October ski - put a fork in it!

Signed, sealed, delivered. Right out the back door.

Time to get the kids real XC skis, I think.

the excellence of adjustable poles

but first: snow angels

second: snowman

then skiing

we shall call him "Juniper Breath"

June 2017 monthly ski - RMNP Trailridge Road snow patch

Trailridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is a much appreciated go-to ski for June. It didn't disappoint us: almost warm, breezy, easy hike to corn snow patch - we even got a close-in parking spot.

the tundra rolls right to the sky 

reminds me of old gunslinger pictures

we get great clouds in the Rockies

N bags his June ski

go N, go!

I did not photoshop out my poles. really. why would anyone do that?

O say can you see

just a dollop of corn snow

O nabs June

T gets the dramatic backdrop

hero shot

Skiing with the little ones

Our plan is simple: do whatever it takes to get the kids skiing. Sometimes that means no runs for us. Sometimes that means driving for twice as long as we actually end up skiing.

We keep at it. Wearing down the their resistance. Yes, that's it...resistance is futile...skiing is fun...skiing is fun...skiing is fun.

And it's working!

good, weight forward turns - we told him to put his hands on his knees

weight back - plenty of time to fix that. I'll make it a part of the "stand on the sweet spot" lesson

wheeeeeeee!

getting the evil eye from O

By the end of the (lift served) season N was doing blue runs top to bottom without help. Next year we'll add some more lessons between our legs to help a narrower stance, get the feel of edging and introduce weighting and unweighting - the flow from turn to turn. And how to get up on his own. Especially how to get up on his own.
Next year O gets to go leashless.

great slush in the sun

Dilly Dally Alley

go N!

asleep. not kidding

O was asleep until about 1/4 way down Mary Jane run. Then he REALLY liked it!

A great day in the slush. The kids skied more than ever before.
The adults actually skied (we even got one good bump run apiece at the end of the day).

October ski!

Brainard Lake got some new snow WOOT!

It's a good feeling to only have to drive 45 minutes to get to our October ski. It may have only been a few inches but it worked...

trusty skins on the kids' Lucky Bums skis gave them great traction 

it's official: T & N skied

it's official: O skied

The kids seem to have a love/hate relationship with the poles. When they want them - they want them SO MUCH. When they don't...on the ground they go.

T & I independently went up to Long Lake for a quick view. old mining bucket here