Day 43...

Luke tearing it up in the Cages. View full album. More shots from Luke.

You're wrong if you don't question your government. ~ NOFX

Today we did a big backcountry assault on the Rabbit Cages to the South of Brainard Lake. So much fun. Luke, Pete and I headed out around 9 and lapped the Cages three times doing Chutes 1-3 (proposed names from right to left: Flemish Giant, Rockshot, Carpet Shark). Good snow and a lot of fun. I made good turns in 1 and 3 (Giant and Shark) but wobbled a bit in Rockshot and had to point it. Still pretty cool to just straight-run the thing.

The Brainard Lake road is actually really clear for this time of year but there is still lots of snow up there. We skinned in, then made a full-frontal assault on the Cages (unlike last year when we meandered around the woods for an hour or so). I'd say we were at the top of the Giant in a couple of hours but none of us had a watch. Go figure. We dug a pit at the start of the major skin up to check the conditions (solid) and dropped the goods without any problems.

Rockshot was a little hard to find from the top but we finally managed to get in the right spot and blasted down that cool little feature. Then back up for round three in the Shark. This was a more mellow, wide open pitch that was just begging to be worked. Pete went first and tore it up. Great stuff.

I am a bit whooped right now, having skied the last 4 days but am planning to head up to Eldora tomorrow if the conditions are good. We are supposed to get some snow tonight so if it dumps, I'll go out for some turns. Not a lot though.

Yesterday, I skied Monarch for a few hours on my way home from Gunnison. Lots of snow but without knowing where to go, it was a little uninspired. They have some fairly easy access extreme stuff on which I spun a few laps. Good terrain. I'd like to go there sometime with someone who knows the mountain (but that is really the case pretty much anywhere you go). Otherwise, I'll probably skip it unless I have a free day like this year.

Other than that, just getting some work done and looking to have a good week. Hope you do the same. The good week part, not necessarily the working.

Go nuts with donuts.

~stubert.