Sea Pearl

This was truly an adventure amongst adventures. There was something about this trip that seemed more remote and untouched than many of our previous trips. Maybe it was because it was one of my first wilderness adventures outside of the US…or maybe it’s the fact of being on a island or a boat that gives that sense of being isolated from so much else. This place was also visually stunning to the point of being surreal and the whole adventure was like a dream.
As Jill and I stocked up on provisions and made last minute preparations we had a chance to explore the town and talk with the people who were wonderfully warm, kind and open. These small settlements of descendants of formers slaves are truly magical places. You can find a shady tree, sit under it and look out at the bright blue water and listen to the wind, the waves and the kids laughing…and you can be a world away.
The true extent of the commitment required for our trip did not actually hit me until it was to late and we had shoved off from shore and looked back to see Dallas’s truck speed off out of site up over the hill. We were beyond excited to be out on the water and the breeze started to freshen. Then it started to blow hard and Jill took the helm back being the more experienced sailor. Dallas had told us that during the trip we may get a little water in the boat and that after a few days we
could simply pump it out of the bilge. Well… here we were 45 minutes into the trip and the lee rail had been under the water for the last thee tacks and waves were breaking completely into the boat that I was pumping out as fast as I could. Things started to get fairly crazy with the strong wind and waves. I was frightened being in such a small boat so far from shore in the given conditions and it was really impressive to see Jill keep her cool and give clear orders and she really seemed to enjoy the whole thing.
The wind eased off and the seas calmed as we approached our first destination and sailed along the lee of an island with and endless strand of white beach with a short jungle of plants behind. We dropped the anchor into perfectly clear water a few meters off of one of the most idealistic campsites you can imagine. We unpacked the camping gear, set up our table chairs and tent in the sand amongst small palm trees and Conch shells. The wind calmed completely and the sun became orange as Jill and I started a fire, relived the day and celebrated being alive together.

A little stormy from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.
We grew to love the 21 foot long Sea Pearl named the Carib. The Carib was the named after one of the indigenous tribes who had inhabited the islands before they were discovered by Columbus. The Carib had lee boards that could be lifted as needed and allowed it to sail into very shallow water and to explore every coastline up close. Jill and I fell into the rhythm of the islands and each day we would have wonderful adventures, explore rugged rocky coastline or navigate beautiful protected coves filled with white sand or an endless sea of turquoise blue water.

Nomans Pond Cay from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.
It was not easy and there was hard work in the sailing, navigating, packing and camping. And at the end of each day we would rejoice in the relief of the falling sun, the calming of the wind and in the joy of having survived another day together.
Jill and I felt closer than ever out here, brought closer by shared awe, fear, relief , mystical sights, exploration and adventure. There was not a hint of loneliness on these isolated deserted islands, just joy, excitement, anticipation, planning and doing.
On our last night the wind shifted to the west and became strong which we both recognized as being fairly out of the ordinary. It was a full moon and this caused the tide to come way up. We huttled in the dark cooking quesadillas on the stove with huge lightning thunder head behind us and the waves continuing to bring the water up and up closer to our camp and the poor Carib tugging and straining on the rode of her anchor. In the morning we were pinned in this cove unable to reach our pre specified rendezvous with Dallas. We at last reached him on the VHF and were very relieved to see him roar into the cove in the Overdraft with its two huge outboard motors to tow us back to the Peace and Plenty.
This is an adventure we will never forget.

My First First Chair all Season

The island exportation expedition was a great adventure. I'm working on sorting through photos from the trip, but in mean time just wanted to share another special day of skiing. Snowbird had been closed all week and it snowed about 30 or more inches during that time. They had been planning on opening Friday but the massive amounts of new dense snow prevented them from being able to open any terrain at all. So when they announced a 8am to till noon window for skiing on Saturday I jumped at the chance. I laid my gear out the night before awoke early and headed out. I parked on the summer road to somewhat out of the way of Superior and headed for Pdog. I skied up to the maze and low and behold...I'm first in line! Within 5 min I had 30 people behind me and maybe 100 by the time it opened. The mountain was unbelievably untracked, smooth and creamy as only this exact scenario could provide. I was relatively uncrowded and the day, snow quality and shear amount of untracked snow had a unique special wonderful quality that I had never experienced.

First Chair on Pdog from Aaron Stanford on Vimeo.

What a Treasure

Jill and I are leaving tonight to explore the Exuma Cays in a 21 foot open hulled sail boat known as a sea pearl. It has two masts, two sails, no motor and is prized for island exportation because of its ability to sail in extremely shallow water. There are more than 360 islands in the Exumas, many of which are uninhabited. We will be camping along the way and have all of our gear all packed up and ready to go. I'm pretty far out of my element on this one and have no idea what to expect, but Jill and have been doing our homework, are properly prepared and are ready for the unexpected. The tools have been fun to get ready, solar panels, charts, compass, rope, knife, spear...they are all so different from the things we use in the mountains. About the only thing in common are the gallons of sunscreen and the huge dose of respect for mother nature. Should be back on about the 18th or 19th.

These are just pictures from the internet, but they give you an idea of why we wanted to go here.

Alta Goes Chamonix Style

This is the coolest thing ever....Yesterday Alta allowed skiing of unpatroled areas within the ski area boundary and simply warned skiers that backcountry conditions may exist in those areas. With this approach they were able to allow lift access to huge areas of terrain without the high cost of running routes and bombing.

It was a little dicy for those who were'nt used to it. If you were from Chamonix it was business as usual. The "backcountry" gate was right at the top of collins lift where you would normaly drop on to the bunny slope called Devils Way. it was a small opening in the rope with all the signage of a backcoutry gate except it didn't say "ski area boundary" It said "backcountry conditions may exist". But because it was in such familiar place, there were whole families dropping in without reading the signs and successfully skiing down the bunny hill on a long uncrowded run to the rope tow. wheee. But you could also fairly easily ski out under the castle on runs like Cecret Saddle which would normally never be open without them first thoroughly controlling The Castle. And you had a ton of people doing just that. no beacons no shovel...I think they thought they were still in the controled part of the ski area.

So in my mind the obvious prize was The Castle...210 inch base...14 new... lift served ...untracked. I was wearing my beacon and had avi gear in my pack. I wasn't even really sure why that gear was coming along when I left the house or the car. alas...Jill did not, and this may have been a blessing. Do you really want to ski the Castle in these conditions with not a single bomb hole and nary a ski cut? ...Not me...it was maybe little to hot for me to be positive.

It's similar to the Knucklehead Travers at the bird. I think that in years past they would keep it open even after Gad II closed and the boundary always gets little fuzzy out past Gad II. But this year you would just get part way over there and see little sigh with the backcountry avalanche conditions. I'm not sure at this point how that fits in with their backcounty check out with patrol policy.

Here is a picture of the billy Goat line that I have always wanted to ski. I have never seen it skied. Maybe theres still a chance. Because your almost never gonna get it with the ski area open.



Baldy looked pretty good also. Staying fairly cool I think. Steep and covered with Bomb holes...This should be a good spot in the upcoming months.