Sl(r)ed Rocks

February 25, 2010


Oh Hi!  I’m new to the FIS contingent, at least in electronic form.  I’m Porter and I’ve been tasked with delighting your internet taste buds with Western goodness.  Delicious powder, steep descents, endless landscapes, all with a hint of comedy.  Maybe.  If we’re lucky.

So what’s this all about.  I’m between gigs, so I’ve had the last 10 days off – with nothing to do, but to shred my little heart out.  Here is a taste (oh, tender morsels…) of what you can cram into a few days in Utah.

It all started with a few hot laps on high Baldy at Snowbird last Friday, February 19th.  Justin Altman, the famous right hand turning skier, caught me in the act, and it just so happened it became the picture of the day.  Cool shit.  It made me feel famous.

After I’d laid some dollar signs at the bird.  We jumped in the car, and headed up into NE Utah for a weekend of braaaaping and shredding, all based from a backcountry yurt.  The yurt was huge, 4 bunk beds, giant stove that roasted everything from wet gloves to marshmellows – even had a sauna.

Here’s some evidence.  Wink wink.

Alex Skin trackin’

Holy moly!  A splitboarder.

The sun even came out.

Tasty trees.

The days in the yurt were a success.  We got the sled stuck a half dozen times.  I mean that happens, the snow is 7 feet deep, and the sled weights 500 pounds.  Some times that hog just digs in, and wants to get stuck.  Lots of snow, lots of clouds, and lots of low angle tree skiing.  It was just too dangerous for anything else.  And too cloudy to get any scenery!  Check out the pit video here.

With the sled leg complete, it was on to the Red Rocks.  A desert trip, the kind that only materializes every 40 years, when Southern Utah accumulates enough snow.  Blistering 40+ mph winds, and short days kept us out of the primo terrain, but here is some of what can be had.

Or this guy.

The elements, snowpack, and the whippin wind, kept us playing it safe.

Shrubing

We we’re not without a touch of what we came for though.

And what could top off a week of sled skiing, desert shredding?  A good old fashioned Wasatch whalloping!

Colby getting deep.

Justin even deeper.

And Perry ‘I’ll eat as many free wings as you’ll give me’ Hall, getting the deepest of them all.

I’ll keep the powder shots coming, as long as you keep liking them.

Carpe Skiem – Porter

Read about the author:   Porter Haney
Enjoy this TR? Read another: TR: Golden Hour Rock Climbing in the PNW

Related Stuff:

  1. TR: Sl(r)ed Rocks

12 Comments

  1. David Howland
    wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 1:35 am  
    1

    Love the contrast between the red of the rocks and the snow! Great shots!

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Porter Haney
      wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 9:45 am  
      2

      Thanks, David. That Red Rock skiing is some of the funnest around. So surreal.

  2. Talbert
    wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 9:25 am  
    3

    Hey Porter great introduction, and very cool desert shots. Keep up the stoke! Thanks

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Porter Haney
      wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 9:46 am  
      4

      Is this the same Talbert that is coming to stay at the lodge ala Altmanator?

  3. Ben
    wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 10:09 am  
    5

    Nicely done & welcome to FIS!

    Love those desert shots, you don’t see those every day!

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  4. powhounddd
    wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 10:14 am  
    6

    Thanks for the awesome intro! The red rocks looks like a really cool spot to get turns, especially once-in-40-years kind of turns.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  5. K_C
    wrote on February 26th, 2010 at 11:19 am  
    7

    ahoy! red rocks looks amazing

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  6. Sam
    wrote on March 1st, 2010 at 1:12 am  
  7. Greg
    wrote on March 1st, 2010 at 8:22 am  
    9

    Dude you’re killing it in ur fis debut. Thanks! And sorry for not seeng this till now. I was busy entertaining your brethren :)

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Porter Haney
      wrote on March 1st, 2010 at 9:08 am  
      10

      He needs lots of entertaining. Did he name anything Quartz Duckhorn?

  8. Mary Ann and uncle Clarence
    wrote on March 1st, 2010 at 10:03 am  
    11

    Way, way cool, Port. Your Mom shared with us. Hope we get to see you sometime soon.
    Love, US

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  9. Talbert
    wrote on March 1st, 2010 at 2:06 pm  
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