Arapahoe Basin
Summit County Colorado
This story is in reference to the first picture in the gallery below.
Tele Skier Rescued by a Splitboarder (by Matty B)
With the snow beginning to fall, I was reminded of a funny tale, told by Matty B - a splitboarder and member of A-Basin’s infamous ski patrol.
Alex was distraught when he arrived at the shop on a Thursday afternoon in February with a single DPS Wailer 99. He had been at Arapahoe Basin taking laps on Pallavicini with a friend all morning. As the day wore on and his legs wore down he had an incident near the bottom of the Pali bumps; he somehow ejected from one of his skis, which continued down the hill, crossed the boundary rope, and launched like a missile into the thicket of small pines below Pali called the Christmas Trees. They searched the brush for a half-hour but came up empty handed, and Alex had to tele off the hill on a single ski.
Alex is a fairly aggressive tele skier so he really liked the Wailer 99s Hybrid on a tele set-up. The skis have a fairly stiff tail with minimal rocker which works well for him. He was crushed to come home sans one ski. When he got back to the shop he offered a substantial reward for anyone that could find his lost ski.
Challenge accepted, Alex.
It snowed 8" on Friday. I was pretty sure this ski was lost forever but it was going to try anyway. The snow was still good on Saturday so I spent a full day at A Basin. My legs were pretty spent by 4pm, but as the lifts stopped turning I switched over to my Jones Solution 158 splitboard and headed toward the bottom of the Pali run. It isn't the normal route one would skin up A Basin so I drew plenty of odd looks and comments from the beach revelers as I passed.
Upon arrival I spent a moment examining fall line trying to guess the trajectory of an unrestrained ski. Then I ducked under the rope and started stomping around in the brush and probing around at the base of trees. I could see why Alex had to give up; the snow would have been waist deep for someone who wasn't on skis. After 10 minutes I was pretty sure this ski had submarined into the snow half way down the hill and would not be seen again until early summer. But then I reminded myself, "don't forget to look up." I did...and then I laughed out loud...
I snapped that photo and sent to Alex, then I strapped the ski to my pack and took a victory lap to the bottom of A Basin. I wasn't sure if Alex would come through with that reward but I bought a round of drinks for my friends at the 6th Alley anyway. But sure enough, Alex arrived for work on Monday with a smile on his face and a $100 bill in his hand.
Since then Alex hasn't given me much grief for being a splitboarder.
Banged my knee... lost a ski... a whole lotta thanks to Matty B
The East Wall
Dan, Gang, Trent and Alex ready for some East Wall fun
Looking at the East Wall from the Lenawee chair
Kristi climbing above North Pole Couloir
Kristi boot packing around Arizona Rock
Alex above Arizona Rock
Kristi above Arizona Rock
Kristi at the Snorkel Door
Kristi entering North Pole Couloir
Kristi in North Pole Couloir
Kristi in North Pole Couloir
Kristi in the 2nd Notch
Kristi in the 2nd Notch
Will in Corner Chute
Will in Corner Chute
Alex in 2nd Notch
Alex in 2nd Notch
Alex in 2nd Notch
Alex... a little air on the lower Pali Face