Top of the mountain on the last day. We skied quite a few runs together the last day before the older boys split off for some "hanging everything out there skiing".
The simple town of Red Lodge is a classic. A true, honest no frills ski town. There is very little sugar coating like other mnt towns. No egos, just friendly people who love to ski, work hard and enjoy the mountain lifestyle. I have skied a dozen ski areas in CO, including Vail (where my college roommate and I dug a hole out in a snow pile and slept so we cold afford the $150 trail ticket), most places in MT, JH WY, and a few in CA and ID and RLM is probably my favorite. Plenty of terrain, good pricing and super friendly staff with a skier crowd consisting of very little razzle and dazzle. RLM gets very little, if any, press in mags like Powder, Skiing, Ski etc. so people just go out there to ski like they are and don't make a big deal about it. Vail, Whistler and the other biggies get the headlines so people think they need to act different and it changes the vibe, imo. I hadn't been to Red Lodge in quite a few years and the last two times I was out there solo in late April when the lifts were shut down but skinned up with the tele skis and made a few runs down Drainage.
Jack and Jens with Paul and Wynn Roberts. The first day after we got our tickets, the first people we bumped in to were Paul and Wynn. Part of our group skied with them the whole day. Wynn and Paul skied with Jonell, Jack and Jens their last afternoon. Was fun hooking up with them and hearing a few Olympic stories from Wynn who represented USA in biathlon. Wynn was tele skiing like I was.
Getting a ride in the trailer from lower parking lot to base lodge.Last run of the day with Jens. (not sure why the vid clip loaded three times, sorry) Jens was riot to ski with. Absolutely no fear that puts fear into the parents. I was using the tele boards back from the Glacier Park days. 15 years old but they still work great. The newer fat skis and stiff plastic boots are nice for the crud and powder but I like the feel of leather and feeling more of the ski. Kind of like riding a hardtail I guess.
Jon, Jake and Ethan in the trees. All the kids improved big time in a short time but Jon was just killing it the last day out skiing everyone else, pinning the double blacks with ease. Jon and Ethan skied once at BV this winter and a few times skate skiing for Jon but the hockey base they have gets them through. Ethan big time hockey player. They skied everything Red Lodge had to offer with no major crashes or injuries thankfully.
Conrad Roberts came out to hook up with Paul and Wynn for just one day and the boys skied with them all day. I joined them for the afternoon and Con was flying all over the mountain. Skiing with Nordic classic poles. Awesome.
Jake launching off a rock. We brought the jibskates along just in case there was corn and Springlike conditions but with Powder/Packed powder they never came out of the bag.
Jonell skied more on this trip than any other ski trip. A real trooper and did awesome. Full days and doing a few blacks.
Sweet ride in the candy shop. Like the Davy Crockett carriers.
Web cam shot peeled off by Bruce Adelsman. Bruce sent a location text right after we were done with supper. I texted him back saying to load the cam and he saw us goofing around in the street in front of the Swanky Fork and holding up traffic as the locals just smiled and drove patiently by.
Drove up Beartooth pass a ways to take in the views. I have ridden up and down this in the past and a beautiful stretch of pavement. Could of gone farther but only went a few miles from the gate since the road was officially closed from that point. Great times, awesome trip.
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