In an effort to add more adventure to our snowshoeing trips, we now backcountry snowboard. The idea originally started when we went up past Scofield reservoir near Electric Lake to get Christmas trees. I noticed there were many slopes that would be prime snowboarding or skiing spots, so the tradition began. On different weekends we drive up, scout out a new spot, snow shoe up and the board down. As I had never snow boarded before some of the descents are a little rough, but still so enjoyable.

This time we brought tiny. He loved it until his snowboard broke.

Looking down on Options. We named it "Options" because once you get to the top there are so many different lines to ride, thus Options. The top is very steep, but it mellows out toward the bottom. By-the-way, the guy on the left is not me, just some bum we found up there. The one on the right is "Tiny".

Guthrie heading down.

I may look like I am trying to spray Guthrie with snow, on the contrary, I was trying not to kill him.

Again Guthrie, notice the perfect form.

This is me, half out-of-control but somehow still able to get down the mountain with few falls.

Since we began doing this instead of biking, winter has become very enjoyable again. This day we did the loop 5 times. Snowboard down, snowshoe up, rest for a minute (or two) snowboard down. Repeat 5 times.

Love it!!

 

Do Snowshoes really work?

Due to the fact that my family snow shoes quite often, (and perhaps because of my larger-than-average-perhaps-I-should-be-on-the Biggest Loser-size), people commonly ask if snowshoes really work.

Yes they do...here is some proof.

Keep in mind the video is low quality, but you get the point (it was taken by an older version of the waterproof, droproof, olympus camera)

First the Location. Julie Andrews Meadow, about 2.5 miles up from the Bear canyon trail head, much less traveled than the pine hollow freeway trail, steeper(2,000 feet in 2.5 miles), but much less raveled.

Second, the snow depth; Guthrie dug down until he hit dirt at around six feet. The next two are the test. One without one snowshoe, the other with both.

Without one Snow shoe.

With two Snowshoes.

Conclusion, yeah they work.

Fun? You bet.

Hard work? Breaking trail is one of the hardest workouts I have ever done.

Don't believe me? Come try it, you will probably love it as much as we do, just please don't tell everyone about this trail (Big smiley face emoticon).