Kim and Hans located a hidden transponder in the beacon park.

Thank you Snowbasin Ski Patrol!  This weekend they offered a free snow safety seminar to anyone interested in learning more about what the patrol does and how they do it.  Saturday night’s session included a great film produced for the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center, and presentations by the Snowbasin snow safety team.  On Sunday we spent the morning reviewing how to use transponders, following the patrol on a control route, and watching a rescue demonstration with Pilot, an avalanche rescue dog.

The few hours spent practicing skills and learning more about the patrol operation will pay off when the storms return to the Wasatch.  Thank you Fletcher, Frank, Hans and Will – your presentations were outstanding.

Hans discusses how to use the beacon park with students.

Pilot finds a mock buried avalanche victim as Hans offers encouragement.

 Check out more photos at the Ogden Valley Business Association Travel Blog.

Now that Christmas is over its time to start planning for 2010!

New Years Eve

The number of dinner packages available for New Years Eve is limited.  Make your reservations now at www.powdermountain.com/mtn_new_years.php.  Packages include night lift pass, pasta dinner and party favors.  Dinner only packages are only $10 for non-skiers and season pass holders.  Adult packages are $30 and children 12 and younger are $20. A glow stick parade will be held at 9:00pm to give the younger set a way to celebrate. 

Anyone is welcome to ski or board from 3pm - 12:15am at the regular lift price of $15 adult and $12 for children. 

SheSkis Women’s Clinics

Women’s clinics are now held on Tuesday afternoons followed by an Apres Ski session for participants.  The first 4 day session begins January 5 and the second 4-day session begins February 2.  A four day session including pass, lesson and apres ski is $240.  The price is $200 for season pass holders.  If you would like to join the group for just one day the cost is $70. 

Night Jam

A  favorite for the shredders at Powder Mountain.  Each Jam this season will have a different theme to keep the competition exciting. No entry fee is required.  Jams run from 4pm - 9pm. 

January 7 - “Junk Yard Jam”  How some new features made out of a drainage culvert or a missle?

February 4 -  ”3 on 3″  3 skiers or boarders compete as a team.  Registration begins at 4pm

March 4 - “Riders Choice” Competitors choose the features used in that evenings competition. 

Grom Fest

Janaury 16 is a mini-downhill race and a mini-slopestyle competition just for those 12 years and younger.  Registration begiins at the Sundown Lodge at 10am and the races run from 11am - 3pm.  Everyone is a winner at this comp! 

Torchlight parade is showered with fireworks as they make their way down City Hill at Snowbasin.

At Snowbasin on Christmas Eve it was all jingle bells and good tidings.  What fun to gather with friends for a beverage in front of the roaring fire and then end the evening with a torchlight parade and fireworks.  If you weren’t already in a festive mood, the activities of the evening would get you there.

After this weekend’s monster dump of 21 inches, Powder Mountain is ready to begin daytime operations on Wednesday, December 16.  Timberline and Sundown lifts will open at 9am.  The cost for an adult day pass will be $33 until additional lift are opened. Stay on top of additional lift openings by checking www.powdermountain.com.  

Save up to 16% on a Powder Mountain Gift

Powder Mountain gift cards have been reduced just in time for the holidays.  The price for a $58 gift card has been reduced to $50 and a $120 gift card has been slashed to $100.  This is an early season promotion and will end on December 27, 2009.  Order now at http://www.powdermountain.com/tkts_gift_certificates.php .

New Years Eve Celebration

 A special $30.00 New Year’s Celebration package will be offered to the first 300 guests that purchase on line at www.powdermountain.com/mtn_new_years.php.  Children 12 and younger will only be $20.00.  The package includes a pasta dinner at the Timberline Lodge, night lift pass and party favors.  Powder Mountain season pass holders may purchase the dinner package for $10.00.  

Those interested in skiing only may choose to purchase a night lift pass at the regular price of $15 for adults and $12 for 7 – 12 year olds.  The Sundown Lodge and the Powder Keg restaurants will extend their operating hours until midnight allowing guests to order off the regular menus as well.  

Each fall we sit and wonder when the snow will come.  Will we have a powder day on Thanksgiving or have to wait until later in the season?  Every year is different and I suppose that’s good, we don’t get complaisant.  If you wait until the snow flies to start getting in shape for skiing the pain and suffering will be too much. 

The weekend storm was perfect for packing (translation - heavy, moisture laden snow).  Dogs and groomers love this type of snow, skiers put up with it because it makes a great base for the rest of the year!  We cavorted all weekend; fine tuned our turns, and settled in to the rhythm of another season.

Did you know -

Ø  Webster’s Dictionary defines stuff as: goods; belongings; useless matter; worthless things; trash?

Ø  There’s a film called “Story of Stuff?”  It’s 20 minutes long and can be found on the web at www.storyofstuff.com.  It reinforces the statistics that American’s are 5 percent of the world’s population but we use 30 percent of the resources and produce 30 percent of the waste.  That’s sobering.

Ø  There’s a “Use Less Stuff Week?”  Yup, it’s already passed for 2009 so you’re off the hook.  Promoted by the Use Less Stuff Report, the week before Thanksgiving has been designated Use Less Stuff Week.  According to the report, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans generate 25 percent more waste per week than during the rest of the year, or an extra 6 million tons for the holiday season.

The report also states that according to the USDA, Americans throw away 25 percent of food purchased (170 pounds per person).  Adding restaurant waste jumps that percentage to 50 percent.

So what can we all do to reduce waste during such a fun holiday period? 

One of my goals is to re-purpose my stuff, adding some history and heritage with the reuse.  So far I’ve remodeled an old backpack that I made at one of my college jobs (sewing packs for a mountaineering company) into a gift bag that can also be used as a stuff sack.  I’ve also made a velvet prom dress into small gift bags that are a perfect size for newly framed historic family photos.  The recipient of each gift bag will also get a note explaining the bags original use and encouragement to “re-gift” the bag.

Here are some other ideas:

ü  Start switching holiday lights to LED, they are greener and you’ll save money over time.

ü  Purchase a live Christmas tree and plant it in the yard in the spring.

ü  Always shop with re-useable cloth bags.

ü  Give and use rechargeable batteries.

ü  Give experience gifts – tickets to local art, cultural, and sporting events.

ü  Shop at local art and craft fairs and buy local whenever possible.

ü  Give your time and talent – offer to teach one of your special skills to a relative or friend.

ü  Volunteer your time – to a local shelter or needy organization.

ü  Donate to a cause for a friend or relative.

ü  Give gift certificates for services.

ü  If you are sending Christmas cards make sure they are made from re-cycled materials, better yet switch to ecards.

ü  Consider renting holiday décor, dishes, and linens.

ü  Shop for holiday attire at consignment shops,

ü  Be creative with gift wrapping – use scarves, bandannas, old posters, pages from a child’s coloring book, reusable boxes, the list is endless.

ü  Decorate the family tree with memorabilia – baby’s first shoes, dressed up dolls, vacation items, and old jewelry.  Each item has a story that can be retold throughout the holiday season.

ü  Buy holiday food in bulk and make sure to use recycling at your holiday parties.

After the holidays recycle as much as you can:

v  Store wrapping and packing materials for reuse.

v  Breakdown boxes and recycle.

v  Compost your tree and food scraps.

v  Make a promise that your 2010 holiday will be even greener than 2009.

Mike cruises down Sweet Revenge at Snowbasin

Cold!  I know, it’s December so it should be cold but it’s been really cold!  The good news about cold is the ski resorts can make some great snow and they have.  Spent yesterday morning on the slopes of Snowbasin and it was good to be back out on the slopes.  A brush by storm hit early this morning dropping a few inches of fluff and that’s a good thing.  Weather forecasters say more is on the way, hope their right.

Wolf Creek Utah Ski Resort to Open on Thursday, November 20

Article by FirstTrackOnline.com

Eden, UT - Wolf Creek Utah will open its ski mountain in the Ogden Valley this Thursday, eight days ahead of schedule. Thanks to the colder temperatures and Wolf Creek Utah Ski Resort’s snowmaking efforts, the lifts will turn Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for season pass holders, with discounted skiing and riding through the Thanksgiving holiday.

It’s Wolf Creek Utah Ski Resort’s 40th Anniversary this season, what better way to kick off the celebration than an early opening date,” said Bill Cox, the ski area’s general manager. “We’re all excited to take advantage of the early snowfall with Utah’s skiers and riders”

Thursday has been designated Season Pass Appreciation Day, when the lifts will turn from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for pass holders and those with Friends and Family day tickets that will be reduced in price to $10. Friday hours are from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., and this weekend Wolf Creek Utah will be open for skiing and riding all day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. before hours revert to 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. for Monday through Thursday of Thanksgiving week. Ticket prices through next Thursday are reduced to $15 for adults and $12 for kids. Kids under 12 ski free with purchase of adult ticket.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27 has been designated as “Family Appreciation Day” at Wolf Creek Utah, and the first 50 skiers or riders ski free. Everyone else will pay the reduced $15 adult/$12 kids rate, and again kids under 12 ski free with purchase of adult ticket.

Book your Ogden Valley vacation today!

1) http://www.ogden-valley.travel/

Ski Utah Develops Snow Report App

If you have a smart phone you must check out the new app Ski Utah has just released.  It’s their snow report and it’s excellent.  With one touch you can get a simple and easy to read report.  Want more in depth information, just expand your favorite resort and you’ll find out snow depth, open lifts and runs.  Click on the full report and you’ll find even more details.  The app also has links to “hot deals” and a Flickr Photo Gallery.

Howdy celebrates new snow last season.

Pam smashing some new fallen snow last season.

The annual Ski Magazine resort guide is out and Wasatch Back ski resorts received good reviews.  Deer Valley received the #1 ranking once again.  It got high marks for guest service, making a ski vacation hassle free.  Closer to home, Snowbasin came in 29th overall receiving top ten rankings for Lifts (7), Service (4), Weather (10), and On-Mountain Food (2).  Powder Mountain made the top ten for Snow (2), Value (2), Weather (4), and Overall Satisfaction (9).

It’s November and the resorts will all be opening soon, can’t wait!