Teton Village, WY – Excitement. Anticipation. Anxiety. Fear. These are the overwhelming sensations that best describe my first encounter with the "Terror of the Tetons." Jackson Hole is, for the most part, a hardcore skier’s mountain that makes most of America’s ski areas seem lame by comparison. It is no coincidence that the most affluent … Continue reading Wanted: Skiers and Boarders, Dead or Alive
Many families go skiing. Skiers want to share their love of this insane sport with their offspring, with their spouses, and even with their friends. Maybe its like most other crazy behavior: if you can get others to do it, then maybe you’re not so crazy after all? How do you go about taking a … Continue reading Skiing with Small Children
Myths and Half-Truths Cloud the Public Perception About Snowboarding, Safety and Fatalities on the Slopes Are the following statements true or false? Snowboarders are more likely to become injured and to cause injuries than skiers. If Sonny Bono and Michael Kennedy had been wearing helmets, they would be alive today. Deaths on the slopes have … Continue reading How Safe is Skiing?
Assiniboine Pass (BC), Canada – We awoke to heavy snow in Lake Louise, but our rented Dodge Neon got us through Banff and down to Canmore, where we boarded a chopper bound for the Mt. Assiniboine Lodge. n The Lodge is nestled in an intervale situated 7,000 feet above sea level, bounded by Wonder Pass … Continue reading Mount Assiniboine Lodge Backcountry
Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanon is only a stone’s throw away from my home, a mere 100 miles across the Med. It should therefore come as no surprise that, throughout my life, stories from my neighboring country have been featured daily in the news: War, fighting, killing, and despair. Waves of people trying to escape the … Continue reading The Sweets of Lebanon
Snow. When you really think about it, it’s the one essential component to our sport. Lifts? You can hike. Mountains? There’s always Nordic skiing. Skis? It wasn’t that long ago that they were fashioned out of barrel staves. It also wasn’t that long ago that skiing was less than reliable. n The actual origins of … Continue reading The Art and Science of Making Snow
January 16, 1997. It was a beautiful day at Smugglers Notch. There was a clear blue, sunny sky and the temperature was about 20 degrees. I had shed several layers, finally finding comfort in long underwear, windpants, hat, goggles, gloves and a windbreaker. In the previous week, it had dumped powder galore. In the woods, … Continue reading Mind Games: An Unplanned Night in the Vermont Woods