actually, it was the way he introduced his friend's wife... she was a Daughter of the Revolution, as though we were in the presence of royalty, clearly in awe that her family had been in the US since the mid 1700s. I turned to my wife and rolled my eyes, but didn't say a word about my family having arrived about 100 years earlier.
On the East Coast, it's hard to turn around somewhere without running into someone of colonial ancestry, but in Chicago, it's almost the complete opposite.
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Are you part of the "Billeterie" family or the "Salle de Bain" clan?
Ticketing or Bathrooms?
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I also have the Dutch lineage. Though we're not your dirty, swindling Manhattan Dutch; we're more your foul-smelling, drunken Albany Dutch.
I remember my father-in-law (first generation American) introducing me to a family friend of his from Kentucky several years back; actually, it was the way he introduced his friend's wife... she was a Daughter of the Revolution, as though we were in the presence of royalty, clearly in awe that her family had been in the US since the mid 1700s. I turned to my wife and rolled my eyes, but didn't say a word about my family having arrived about 100 years earlier.
On the East Coast, it's hard to turn around somewhere without running into someone of colonial ancestry, but in Chicago, it's almost the complete opposite.
Yep, it's all on my dad's side and they are all Pennsylvanians (Philly and the Poconos area). My mom's side is all german and swedish and not a one of them were here until the 1860s and all went to Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Always enjoy the time out on the east coast when somebody gets snobbish about having ancestors fight in the French and Indian Wars :)
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I'm the direct descendent of one of the families that swindled Manhattan island from the natives
4
You must be related to Clan Chico!
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Ticketing or Bathrooms?
Sorry, bad joke. Apparently the Acadian Festival doesn't have banners near the festival entrance directing goers to the ticket booth or bathrooms.
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I showed up to my first F 16 squadron in Misawa, Japan. Our squadron tactical call sign was Shogun and our patch was a samurai in front of a Torii. I was gravely offended by the use of all of these cliché cultural stereotypes so I went VFR Direct to my squadron commander to voice my displeasure. He told me to shut the f uck up and I was assigned kitchen duty for the next six months...
Actually, in truth, I embraced the samurai heritage of our local nation hosts and my own DNA and was proud to fly Block 5 Vipers for the World Famous Fightin' Shoguns in defense of the Truth, Justice, and the American Way. My own initial call sign was most definitely a play on my ethnicity and I took it for the clear message of acceptance that is was.
One can take things in the spirit in which they are intended or one can seek out a fight. If I had bitched about either my own call sign or the unit's use of clichéd Japanese warrior imagery Mother Air Force would have had to unleash the JAGs and there would have been a formal investigation. This might have resulted in a massive overhaul of every Unit patch, logo, and heraldry in Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Germany, UK and every where else God saw fit to station His Most Blessed Air Force. My reward would have been a really sh1tty 30 months in that squadron, I never would have worn Rail Road tracks, and my star wearing old man would have hunted me down on horseback for being an a$$hole.
Timely http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3172418/posts
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Timely http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3172418/posts
I think the USAF cleaned up its culture long before Naval Aviation for many reasons, not the least of which is that we brought women into the cockpit much sooner than did Naval Air. Even after Tailhook there continued to be throw back behavior in both fighter communities but it was more pervasive in the Naval Air Force.
When I first went in there was full on smut on the walls of the maintenance spaces, guys watched porn tapes while standing the alert, Wednesday night was Stripper Night at the O Club, women were targets of opportunity, and there was no excuse for not attending the incessant beer busts that were called for the slightest reason. It was a masculine world with battle hardened traditions that were expected to be upheld and carried on. Fortunately, I had a wife who established some pretty clear ground rules so I avoided a lot of the silliness that transpired as alcohol fogged judgment and decision-making but I saw a lot of guys do some bone-headed things to themselves and others over the years.
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That's actually very cool, Nutmeg. I have read accounts of the Acadian experience from initial landing to the resettlement in Louisiana. Those first souls in the Maritimes and Quebec were hardy souls.
I also admire the work of the French Jesuits who formed the more noble aspect of the French Civilizing Mission which characterized France's colonial experience. Our own lives were touched by this through the Joliet expedition and Fr Marquette.
For some reason the story of the Jesuit Martyrs in New France has always stayed with me. In particular, I recall reading in my youth accounts of how the Iroquois treated captured Jesuits. Fr Jogues had all of his fingers bitten off and Fr de Brebeuf had his eyes burned out with flaming sticks. I never figured out why we were taught such morbid details but as boys we discussed these stories at recess with great relish.
I may have been misinformed, as Google informs me the actual date is 1640 which may not have been first but certainly early.
As a side note when I was a 16 year old exchange student visiting France for a month in LeMans, unbeknownst at the time to me, on the way to Normandy our tour bus made a 30min stop to visit one of William the Conqueror's many castles and it resided in the region the relatives left France for Quebec.
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I think the USAF cleaned up its culture long before Naval Aviation for many reasons, not the least of which is that we brought women into the cockpit much sooner than did Naval Air. Even after Tailhook there continued to be throw back behavior in both fighter communities but it was more pervasive in the Naval Air Force.
When I first went in there was full on smut on the walls of the maintenance spaces, guys watched porn tapes while standing the alert, Wednesday night was Stripper Night at the O Club, women were targets of opportunity, and there was no excuse for not attending the incessant beer busts that were called for the slightest reason. It was a masculine world with battle hardened traditions that were expected to be upheld and carried on. Fortunately, I had a wife who established some pretty clear ground rules so I avoided a lot of the silliness that transpired as alcohol fogged judgment and decision-making but I saw a lot of guys do some bone-headed things to themselves and others over the years.
I think it's a fascinating study on culture and the origination of the services. My dad's side of the family all served in the army as couriers or cavalry until the air corp popped up and then they all became zoomies. My mom's side including my mom were all swabbies going back to the 1860s. It's fascinating to see the cultures ingrained even within the family.
I completely agree that NAVAIR has always been way filthier than the Air Force, I think that is a natural extension of the Navy being the filthiest of the services. Think about it, if you are in the Navy serving at sea you are untouchable by anyone but your captain for 9-12 months at a time. Prior to women serving you wouldn't have that "check" on your behavior for 12 months. It's been that way for 250 years(even longer if you count the British Navy).
The Air services are renegades by nature since their inception and so kind of have that boys club mentality cooked in as well. You combine the navy mentality with the air mentality and you get a pretty out of control NAVAIR. Not saying it's right, but its a long process to walk back some of that heritage.
In order of filth, I think it goes Army, Air Force, Marines, Black Shoe Navy, Brown Shoe Navy. I would carve out a special place for bubbleheads...they aren't filthy so much as down right weird.
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I think it's a fascinating study on culture and the origination of the services. My dad's side of the family all served in the army as couriers or cavalry until the air corp popped up and then they all became zoomies. My mom's side including my mom were all swabbies going back to the 1860s. It's fascinating to see the cultures ingrained even within the family.
I completely agree that NAVAIR has always been way filthier than the Air Force, I think that is a natural extension of the Navy being the filthiest of the services. Think about it, if you are in the Navy serving at sea you are untouchable by anyone but your captain for 9-12 months at a time. Prior to women serving you wouldn't have that "check" on your behavior for 12 months. It's been that way for 250 years(even longer if you count the British Navy).
The Air services are renegades by nature since their inception and so kind of have that boys club mentality cooked in as well. You combine the navy mentality with the air mentality and you get a pretty out of control NAVAIR. Not saying it's right, but its a long process to walk back some of that heritage.
In order of filth, I think it goes Army, Air Force, Marines, Black Shoe Navy, Brown Shoe Navy. I would carve out a special place for bubbleheads...they aren't filthy so much as down right weird.
I know another major factor in the hard living pilot lifestyle is that the early days of military aviation were brutal in terms of Class Alpha mishaps. The likelihood of "buying the farm" was higher than in any other chosen field of endeavor - in fact the term 'buying the farm' is from military aviation because Uncle Sam would have to write a check to farmers for damages after a pilot crashed in their fields.
Because of the inherent dangers and ridiculously high fatality rates there emerged a culture of pilots cramming as much fun into their existence as possible. Since they were always young men this centered on overindulging in those passions and hungers that absorb so much of a young man's attention.
Having spent 2 years on a carrier I could see another dynamic at play with Naval aviators - life at sea is a 24/7 marathon of deprivation in an all male, completely dry environment. So when the battle group dropped anchor in Subic, Pattaya, Perth, or Hong Kong you had thousands of thirsty, horny men looking to rectify their deprived status. Throw in the fact that they know they have to cram months of fun into a week and you had full on Animal House behavior.
And while aviation has become safer than the earliest days it is still a damned dangerous line of work. The only way a military pilot can get life insurance is through USAA - nobody else will touch you.
When I first joined my F 16 squadron at Misawa the coffee mess guy asked me for $200 for the "Mort Fund." He explained that when a pilot in the squadron dies everyone meets at the O Club. A photo of the deceased is placed on the bar and everyone drinks to his memory. These sessions last hours, a lot of alcohol is consumed, and the Mort Fund covers the tab. And while this custom may sound strange to outsiders it is an indispensable component of the warrior culture and a vital psychological comfort knowing that you will never be forgotten.
How many jobs ask you to contribute to your own wake as part of the on-boarding process? I think that summarizes the context for the fighter pilot mentality rather well.
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I have gotten some emails from a ski club I belong to and they had some notes on Fernie. I listed Fernie among my top 5 and these pics should illustrate that assessment. I cannot wait to get into some powder.
(http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/473/cache/fernie-resort-british-columbia_47304_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.hellobc.com/mgen/tbccw/production/TBCCWDisplay.ms?img=%2Fgetmedia%2Fc2231dd0-fe40-4ece-84c3-4f3908a39f1b%2F4-3395-Fernie-Alpine-Resort.jpg.aspx&tl=1&sID=1&c=public%2Cmax-age%3D172802%2Cpost-check%3D7200%2Cpre-check%3D43200&bid=4_5)
(http://www.ferniefix.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/main_image/FAR_1.jpg)
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Tell me more about Brule and the surrounding area. Thinking of taking the family there next season. Took the kids for their first skiing lesson in February .. need to get them on the hills for a longer period.
Brule is ok.
There are lots of good hills in the UP. My favorites are Indianhead, Big Powderhorn, and Blackjack.
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Here in New England you always know someone who have the special distinction of being Mayflower descendants.
My family is the French equivalent - the first boat of settlers from France to Québec.
I'm always greeted with a "Welcome home." (Bienvenue maison.) and sometimes gotten hotel upgrades or something compted at dinner.
Surprisingly, my Aunt & Uncle on a capitol tour in Ottawa were given a special bonus tour to include the Prime Minister's office as well as the usually non-tourist areas of the parliament building. (Of course, this goes way back and may have even been early 80s when Trudeau was PM.)
I'm also French Canadian. My folks came from Dieppe, Normandy in the 1640s and settled in Trois Rivieres, Quebec.
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I know another major factor in the hard living pilot lifestyle is that the early days of military aviation were brutal in terms of Class Alpha mishaps. The likelihood of "buying the farm" was higher than in any other chosen field of endeavor - in fact the term 'buying the farm' is from military aviation because Uncle Sam would have to write a check to farmers for damages after a pilot crashed in their fields.
Because of the inherent dangers and ridiculously high fatality rates there emerged a culture of pilots cramming as much fun into their existence as possible. Since they were always young men this centered on overindulging in those passions and hungers that absorb so much of a young man's attention.
Having spent 2 years on a carrier I could see another dynamic at play with Naval aviators - life at sea is a 24/7 marathon of deprivation in an all male, completely dry environment. So when the battle group dropped anchor in Subic, Pattaya, Perth, or Hong Kong you had thousands of thirsty, horny men looking to rectify their deprived status. Throw in the fact that they know they have to cram months of fun into a week and you had full on Animal House behavior.
And while aviation has become safer than the earliest days it is still a damned dangerous line of work. The only way a military pilot can get life insurance is through USAA - nobody else will touch you.
When I first joined my F 16 squadron at Misawa the coffee mess guy asked me for $200 for the "Mort Fund." He explained that when a pilot in the squadron dies everyone meets at the O Club. A photo of the deceased is placed on the bar and everyone drinks to his memory. These sessions last hours, a lot of alcohol is consumed, and the Mort Fund covers the tab. And while this custom may sound strange to outsiders it is an indispensable component of the warrior culture and a vital psychological comfort knowing that you will never be forgotten.
How many jobs ask you to contribute to your own wake as part of the on-boarding process? I think that summarizes the context for the fighter pilot mentality rather well.
I was amongst a group of about 12 who took the ASTB in spring 2002 at Great Lakes (I don't know if it's still true, but all Navy OCS recruits had to take the ASTB even if they weren't interested in aviation). After the OA portion of the exam, nearly half were dismissed, and the remainder of us who remained in the room were polled by the officer proctoring the exam in alphabetical order as to what field of service we were interested in. Having my last name at the end of alphabet, I watched as the other recruits rattled off either surface warfare, submarine warfare, or intelligence, each time the officer indicating that they weren't actively recruiting in those fields (read: your OA score was good, but not good enough), but if they were interested in aviation, they could complete the remainder of the ASTB; otherwise, they were shown the door. I was the only person who came in that morning with aviation as my first choice, although three others did indicate the requisite interest in aviation (presumably just so they could finish the exam). So I finished the ASTB as one of four, and at the end of the day, I was the only one who remained after the exam to talk options with the testing officer.
Keep in mind, this was post-9/11 but pre-Desert Storm... every one of us in that room knew what we were getting into even though we really didn't, but at the time, it was clear who the enemy was, and it was clear to everyone in that room that any Naval engagement would be in the skies, not on the seas. Granted the small sample size, out of 12 officer recruits, 8 had no interest in going to AOCS, 3 couldn't pass the ASTB, and 1 was sent to his pre-comm physical (where I was summarily shown the door following said physical). But even as the demand for aviators was soaring and patriotism was at a historical peak, the snippet of the process I witnessed seemed to imply that the Navy was having some serious difficulty recruiting to AOCS.
One could make the argument that I was both the smartest and dumbest person in the room that day. Planes may be safer, but most would still rather take their chances working underwater a few yards away from a nuclear reactor.
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The attrition rate for the USAF undergraduate pilot training is almost 90%. It's a steep curve but then it should be. UPT crams 4 years of aero into a year during which you must also master the art slipping the surly bonds, the science of weapon system employment, and integrating your skills into a huge combined arms leviathan that demands precision, accountability, and thoroughness. All the while the flight docs are poking you and prodding you while the head shrinkers are asking you if you, "loved your mother..."
At the end of the day, it is not merely the grant of lethal authority to kill but the moral and ethical rigor to understand the how and why of armed conflict. A tremendous articulation of that moral dilemma is Twelve O'Clock High with Dean Jagger and Gregory Peck. A fascinating case study on leadership and the intellectual demands of commanding not just machines but men. There is a reason that the Twelve O'clock High Case Study is taught at both Harvard Business School and the Air War College.
As we reflect on the Greatest Generation my mind always goes to the men of the Mighty Eighth. The Army Air Force had the highest casualties of any service in WW II - their losses were staggering. These were 17-24 year old kids who were a cross section of an innocent America who were asked to do the impossible and they responded magnificently.
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I was amongst a group of about 12 who took the ASTB in spring 2002 at Great Lakes (I don't know if it's still true, but all Navy OCS recruits had to take the ASTB even if they weren't interested in aviation). After the OA portion of the exam, nearly half were dismissed, and the remainder of us who remained in the room were polled by the officer proctoring the exam in alphabetical order as to what field of service we were interested in. Having my last name at the end of alphabet, I watched as the other recruits rattled off either surface warfare, submarine warfare, or intelligence, each time the officer indicating that they weren't actively recruiting in those fields (read: your OA score was good, but not good enough), but if they were interested in aviation, they could complete the remainder of the ASTB; otherwise, they were shown the door. I was the only person who came in that morning with aviation as my first choice, although three others did indicate the requisite interest in aviation (presumably just so they could finish the exam). So I finished the ASTB as one of four, and at the end of the day, I was the only one who remained after the exam to talk options with the testing officer.
Keep in mind, this was post-9/11 but pre-Desert Storm... every one of us in that room knew what we were getting into even though we really didn't, but at the time, it was clear who the enemy was, and it was clear to everyone in that room that any Naval engagement would be in the skies, not on the seas. Granted the small sample size, out of 12 officer recruits, 8 had no interest in going to AOCS, 3 couldn't pass the ASTB, and 1 was sent to his pre-comm physical (where I was summarily shown the door following said physical). But even as the demand for aviators was soaring and patriotism was at a historical peak, the snippet of the process I witnessed seemed to imply that the Navy was having some serious difficulty recruiting to AOCS.
One could make the argument that I was both the smartest and dumbest person in the room that day. Planes may be safer, but most would still rather take their chances working underwater a few yards away from a nuclear reactor.
Part of the experience could be that you were OCS, right or wrong, 90 day wonders are still very frowned up(in my experience). The pecking order was Canoe U grads, Mustangers, ROTC, something left in the microwave, and then OCS. Additionally, in the Navy and I believe the Air Force, front line aviation is viewed as the quickest way to stars and they are a lot less likely to give those spots to non-Career types. Hell, to command a carrier you have to have brown shoes and most of the task group assignments go to aviator types as well.
Keefe is spot on of course, failure rate in the naval aviator pipeline is insanely high, north of 90%. It takes almost nothing to get bounced, if they were having trouble filling slots there would be some relaxation of the standards, especially on the medical end. Haven't heard of any relaxing at all.
Also keep in mind, the number of fixed wing aviation billets in the Navy is relatively fixed. There are only so many carriers and air groups to fill the need. I've always heard SWOs were harder to fill than aviation.
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It all starts and ends with Alta for me.
Started going out there when I was about 12 years old, went every year for 4-5 in a row in first week of April and every year was not disappointed with anything less than 12 inches. Sometimes subtantially more and on consecutive days.
Added bonus was the friends we went to visit, there father was a part-time ski instructor at Alta, so knew the place inside and out and took us to all the secret spots. Cut my teeth on the Baldy Chutes as my first "non lift accessible" areas. Good thing I was young enough to not know any better, but what a rush.
To this day there are only a few things in life that are as exciting as being on the first lifts to the top and hearing the yips from people cutting fresh tracks through 12-24 inches of powder and being amongst them.
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It all starts and ends with Alta for me.
Started going out there when I was about 12 years old, went every year for 4-5 in a row in first week of April and every year was not disappointed with anything less than 12 inches. Sometimes subtantially more and on consecutive days.
Added bonus was the friends we went to visit, there father was a part-time ski instructor at Alta, so knew the place inside and out and took us to all the secret spots. Cut my teeth on the Baldy Chutes as my first "non lift accessible" areas. Good thing I was young enough to not know any better, but what a rush.
To this day there are only a few things in life that are as exciting as being on the first lifts to the top and hearing the yips from people cutting fresh tracks through 12-24 inches of powder and being amongst them.
I mentioned Baldy in an earlier post but it is a GREAT off piste run. Here's video - the one dude is shooting Baldy on Tellies!
http://www.youtube.com/v/xvRrIpD7_0E?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0
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Part of the experience could be that you were OCS, right or wrong, 90 day wonders are still very frowned up(in my experience). The pecking order was Canoe U grads, Mustangers, ROTC, something left in the microwave, and then OCS. Additionally, in the Navy and I believe the Air Force, front line aviation is viewed as the quickest way to stars and they are a lot less likely to give those spots to non-Career types. Hell, to command a carrier you have to have brown shoes and most of the task group assignments go to aviator types as well.
Keefe is spot on of course, failure rate in the naval aviator pipeline is insanely high, north of 90%. It takes almost nothing to get bounced, if they were having trouble filling slots there would be some relaxation of the standards, especially on the medical end. Haven't heard of any relaxing at all.
Also keep in mind, the number of fixed wing aviation billets in the Navy is relatively fixed. There are only so many carriers and air groups to fill the need. I've always heard SWOs were harder to fill than aviation.
Like I said, that was simply my observation; I do recall having been told that the Annapolis boys typically get first placement, even if I scored straight-9s on the ASTB. In retrospect, I'm glad I was bounced in pre-comm... I have a feeling I would have probably ended up with walleye vision & watching radar somewhere.
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Like I said, that was simply my observation; I do recall having been told that the Annapolis boys typically get first placement, even if I scored straight-9s on the ASTB. In retrospect, I'm glad I was bounced in pre-comm... I have a feeling I would have probably ended up with walleye vision & watching radar somewhere.
The USAF places a lot lower priority on Ring Knockers than Big Green and the Navy. I think that's because the original Air Corps guys were seen as renegades tilting at windmills. And because the Air Corps was smaller the surest way to make rank was in the much larger traditional Army. The reality was, before WWII, West Point grads went Armor, Infantry, Engineers, and Signal Corps before aviation. As a result there has been an anti-Academy bias in the Air Force since its earliest days before WWI.
The original leadership of the independent Air Force in 1947 was a bunch of guys who were commissioned through the Cadets and OCS programs. Instead of West Point heritage these guys had pounded the Axis Powers into submission so combat experience was much more valuable than where one had matriculated. As the Air Force grew and evolved, and the AFA was established at Springs, the need for highly trained engineers and physicists made recruitment in civilian schools essential to the intellectual nourishment of the service.
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The USAF places a lot lower priority on Ring Knockers than Big Green and the Navy. I think that's because the original Air Corps guys were seen as renegades tilting at windmills. And because the Air Corps was smaller the surest way to make rank was in the much larger traditional Army. The reality was, before WWII, West Point grads went Armor, Infantry, Engineers, and Signal Corps before aviation. As a result there has been an anti-Academy bias in the Air Force since its earliest days before WWI.
The original leadership of the independent Air Force in 1947 was a bunch of guys who were commissioned through the Cadets and OCS programs. Instead of West Point heritage these guys had pounded the Axis Powers into submission so combat experience was much more valuable than where one had matriculated. As the Air Force grew and evolved, and the AFA was established at Springs, the need for highly trained engineers and physicists made recruitment in civilian schools essential to the intellectual nourishment of the service.
Actually, that makes a lot of sense.
In fact, last time I was in the Springs, I took a picture of the "Highway Cleanup" sign on I-25 near Briargate which was sponsored by the LGBT Society, positioning my camera at an angle so you could see AFA in the background, and sent it to my cousin (USAF Col.). It was intended as a non-sequitur to rag on my cousin's ultra-conservative ideals, but he instead printed it off and evidently he and his OCS buddies have used it as firepower to hammer the AFA grads on base.
Ironically, I never considered the Air Force, despite wanting to go into aviation (and the greater likelihood of succeeding). Maybe it's because my HS was so small that only the Army and Navy sent recruiters there... when I finally got my degree and was considering service, the only OCS recruiters I sought out were USN/USMC. Interesting how life throws many twists and turns at you... just like those Baldy chutes. Although Baldy just doesn't do it for me; probably because I'm just too lazy to really get up there, not to mention I haven't been lucky enough to be up there when they dropped the gate... once you miss the window and there's already a few dozen people hiking up the ridge, the day's over.
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Although Baldy just doesn't do it for me; probably because I'm just too lazy to really get up there, not to mention I haven't been lucky enough to be up there when they dropped the gate... once you miss the window and there's already a few dozen people hiking up the ridge, the day's over.
Not sure I necessarily agree. The best is knee deep powder but once the polar bears start forming Baldy takes on a hugely different vibe and is actually a more challenging experience.
I mentioned in a response to Glow that my off piste runs nowadays tend to be more technical than catching air and Baldy's moguls certainly make it one of the more skill-based challenges. Regardless of time of day it is one hell of a run. I will say, however, that whereas in the past we would go right back up to the cornice now I am content to shoot Baldy once then find other pastures.