Pictures, pictures and pictures!

[randoskier]

Doing some cruising around town tonight on 4" of light fluff on frozen grass

That was fun, though. We'll have to do that again before the freezing rain hits on ... Sunday

Awesome! If there is a pizzeria in your town you could do deliveries!!

[Montana St Alum]

I started out in the F-8 (RF-8g) Crusader and made one cruise on the Independence in it. Then I went on to fly the F-14A for 2 cruises on the Enterprise. Gotta love an airplane that burns 4000 pounds of jet fuel PER MINUTE(!) in burner, with a gun that fires 100 rounds PER SECOND(!). Anyway, I flew that low level you describe (and many more in the western U.S.) in the F-14 and yeah, it's insanely beautiful. Pull up to clear terrain and as you get to the ridge, roll inverted and pull DOWN the other side at about 6 G's to stay near the surface. It was Alps level beautiful!

After the F-14, I became an Adversary pilot and flew the F-16N and the A-4F simulating enemy aircraft and tactics. I had gone through Top Gun (NFWS) in the F-14 and then went into VF-126 (Bandits) to do that. After I got hired on with Delta, I stayed in the reserves as an Adversary pilot in the A-4 (the "Super Fox", a stripped-down A-4M version with better than one to one thrust/weight ratio). I retired out of Delta 4 years ago.

I don't think I could have asked for more in my flying career!

The Swiss Air Force does GREAT aviation porn!


Sadly, this is at 360p. When it was at 720, it was spectacular. It captures the feel about as well as any video I've seen. At time: 3:14, it captures the idea of rolling inverted to stay below the ridgeline which reduces your vulnerability to surface to air threats.


Oh, Man. Now I miss it!

With "the beast", back in 1987.

F-16 guy.jpg

Nice ride the F-16. The Iranian Air Force still has a few F-14s in various states of disrepair as they have to fabricate or swindle spare parts. When I was in Basic at Lackland AFB, Texas in '77 the Iranian Air Force was doing theirs in the dorm right next to mine! It seemed even their privates had scrambled eggs on their hats. I hear Iran has nice skiing, too bad we will never see it.

They have a couple of Tomcat "Aces" from their war with Iraq.
Yeah, it's a shame!

[fgd135]

Just a couple of photos from my weekend, one ski patrolling in Brainard Lake National Recreation Area, and the second on a nice little xc tour at the Caribou Ranch, Boulder County Open Space. Great conditions both places, plenty of snow, but unfortunately many of the the CR rec users were not even snowshoeing, just postholing, in the 1/2 meter of snow and were wrecking the trails...

BLNRA:

N Sourdough Trail

CR BCOSMP:

Bluebell Mine

[lowangle al]

It looks pretty good there fgd.

I hope your post holers don't bring their dogs to further muck things up.

[Woodserson]

Great condtions both places, plenty of snow, but unfortunately many of the the CR trail users were not even snowshoeing, just postholing, in the 1/2 meter of snow and were wrecking the trails...

How is this allowed? Just in general. We have the same problem in NH. In the Adirondacks it's made very clear that more than 8" IIRC of snow and skis/snowshoes mandatory. This country is so ass backwards when it come to basic outdoor etiquette.

At the local privately-owned public-use ski hill we just had 3 people walking up the steepest, most moguled run, in sneakers, with their dogs, in the middle of the trail. They were on their hands and knees at some points, below big whales. We had freezing rain the day prior and it froze solid. It was skiable and open and people were skiing down, but one slip and you're going for a ride. Total disregard for any rules or common sense or personal safety.

[fgd135]

Great condtions both places, plenty of snow, but unfortunately many of the the CR trail users were not even snowshoeing, just postholing, in the 1/2 meter of snow and were wrecking the trails...

How is this allowed?

I wish I knew the answer but since OSMP trails are free public trails, and not private fee-required nordic centers with machine set tracks, there are no use restrictions, even in winter conditions, not even simple signs advising snowshoes would be a good idea...and the same on most USFS trails; there are only limited restrictions in winter, and not on every trail. At BLRA, for example, some trails are indeed restricted for skiing only, or are snowshoe only trails, but most are free for alls, with fat tire bikes, walkers, skiers and snowshoers competing for space. In other locations in Colorado I'm familiar with, some USFS lands and other public trails do have restrictions in winter, which is nice.

[fgd135]

It looks pretty good there fgd.

I hope your post holers don't bring their dogs to further muck things up.

At least at Caribou dogs are prohibited, but that's violated frequently, although yesterday I did not see any pets. I did see a bull moose, though. At BLRA, in the winter, dogs are restricted to just a couple of snowy summer roads. Which is also ignored frequently...I mean, dogs can't read the signs, right?

[Tom M]

Shadow man wants to play.

[jyw5]

Great condtions both places, plenty of snow, but unfortunately many of the the CR trail users were not even snowshoeing, just postholing, in the 1/2 meter of snow and were wrecking the trails...

How is this allowed? Just in general. We have the same problem in NH. In the Adirondacks it's made very clear that more than 8" IIRC of snow and skis/snowshoes mandatory. This country is so ass backwards when it come to basic outdoor etiquette.

At the local privately-owned public-use ski hill we just had 3 people walking up the steepest, most moguled run, in sneakers, with their dogs, in the middle of the trail. They were on their hands and knees at some points, below big whales. We had freezing rain the day prior and it froze solid. It was skiable and open and people were skiing down, but one slip and you're going for a ride. Total disregard for any rules or common sense or personal safety.

naybe they are practicing their postholing and mixed climbing for breaking trail on their next 8000m expedition. lol

[orangeviking]

Northern Finland testing out my Fischer S-bound 98 skis with Rottefella Xplore bindings and Alfa Vista Advance boots.

Kilipsjarvi? Inari?

@randoskier it was in Pallastunturi. In Kilpisjärvi and Inari there is still polar night. In Pallas the polar night just ended.