Dec 312013
 

We are closing out 2013 with 53% of average snowfall, which makes finding the awesome ski tours a bit of a challenge. But we are working overtime to find the best snow and most fun tours and would love to share some of our hard work with you! Check out some pics from yesterday to see what we are up to.

Finding the goods when the goods are hard to find.

Finding the goods when the goods are hard to find.

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Following the Sun Dog

Following the Sun Dog

Alpine Sculptures

Alpine Sculptures

Now that's what were looking for!

Now that’s what were looking for!

mmmm...

mmmm…

The climb

The climb

Soft and beautiful light

Soft and beautiful light

ahhhhh...

ahhhhh…

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Camas Prairie inversion creates beautiful light

Camas Prairie inversion creates beautiful light

Mix techniques

Mix techniques

yes.

yes.

Couloir skiing

Couloir skiing

Apron powder

Apron powder

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Hansi doing the vadel

Hansi doing the vadel

Happy Hansi

Happy Hansi

Coyote Yurt Winter Solstice Ski

 Coyote Yurts, Huts and Yurts, Tornak Hut  Comments Off on Coyote Yurt Winter Solstice Ski
Dec 232013
 

SVT guides: Joe and Ed just returned from a quick trip into the East Fork of Baker Creek to check conditions around Tornak and Coyote Yurts. Despite a thin snowpack, they found soft powder conditions and endless new ski lines in the Beaver Creek fire.

Thin snow powder skiing

Thin snow powder skiing

New Burn lines on Fox  Peak

New Burn lines on Fox Peak

New eyes as Ed scopes all the new burn skiing in familiar terrain

New eyes as Ed scopes all the new burn skiing in familiar terrain

Lots of beautiful new ski lines around Coyote

Lots of beautiful new ski lines around Coyote

Dropping in to a new line

Dropping in to a new line

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Skiing among the ghosts

Skiing among the ghosts

Beaver Creek Fire

Beaver Creek Fire

Guide Training – Early Season

 SVT Scene, Tricks of the Trade  Comments Off on Guide Training – Early Season
Dec 122013
 
Francie, Chris, Marc, Pato and JP: an awesome collection of ski guides!

Francie, Chris, Marc, Pato and JP: an awesome collection of ski guides!

Every winter the guides of SVT gather to run training seminars and workshops. Typically we focus on particular goals at each training, dusting off skills, sharing lessons and tricks and evaluating how to do things better and more efficiently. This years early season training was focused on winter rescue. We discussed and practiced avalanche rescue, emergency shelters and stoves, 1st aid and then ran 3 separate sled evacuations off Titus Ridge to the trailhead. Check out the photos below to get ideas for different possibilities and approaches to addressing a forced bivy or having to evacuate a partner with a broken leg.

The familiar and always beautiful ski up Titus Ridge in the morning cold

The familiar and always beautiful ski up Titus Ridge in the morning cold

Niels hauling the SKED rescue sled

Niels hauling the SKED rescue sled

Brooks Range tarp emergency shelter as a pyramid

Brooks Range tarp emergency shelter as a pyramid

Francie using a Mega-Light, a deluxe emergency shelter.  Note the hot brews made with a sterno and ski poles.

Francie using a Mega-Light, a deluxe emergency shelter. Note the hot brews made with a sterno and ski poles.

Ed nailing a spacious and comfy emergency shelter with an 8x10 tarp and some trees.

Ed nailing a spacious and comfy emergency shelter with an 8×10 tarp and some trees.

Chris checking out Pato's shelter, beta-mid style.

Chris checking out Pato’s shelter, beta-mid style.

Pato's emergency stove. Simple: a sterno, tin can and metal water bottle will get the job done.

Pato’s emergency stove. Simple: a sterno, tin can and metal water bottle will get the job done.

JP using the brooks range tarp in another configuration

JP using the brooks range tarp in another configuration

Looking almost like a planned camp.

Looking almost like a planned camp.

Chris showing how a Alpine Threadworks tarp/sled can work for a simple shelter.

Chris showing how a Alpine Threadworks tarp/sled can work for a simple shelter.

Brooks Range all-in-one tarp/sled in a simple trough structure.

Brooks Range all-in-one tarp/sled in a simple trough structure.

Joe, demoing this simple emergency shelter and stove.

Joe, demoing this simple emergency shelter and stove.

Kyle with the 8x12 trap as a mid.

Kyle with the 8×12 trap as a mid.

Niels, improvising with no extra gear or tarp.

Niels, improvising with no extra gear or tarp.

Chris and Marc packaging Francie in an Alpine Threadworks sled.  Simple, quick and a guide favorite on the tests.

Chris and Marc packaging Francie in an Alpine Threadworks sled. Simple, quick and a guide favorite on the tests.

Ed and Niels constructing the standard Brooks Range sled.

Ed and Niels constructing the standard Brooks Range sled.

Packaged and descending in a SKED litter/sled.

Packaged and descending in a SKED litter/sled.

Fairly tight and comfy in the SKED.

Fairly tight and comfy in the SKED.

The SKED slides the best.

The SKED slides the best.

The SKED requires good braking on steep slopes.

The SKED requires good braking on steep slopes.

Cold Powder at the Sawtooth Huts!

 Bench Hut, Fishhook Yurts, Huts and Yurts  Comments Off on Cold Powder at the Sawtooth Huts!
Dec 062013
 

We are just back from the Sawtooth where SVT guides: Joe, Pato, Chris, Ed, Toby and new Interns: Trudy, Alisa and Niels braved the extreme cold temps (-22f) and fresh powder to prep the huts for the winter season. We found 16+” of new storm snow and close to 3′ of total snow at Bench Hut and some great (if cold) ski conditions. The pictures below should give you a good idea for what it is like out there right now. The ski trails are in and the powder awaits you! Give us a call if you want to get out and enjoy this beautiful early December.

The crew, getting the huts ready under -22f temps

The crew, getting the Fishhook Hut ready under -22f temps

Heading into the Teeth!

Heading into the Teeth!

Pato hard at work cutting over 30 trees that blocked the trail

Pato hard at work cutting over 30 trees that blocked the trail

Ahh, the cozy new Fishhook Hut at -22f

Ahh, the cozy new Fishhook Hut at -22f

Warm and cozy, the 1st winter night in the new hut

Warm and cozy, the 1st winter night in the new hut

My new favorite bunk in the mountains!

My new favorite bunk in the mountains!

The trees were popping with the cold temps

The trees were popping with the cold temps

As beautiful as ever

As beautiful as ever

Touring through the old growth

Touring through the old growth

Approaching Bench Hut

Approaching Bench Hut

Redfish Lake still ice free...

Redfish Lake still ice free…

Toby doing what an intern does.

Toby doing what an intern does.

Action

Action

Ski time

Ski time

Lots of fresh snow!

Lots of fresh snow!

Ed laying into the powder

Ed laying into the powder

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Chris, styling

Chris, styling

Cold Smoke

Cold Smoke

Toby hard at work

Toby hard at work

Alisa testing Idaho powder

Alisa testing Idaho powder

Pato, treetop flying

Pato, treetop flying

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