Apr 20
It was really nice to see Old Man Winter again on Monday. We found him high above Vermont’s Mad River Valley, getting ready to set off again after a nice weekend in the mountains. He left us a good blanket of snow to enjoy, and he hinted that he would likely be back again soon before ultimately heading south for a few months. He also guided us into one of our favorite runs in the Valley…
Thanks again Old Man Winter!
Apr 19
The mountains of the northeast picked up anywhere between 2-12″+ between Friday afternoon and Sunday evening… Locally here in the Greens, we enjoyed some of the creamiest powder snow we’ve come across in a while, and on Sunday afternoon, we felt like we were right back to mid winter.
Apr 17
With less than a week to go before we set off to northern Norway, we’ve been busy readying the bikes, our packing system and our BOB ski trailers. The day was comfortably warm and clear here in the Green Mountains of Vermont, so we made the most of it with an afternoon bike-ski adventure close to home – another test mission of sorts. Aiming for Mount Ellen (one of Vermont’s 5 highest summits), which is just over ten miles up the valley from our home, we pedaled to the base of the mountain, climbed/skinned 2500′ to the summit, soaked up the fine view and some fresh air, enjoyed a delectable descent back to our bikes… and pedaled toward home. Our friend Forrest Twombly, who will be joining us for the first half of the trip, made the day when he pulled out a small box of locally-made, maple-glazed donuts after the ride. Thanks Forrest!
View all posts about our bike-supported Norway skiing adventure HERE.
Apr 14
For about ten years, we’ve been dreaming of taking our bike-supported skiing adventures to another level. Day and weekend trips – especially those beginning and ending in front of the shed – continue to be great fun, but the idea of setting off for weeks on end has only been stewing in our minds. We contemplated a late winter/early spring tour of the northeast US, but decided to save that one for a later date and larger project. We considered the southern Andes, where we have collectively spent six months bicycle-adventuring and backcountry skiing, but not at once. Alaska, the Rockies and parts of northern Asia also made the list.
Still, none of these areas promised what we were really after: easy access to snow; good weather/road conditions for camping and cycling; skiing right to the ocean; and a skiing/cycling ratio skewed in favor of skiing…lots and lots of skiing. The bikes would simply be our means of transportation between “ski-camps”, into town for supplies or to the start of our daily skiing adventures.
Okay, so we are a little bit picky. And to top things off, we were also seeking a place where the culture embraced skiing, and the mountains had a real story to tell – if not many stories to tell.
Before long, maps of northern Norway began to clutter our living room. The region’s wild coastal mountain ranges, its Sami history and its convenient network of roads and ferry boats were too hard to resist. The “Arctic Alps” were calling.
So, on April 22, the journey begins…
Stay tuned!
-Brian and Emily
Apr 12
It might be a good week to break out the crampons and ice axe for those crispy morning ascents in the big mountains. Then again, it might be a good week to stay closer to home, sample the remnant goods at your local ski area, or go for a good paddle or bike ride…
