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Black Diamond Powder Keg — We’re Here!

Bookmark and Share            By Lou

I’d never refuse a trip to the Wasatch, even if they are a bit sparse on snow. Drove to Alta today from Colorado. My wife Lisa and I are here to blog the coming Powderkeg randonnee race, as well as partake in a press trip hosted by Black Diamond and a number of other companies we’ll detail as coming blog fodder. Plan is to snowcat ski and test BD skis tomorrow as a “rest” day, then do the race Saturday (rec class). They’ve got some kind of athletic endeavor planned for us the next day (Sunday), but I have a feeling we’ll have to duck out of that for the hot tub.

You never know though, if I pound two or three of the Honey Stinger protein bars I got in my blogger’s goody bag, perhaps by Sunday I’ll be running across the street from here and doing a few laps in Cardiff, at night, with the BD Icon headlamp which incidentally was also in my goody bag, and I’ll measure my amazing vertical with the Brunton altimeter that was hidden under the headlamp, and deodorize my socks with the Quick Fresh odor eliminator I found deep down in the pile. Yeah, socks…. I forgot all my socks so an extra pair is beaucoup handy (Thorlo, of course), as is the Quick Fresh since sock recycling is now the name of the game.

Turns out we’re hanging out with an interesting and fun group, among them are Leslie Ross of Babes in the Backcountry (ski technique tips for Lisa?), Peter Kray from Ski Press (writing tips for Lou?), prolific freelancer Kevin Fedarko (more writing tips?) and none other than Randosteve himself!

Steve was on the U.S. randonnee racing team last year. This year he’s doing a ton of ski alpinism in the Tetons and blogging prodigiously — we’re figuring Steve is our media team coach. Maybe he’ll trade a few speed tips for blog tricks? But from the looks of things at TetonAT.com Steve really doesn’t need any blog enlightenment so perhaps we’ll have to get that insider race info some other way. Everyone leaves their boots in the hallway here at the lodge, so perhaps we can “borrow” one of his boots and blackmail him for a few snips of Randobewan wisdom.

Utah backcountry skiing.
We’re staying at the historic (or at least classic) Peruvian lodge. What a place. This is ski lodging like it should be. Bathrooms down the hall, tiny room packed with two people’s gear (and mountain of swag, after all, this be a press trip!), dining room where people join strangers and are immediately friends because they ski. Anyone not from Utah care to name the mountain pictured above, that we can see by pressing our faces to the room window?

Utah backcountry skiing.
Rando Steve between turns. He muttered the words “time for payback?” when I snapped this shot, so I suspect I’ll be dodging his camera all day tomorrow.

Will report in tomorrow late, so I guess I’m on blog-ation for a few hours — till then , see ya!

Posted by Lou on March 15, 2007 | Filed Under Rando Racing 

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Comments

4 Responses to “Black Diamond Powder Keg — We’re Here!”

  1. Mark Worley March 16th, 2007 4:18 am

    Nice goody bag, eh? Those Stinger Protein bars have 20 grams per bar, which is a load! Is that good for a race, or excessive?

  2. steve March 16th, 2007 5:20 am

    Better keep your skis underneath you today Lou…I’ll be hunting for an elusive…’Lou wipes-out” photo!

  3. Lou March 16th, 2007 8:44 pm

    Romeo, I’ve got the ultimate blackmail shot in reserve! And seriously, we wish you the best for your race tomorrow!

  4. Chuck Leaghty March 19th, 2007 11:01 am

    Dear Lou,

    Welcome to the Wasatch! I responded to your home ural before I saw this net.

    Regards,

    Chuck

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Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past forty years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

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