Wasatch Backcountry

Had one of the best days I've ever had in the mountains on Tuesday.  Matt and I hired a guide from Solitude Backtracks to do some backcountry skiing in the Wasatch.  Ski Patrol veterans Chris and Trevor showed us around all day and kept us safe.  We started the morning by strapping on avalanche beacons, getting a little avalanche training, and then heading through the Highway to Heaven Gates out of Solitude.  We had the entire Twin Lakes canyon to ourselves.  Pristine.  I enjoyed every bit…from skinning up to bombing down in untouched powder.  Again and again.  After all that work, we had earned our blue ribbons with Chris, Trevor and their avalanche dog.

Hanlin-land

In Hanlin-land posts are always delayed by the transmogrifier inside my head.  You would think in this day and age they would post almost instantly.  Not so.  These are pics from the great month of December.  But first, I'll give a quick update on running progress.

On the running front...I'm sidelined.  I've had some groin and abdomen pain for a while and tried to run to run through while incorporating some more specific stretches, ice, and vitamin-I.  I also backed off in December.  But played around a bit, built a deck, and some built in book shelves...

I haven't run for almost all of January trying to figure this thing out.  I have been going to PT and doing all of the stretches and started some dry needling.  But I don't think I've responded well so I'm starting to get concerned that it is a sports hernia.  So the new Jason has been sitting on the couch, getting phat, drinking beer, and playing video games...Zelda on the Wii.  I've discovered that Zelda is much easier with the help of the interwebs than it was back in nineteen-of-eighty-nine.  I think I might save Princess Zelda this time.  The side effects of the new Jason have been grumpiness according to Allison.  I miss running.  Allison on the other hand is all wrapped around the crossfit axle...so it's great to see her getting happy and fit.

Holiday lights...














Sk8 or die at ol' 4th ward (the little kids luv my Simms Kamekazee)...





Early turns at Crystal Mountain WA...








Last hurrah in Tacoma...




Christmas says homemade hovercraft, oyster-fest, friends, family, and shootin'...

NYE bum-fire...




Dusting at the cabin...