This preseason, like so many other, Deer Valley and
specifically Empire Lodge to Empire Express summit has been a great spot for my
backcountry conditioning. As you can see below, I am a frequent visitor in the preseason.
These are just a few of the outings as most of them are not documented:
PCMR
from Empire Lodge in Deer Valley
PCMR
from Empire Lodge – Nov. 16,
2014
Pre-season
training: Empire Lodge – McConkey’s top – Nov. 24, 2013
Pre-season
fling with Lady Morgan – Dec. 8, 2013
Skipping a few years
to my first Deer Valley post:
Polarizing
training in Deer Valley – Nov. 25,
2009
Deer Valley, amongst people that consider themselves “true
skier skiers”, does not necessarily get all the respect it may deserve. Between
precious grooming, Bentleys in the drive-way and ski valets some will get the
wrong impression... Whatever the case may be with that, and to contrast with it,
I have noticed that in our area the Deer Valley Ski Patrol is the most back
country skier friendly of them all. This has been true for years and when I talk to other
back country skiers I hear the same assessment. All agree that they are beyond BC tolerant, they are BC friendly. So I wanted, in my small way, to recognize that.
This season I have been up to Empire a lot. Between living “just
down the street” (Old Town PC) and the limited snow availability, Empire with
its higher elevation has been a god send. Over my conditioning sessions I have
added laps (Parking Lot – Top Empire Express – Parking Lot) going from one
timed lap to two laps and then on to three laps. I wanted to do more and add a
lap to have a four lap day up there. Yesterday
was planned to be the last closed day of the Empire Express lift so that was my last
chance this season. I went up there, the Ruby lift was open and there was a
fair amount of activity. The Ski Patrol was preparing the terrain for the
opening and I know they just rather have no one there as they prepare. However
they were very accommodating, asking me to stay out of the boundaries they were
setting up, letting me know about the avalanche risk and the good spots to ski.
I spent almost five hours “behind the lines” yo-yoing up and down till I got my
four laps in. So here is a great THANK YOU to the Deer Valley patrol.
I believe deeply in the ski culture and that attitude by the
Deer Valley Ski Patrol is a great display of just that. Skiing is not just an
activity to regulate and tame, skiers have skier solidarity and that only works
when the Ski Patrol recognize and understand that in that phrase “Ski” comes
first…
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| Turns in Empire Bowl. |
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| Deer Valley high mountian has the snow... |
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| ...and it skis nicely. |
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| Yesterday was opening day for the Ruby lift just next to the Empire Express. |
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