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Category Archives: skiing

Scenes from the Ski Trails

Here in the Methow Valley, we are lucky to have an extensive network of groomed cross country ski trails for both classic and skate skiing. Some are even open to dogs and new this year in a pilot program there will be ‘fat bikes’ on the trails. The 200k of trails cross public and private lands in a program run by MVSTA – Methow Valley Sports Trails Association. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to live here. I love skiing!

 

The Town Trailhead at Winthrop, start of the 30k Community Trail to Mazama.

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Watch out for big snow dumps from the trees!

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Luna displays her trail pass

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Skiing at Big Valley on Christmas day

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Ahhhhh.

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Come on you two, let’s go.

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Ok Luna

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A Northern Pygmy Owl overlooks the trail

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On the Suspension Bridge

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Ice on the bridge

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It doesn’t get much better than this.

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The sun goes down early in the upper valley

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Really? I can have this perfect trail to myself?

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Spring Skiing at its Best

Nothing better than a bluebird spring day for skiing.

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Spring Skiing

MVSTA said that today is probably the last day of grooming at Big Valley this season. Only one thing to do. Luna and I headed up valley to take advantage of the day.

 

The Methow River

 

Reflected trees

 

Love those curls. Next week, Luna gets a hair cut.

 

 

I discovered that the snow in the field was still firm enough for skiing so off we went. It was great – nearly effortless skate skiing.

 

Out on the Trail Again

It’s been a hard two weeks around here. In addition to losing our old dog, we’ve both been sick and there was a series of home maintenance issues to deal with. It looks like we have dealt with the house stuff. Ken is more or less well and I am getting better.

Luna and I really needed some exercise so yesterday we went to Big Valley, despite less than stellar conditions. The weather has been warm and the snow is really, really soft. It was a slow workout, that’s for sure. The sun came out and birds were singing as if Spring is just around the corner. Lots of chickadees and nuthatches and a woodpecker. One other bird sang and I did not recognize its call, didn’t even seem like one I had ever heard before. If I’d had more time, I would have tried to track it down. A merganser drifted down the river and dippers dipped in the cold water.

 

Looks like some interesting lost and found items

 

 How can a person resist this dog?

 

Those arrows always puzzle me

 

She knows the way to the river

 

Ponderosa Pines are one of my favorite trees

 

Happy dog!

 

Wax On Wax Off

Skiing isn’t just about gliding effortlessly through the woods on groomed trails. It takes some work to get to that point. In order to get to that effortless state, I really need to be in better shape. Around here, there are lots of top notch athletes who do make it look easy. One thing I can do to make skiing easier is to wax my skis once in a while, maybe once a week if I’m not overrun with other stuff to do. Last year I began waxing my own skis in order to save ten bucks each time I took them to town to be professionally done. I may not be as good as they are but I am getting better. A small greenhouse attached to our shed is a great place to wax skis on a sunny day.

First the wax is ironed on to the base

 

 

Pink wax for the forecast temperatures. That black stuff comes from the base of my ski. Sadly, the bottom is not perfectly flat.

 

 

That’s a pretty finished surface