Circling the Camel: Skiing an Iconic Vermont Peak

The CHC crosses many high-elevation wetlands, perfect for snack breaks.

My skis glide onto the edge of an alpine wetland. A dark rocky cliff face looms high above and a layer of spruce trees cuts into the grey sky. I’m about halfway in to my 13-mile ski tour, and the boulder at the opposite end of this frozen water looks to be the perfect spot to rip open my Snickers bar. In those first few bites, I’m rewarded with the sweet taste of chocolate peanuts and cold-hardened caramel, and the sweet feeling of being self-propelled over great distances of Vermont’s backcountry.

I’m skiing the Camel’s Hump Challenge (CHC), a tour that circumnavigates the summit of Camel’s Hump by traveling through both private and State forest. A knee injury left my partner at the halfway point, where some nice folks will walk out with her and give her a ride back to our car. I'm on my own on a long tour, on a big mountain. And it's pretty cool.

So happy to see each other.

The CHC route affords access to established birch glades, fragrant spruce-fir forests, and strings of upland wetlands not typically visited by hikers or skiers. It’s beautiful, but it’s earned. With many miles of climbing, dotted by sections of smooth tracking and fast dips in elevation, this route is both challenging and rewarding.The forests I've seen today flash in my head. Birch glades out of a story book; spruce forests that hang heavy with the scent of pine. It's all been so beautiful.

There's a greater cause bringing me out here today. As CHC board member Bruce Beeken puts it, “The purpose of this event is to enjoy this extraordinary ski tour and to raise money for a good cause.” In order to be here, we each raised $125 or more in donations from friends and family to support education and family support programs at the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.I don't know this during my ski, but I will later learn that together all skiers raised $22,000 - a new record. 

Later in the day I will ascend and descend Wind Gap (a feat I am still amazed I did on my own) and then beautiful Bald Hill - a ripping fast descent that had me grinning ear to ear the whole long way down. And I will ski up to my friends. My dog will run out and greet me, hugs will come from all directions, and beer will taste better than it ever has. For now, I taste the melting chocolate again, and savor the fresh air, my health and vitality, and every minute of this beautiful backcountry. 

Happy trails.
- S. 

Also, for a look into behind-the-scenes preparation for the CHC, see:
- Clearing the Way

Ski Local

Who says you need to "ski like a local" when you can simply ski locally.

T&S

A new year with old friends.

 With a new year here and our unusually warm temps in Vermont it couldn't keep us and our dear friends from being outside.  We found ourselves out the back yard skiing your typical VT field.  With good friends always comes even better turns no matter what the conditions.  So here's to 2012 may it be everything you hope for or even maybe a little bit more.  Life here in Vermont is a lot like the snow conditions in January.  You just never know what your going to get; so you might just want to make the best of it.

Now get out there.

T.

                                                                   Snow Angels

                                                                    Learning how to ski

                                                             Getting up to speed.

Camels Hump Challenge! February 5th, 2011

Tristan and I are both skiing the Camel's Hump Challenge this February! It is a 13-mile ski tour around the summit of Camel's Hump and the day is filled with good people, camaraderie, hot chocolate, and warm food. This will be Tristan's second time skiing the Challenge (third if you count breaking trail the day before last year) and it will be my first time! Though I have volunteered there in the past, making soup.  We're both very excited.

As for gear, Tristan will be skiing on his Rossignol BC 125's (mounted with 3-pin hardwire bindings and with a Garmont Excursion boot) and I will be skiing either on the same ski or on my Karhu 10th mountains (same binding and boot for me, too). Also note, the 10th is the same thing as the current Madshus Epoch. (For a full run-down of backcountry, or cross-country-downhill / xc-d skis, click here. Better yet, for a sweet deal on a ski package, visit ORS Cross-Country Skis Direct!) Please consider joining us or, if you would prefer not to, you can donate to sponsor one of us (Click here for Sarah or here for Tristan). The money goes to support the VT Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Many thanks for your support and we hope to see you out there!

Happy trails, and get outside.

Sarah & Tristan

Again, to donate, click here (Sarah) or here (Tristan).

Good friends and good turns

Our third day out getting the snow while its good!  The Catamount trail offers a great way to access some great BC skiing.  When good powder snow and good friends come together it's a beautiful thing.  Our only problem is the turns are so good no one wants to be a photographer!  Hah! I don't blame us.  So here's to the snow and your friends, now go out and get it while it's good!

Looking through the glass on Langdon st.

Walking around down town Montpelier is not like your average city or town.  It's funny when I refer to Montpelier as a city people laugh!  This is when I feel the need to inform them that we are indeed the smallest capital "city" in the United states!  I should like to think were quite fond of this idea as well.  Who really believes its all about size anyways theses days?  If there is one thing we do have in Montpelier that is a sense of who we are. We can walk the streets at any given point during the day and see the people we elect every year, the owner of our favorite local coffee shop, a friend or too, our mayor and any well known postal service people all who would gladly give you the time of day.  This is why Sarah, Odin and I live here.  Now those of you who know us well, know that we will soon be leaving and making an exciting change to country living!  But don't forget we love our community here and that's what we truly believe in.  If you don't have community then we all lose something that makes us human.  Were all here because we want to be.   I think its funny when we get seasonal birds in the area and they say "your mountains are so small and your all on big fat skis! Where do you think your skiing?"  This is where I turn inwards and remind my self and the bird and say "Big isn't always better you know!"  Then I say " Your right there isn't any good skiing in Vermont, you should fly back home where things are big my friend!"  Size and location are all a matter of perspective and we love it here because it's small and because it takes you years to find out where the best stashes are in the mountains as you explore them and make new friends. 

This is what makes Vermont, Vermont and we love it all the same.  So till next time, when the snow falls you'll probably know where to find us.

Oh and by the way I was lying, theres a little good skiing here in the Green mountains and I would encourage anyone with a little sense of adventure, local or seasonal bird to explore and find it for yourself~!

Cheers!  

Oct 16, First turns of the season!

This sign was alittle humerous considering the conditions, powder  yeah- right.......

It's that time of the year.

Two thumbs up from Jase.