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Author Topic: Sol Vista etc.  (Read 720 times)

jim-ratliff

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Sol Vista etc.
« on: February 09, 2009, 08:26:29 pm »
Lynn and I headed to Moab for two days prior to the Sol Vista Harb camp. I had been there briefly once before and wanted to see more, and this was Lynn's virgin trip to Moab.? WOW.? CanyonLands National Park is just awesome, and everyone knows how scenic Arches National Park is.? Lots of places to get out of the car and do some hiking and scrambling around and over boulders, and just awe-inspiring vistas.? Some pictures from "Island in the Sky" area at Canyonlands are attached below, but pictures don't do justice to the colors and the scope of the canyons.  Lynn has some more of Arches, but busy learning how much we have forgotten about PMTS fundamentals.



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« Last Edit: February 09, 2009, 09:00:29 pm by jim-ratliff »
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Ron

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2009, 06:58:12 am »
great pictures!  Awesome!  So beautiful. glad you are enjoying yourselves.
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Philpug

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2009, 08:16:53 am »
Throw some snow on there...looks skiable.
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jim-ratliff

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2009, 05:38:35 pm »
The Park Rangers would get upset at the "recovering" flora getting trampled by carving. ;)
In the 50' and 60's there was substantial uranium mining done in Canyonlands. That and the previous generations that drove cattle thru the canyons, did? quite a job on the ecology there.

As Jim mentoned, what is not captured by the pictures are the colors. There is algae growing on the sides of hills which is a light turquoise, red stone in the canyons, often topped by a layer of white rock. It is early spring there and the brush was turning green and some small flowers starting to bloom.

A trip everyone should do at least once in their life. I am not religious, but did think when looking out, "what God has wroth."

Lynn (using Jim's computer)

« Last Edit: February 10, 2009, 06:00:54 pm by jim-ratliff »
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jim-ratliff

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2009, 06:02:55 pm »
Quote from: Philpug on February 10, 2009, 08:16:53 am
Throw some snow on there...looks skiable.

The 'apres ski glow' might be more than you bargained for.
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Svend

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2009, 03:27:01 pm »
Wow! Beautiful place! Great pics, Jim and Lynn.  Will have to get there ourselves one day.  I see a longer Utah trip in our future  8) with time for a trip to the southern canyons area.  And if we don't take our kids next time, they have vowed to saw our skis in half.

Looking forward to more pics..... :)
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Perry

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2009, 08:13:52 pm »
Awesome pics.  Had a great time at Sol Vista meeting Jim, Lynn and Todd aka Carver.  Lots of fun and learned a lot.  It was tremendously helpful to my skiing.

Not surprised to find out that my internal video was not the same thing that the coaches were seeing >:D  I was surprised at just how far off I was, especially with regard to not getting my hip inside on my left hand turns.  ;D  The great thing was that since I did have good coaching, it forced me to work much harder than I ever would on my own, and I was finally able to get some angles on my turn to the left.  I always knew that the left turn was weaker, but I didn't fully understand why....alignment, technique, etc?  Now I know why and what I need to do to continue to improve it.  SWEET.
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jim-ratliff

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Re: Sol Vista etc. (Loveland)
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2009, 12:51:42 am »
Lynn, Todd and I skied Loveland on Saturday after Sol Vista.? This was the first time I had been there and I really liked the place.? Remember that this was over Presidents weekend so the lodge and the parking lot were really crowded, but over on the north side of I-70 there just wasn't anybody there.? It was a lot like skiing the back bowls at Vail or something.? Combine that with the lift ticket prices ($36 each using Lynn's GEM's card) and it is very high on my "favorite Colorado resort ski place" list.? Spent the whole afternoon skiing open terrain that started above the tree-liine (windblown powder) and ending up in some nice (for me) open trees about half way down.? Not as wide as Vail's back bowls, but must be a couple of miles across that side.? I feel guilty at how I had always ignored the place for the "big name" resorts on the other side of the tunnel, I was really surprised at how much I liked the place. (even the food in the lodge was pretty good and reasonably priced).


Edited -- Loveland clearly isnt' a resort, it is a day trip ski mountain.? They seem to make no pretense about it being anything other than a place to ski.?
Also, BTW, I didn't come across ANY detachable, high speed lifts. But, for a $36 lift ticket instead of a $90 lift ticket, I can sit on the chair for a bit longer and deal with the challenge of getting on and off the chair as it moves a bit faster.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 12:30:44 pm by jim-ratliff »
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jim-ratliff

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2009, 12:57:41 am »
Quote from: Perry on February 15, 2009, 08:13:52 pm
Awesome pics.? Had a great time at Sol Vista meeting Jim, Lynn and Todd aka Carver.? Lots of fun and learned a lot.? It was tremendously helpful to my skiing.

ditto, Perry.  Glad to meet you and Gloria, and very glad that she seemed to be really enjoying and learning (there wasn't any doubt in anyone's mind that you would enjoy and learn).  BTW, Gloria mentioned something about minor adverse effects from the 8 olives you had (or was it the other ingredients in the two martinis at high altitude?)

Gary -- You will be pleased to know that I now sometimes ski somewhere other than in the back seat (and Lynn has permission to yell at me when I slide back into it).
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Philpug

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2009, 06:05:54 am »
How is Sol Vista as a ski area?
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jim-ratliff

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2009, 07:25:19 am »
Phil:

My opinion.? It works extremely well for the ski camps, but isn't someplace that I would choose to go ski at.? It is a very small mountain, the vertical and terrain variety isn't much better than many smaller eastern resorts, access through Berthoud Pass is potentially more difficult than to Dillon/Frisco, Winter Park is 20 miles down the road, and the food in the lodge was, this year at least, pretty horrible.

« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 07:34:31 am by jim-ratliff »
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midwif

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2009, 12:29:14 pm »
Good morning, oops, afternoon FELLOW REAL SKIERS!!!

Feeling lots of apres-ski glow. A great week starting in Moab and moving to higher ground.

It was a great camp. The coaching superb, the video taping humbling. The feedback and drills truly remarkable and insightful.
Lots to work on. If GregM perceived me as thinking thru each turn at Steamboat, you should see me NOW!! Trying to coordinate upper/lower body. Focus on the top, the feet are forgotten and vice versa. A work in progress.

Perry/Gloria: great to meet both of you and enjoy a bit of food, wine and conversation.? I would see Gloria from the lift chair and the improvement thru the week was really tremendous.

Phil: Solvista is a real "beginners" mountain. A great place for families with younger kids (three gradually bigger terrain parks), easy terrain which is great for working on technique, but would bore a more advanced skier just looking for a day of skiing. During the week, Solvista is almost empty, which made groups of 6 doing drills on the slopes feasible. Winter Park is about 15 min away which provides steeps/bumps.

Loveland: dress warm for the ride up the lifts (above tree line on many on the second half) and ENJOY!!! Needs good snow coverage, but its unique position provides a lot of snow. We had pretty good conditions with plenty of fresh stuff to be found if looked for.? Once, again I had to drag Jim out of the trees. He's turning into a pow-hound, tree/glade loving skier.

 We spent the day skiing with Todd who knows Loveland a bit better. I kept asking him "do you want to try that run? OR, how about that nice little tree run?". >:D Always said "Sure". Always amenable to any suggestion.? :o EXCEPT when I pointed out a nice, steep bump run off of Lift 1. Todd came out with the first adamant statement of the day......."NO!". Right choice Todd. ;D

Hoping everyone had a good ski week as well. It certainly looked like Svend and Terryl did.

Lynn
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 12:56:42 pm by jim-ratliff »
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Svend

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2009, 01:05:27 pm »
Hey Lynn, sounds like you had a great time, and learned a lot into the bargain.? Nice when it works out that way....

Gotta love a good ski trip.? Nothing beats it! Fresh air, exercise, great views, speed, fun, good food, and you feel great for a week after.? Not even a stressful work life can take the shine off the apres ski glow.? :)

Terryl is out skiing at the moment, but will surely chime in later.? But make sure you ask her about her deal on yet another (groan) pair of ski pants.? As a ski clothing bargain hunter, I'm sure she would rival Ron any day.
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 01:08:39 pm by Svend »
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Gary

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2009, 01:52:07 pm »
Love the pictures Jim and sounds like Lynn was hard charging as usual...nice.

That lousy back seat Jim....only good for one thing!!!  >:D not found on a ski slope!

SOunds like it was a great trip for all bolstering up solid carving fundementals. Keep adding to you ski skill quiver......makes enjoying more of the mountain such a pleasure!

Hoping to get one more outing with you guys before the season ends.

Best,
G

Oh boy Svend...Terryl is giving Ron for the money on ski clothing.....nice. Ron has his eye on a new jacket before the season ends, and Terryl?
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midwif

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Re: Sol Vista etc.
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2009, 02:16:40 pm »
Terryl
tell about the pants??
good deal??

I think this is going to be a great year to look for bargains. Tramdock/SAC should be just shuddering with the weight of goods this coming spring.
I'm trying to save now. Well, not really, what with all the skiing, but I can dream. :D

Lynn
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