For what ever reason Ford didn't allow you to order roof rails for Sasquatch (first edition) level builds / trims. There are some comments about it here but basically the GWR weight, roof and supply problems are to blame.

This left me with finding a hitch solution, but again the Sasquatch (first edition) builds do not come with the tow package as an option. I called my dealer and they wanted over $800 to install the receiver hitch and wiring harness. After googling and viewing a few YouTube videos I realized that I didn't need the trailer lights (wiring harness) and the costs associated with it. Adding an after market hitch is a simple install. 4 bolts and you're done. Check this YouTube video here and skip the wiring part if all you want to do is install a ski or bike rack. Here is the part from Curt MFG website

So now that I have a receiver hitch installed lets look at the rack options. The first rack I tried was from Yakima, FullTilt Tilting Hitch Mount Hanging Bike Rack combined with the YAKIMA - HitchSki Ski & Board Conversion Mount which I'll write a review on in a different post. Basically I didn't like the setup and how far it extended from the bumper.

What I ended up with was this Ski Rack from BuzzRack off amazon for about $300 dollars shipped. I also needed a 7" hitch extender so the rack would clear the 35 inch tire on the back.

Installation Installation was straight forward, the rack it self was pretty sturdy and the methods for holding skis is pretty secure. According to the documentation is will hold 6 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards. This isn't the case for the most part, unless the 6 pair of skis are less than 95cm wide you're going to have a hard time fitting all 6 because of the width. My hoji 4frnt skis where a bit snug on the bottom mount due to the shape of the ski. I was able to get 3 wide skis to fit but no room for the dividers to fit in-between the skis, which I assume helps keep them from rattling against each other.

FIT: You can see the rack fits snug to the 35" spare tire in the pictures below. I'm able to open the back door about 12"+ which is pretty good but not great, leaving me to access my cargo from the back seat. The threaded locking bolt does a great job at keeping the rattle to a minimum the weak link that cause the biggest issue was the hitch extender. With hitch extender installed the entire rack moved left to right about 6 inch which is way too much movement for my comfort zone. To fix this I installed a super simply and effective anti rattle stabilizer for $8.00 this simple and effective hardware all but eliminated the rattle coming from the hitch extender.

**Security **The rack has locks on both the hitch and brackets the hold the ski's which seems like just enough but not completely secure. I wouldn't leave my ski's outside overnight in a hotel parking lot with this setup but I would leave them while getting some dinner for after hours Apres.

**Overall opinion **For under $500.00 and a few hours of time it's a pretty solid solution for skis. I'm unable to access the full rear door without having to take the rack completely off, this isn't a deal breaker but there are other solutions out there that I've ordered and will follow up on in a later post.

This was has been the storm of the season for Snowbasin Resort and man it didn't disappoint. Thigh high powder right off the lift. 24 runs in all and all of them where filled with endless powder. Refills all day with non-stop snowstorms equate to the perfect day!

What could be better than cat skiing in general? Well I’ll tell you, waking up to 15” inches of new snow the morning of your schedule cat skiing trip (this was booked 4+ months ago) so the stoke level was high. Because of all the new snow our guides felt it more safe to stay on some low angle runs but for virgin cat skiers this was totally fine by us. It felt like a whole different world, alien like if you will. Not a sole in sight, just a bunch of family and friends woot’n and hollering a good time. The stoke was at an all time high for sure.

The hosts at brundage sure know their stuff, the guides are awesome the location and terrain was second to none and the snow was blower soft and DEEP.

Now available

• Teton Gravity - Make Believe

• Tanner Hall Forever

• Maggie Voisin's - Swiftcurrent

• Level 1 - Nothing

Quickies 

• Charge 2 - Soloman

Coming soon / Trailers

• Matchstick Production - Huck Yeah

• Follow the Forecast - Blank. Collective

• Winter Season - Salomon TV

• Nordica - Delay your Arrival

The name of the game in back country skiing is safety. It’s a big deal for me and it should be for everyone. The idea of untouched powder is what makes it worth it but the instability is also what makes it scary. One minute you’re surfing the powder and the next the powder is covering you. It’s something you shouldn’t take lightly.

For me I needed someone to hold my hand, to validate my “internet degree” in back country knowledge, someone to fact check, bring me to the reality  and help keep me safe. I decided to find a guide who could provide me the extra confidence I needed to get me out and help me stay safe. This is where the Backcountry Pro’s came to play. Nate was our guide and educator. We started our day learning how to read maps, look at the avalanche report and general QA with the group. This was a great way to start and Nate’s knowledge proved important to set the tone for safety for me and the group.

We group up at the base of Brighton resort, which turns out they have a very awesome uphill policy and routes properly marked to get you great access to the backcountry areas. From there we planned our route, talked about good back country edict and more importantly snow safety and science.

For me it was everything I wanted back country skiing to be. It was a lot of work, full of beautiful Mountain View’s for miles, untouched lines with soft snow and great company. It really provided me with the confidence and knowledge needed to plan my next tour. I feel as a group we all accomplished what we wanted to from Nate and most importantly we all got some good turns in and adequate knowledge.

Now it’s time to really explore the Wasatch mountain range, share my knowledge with friends and family I and explained my experience of skiing in the back country. Here is a list of gear I have picked up over the last year for anyone wondering:

• Beacon: BCA Tracker 3

• Skins: G3

• Shovel: Voilie T Wood 

• Bindings: Shift Bindings

• Skis: HOJI by 4FRNT

I get a bit irritable when I'm not skiing fresh powder (I'm a snow snob) but on days like today I need to just simply ENJOY the sport and soak up some vitamin D. Ripping groomers, carving turns and going off trail to find the semi-soft stuff can be equally rewarding and damn fun and today was DAMN FUN.

I'm reflecting with a warm cup of coffee while writing this post in the John Paul lodge and quite frankly I'm damn lucky to be here doing this exact thing, this exact moment. The food is awesome and my office rent is a yearly ski pass so thanks Snowbasin so really I need a reality check and stop being a ski snob, I'm only ruining it for myself.

The film instantly captured my attention with one of the best opening ski shots that wasn’t a large spin or steep from AK. It was simple, pure and smooth line of Eric skiing backwards better than I could ski forwards.

From this point on I was hooked and wanted more and more I got out of this film. It tells a pretty awesome story wrapped around some amazing skiing. I will not go into too much detail about the story because you really need to check it out. That is if you like a story about adversity and overcoming set backs. A huge plus for me is the lines he skis in Japan, this is one of my bucket list places on earth.

I really look forward to seeing more from Eric his skiing style is absolutely butter and one day I hope to ski half as good forwards as he does backwards. I also wonder if the Line skis he designed with the unique tail is actually beneficial or just a gimmick?

You can check out his film directly on his website or watch it here:

I really hope this trend of small production based ski shorts continues, they’re very simple and straight skiing without the filler content a lot of larger productions add to increase the length of their movie.

Sammy’s ability to surf on those Armada ski’s is flat out sick. The tree skiing and pillow lines are crazy and his air leaves me in awe. Simply put Sammy is crushing it and I want more shorts like this

Check it out here:

Strawberry in particular was pretty much untouched and we had one run from top to bottom was untracked 6+ inch powder. We skied 18+ virtual miles in less than 3 hours.

Here is a video of a un-named section off Becker lift. We call it strawberry fields. We had 5 laps on this run alone because it's quickly accessible and usually untracked.

The first run was down Hollywood which was already pretty tracked out and sketch towards the bottom. Our second run was right down the John Paul run which is one of my favorites.

The views never disappoint at Snowbasin and the skiing was fantastic.

Brundage is the type of resort that doesn’t have to try to be big to be cool it just naturally is a cool resort. It’s humble, quaint and quite honestly some of the funnest terrain I’ve ever skied. There isn’t a lot of vertical with its main base lift Bluebird Express sits on top of 7630 feet in the sawtooth mountain range near McCall, ID. I think what makes it great is the tree skiing found off the main runs. 

The two main areas I spent time on are the Bluebird lift and Lake View lift. Lake view is the sorter of the two but honestly has some of the funnest terrain around. Right down the middle of the lift is where you’ll find great skiing and for some really fun powder you’ll want to jump off the backside of lake view. Be warned it’s easy to get lost on the back side of Lake view so please go with someone that knows this area so you can get back safely. 

Bluebird Lift

Bluebird is the high speed quad and gets you from the base to the top. The views are breathtaking from this area so make sure to take your time and take it all in. Usually the ski patrol builds a really awesome snow sculpture mid-season which can be a crowd’s favorite.

From bluebird are some amazing tree runs inside the northwest passage and sidewinder is honestly great most of the time. You’ll catch some really great jumps right down the face of bluebird from the local shredders. 

Centennial lift

Centennial lift is the longest lift that takes you between bluebird and lake view. Dixie a a tree filled run that I had a blast with and became my favorite section of the mountain in the area. Dixie has some steep sections and wide open tree area which made for some really fun and safe conditions. It’s not commonly skied by most and we found powder days after the storm which was a great surprise

Lake View Lift

Lake View is the shorter lift but really is unique with it’s pristine views of the Payette Lake in the heart of McCall area. The backside of Lake View is steep but short, the nice thing about this area is the powder lasted the whole time I was there (1 week) because it’s considered out of bounds and requires someone who I knows the area to get back to the trails safely. Hotshot run is one of the best of this area but my favorite is right down the face. It has some steep areas and gets natural bumps after a half day of skiing. This area is a bit harder for kids because of the kickback run is pretty steep and scary for new riders.

Overall Brundage Rocks

The food selection at brundage is second to none - it’s always packed with happy people that love skiing which makes for a wonderful atmosphere to be in. The ski shop crew is awesome and if you get your gear tuned or waxed they’ll give you a free beer coupon. How cool is that!

I look forward to my days at Brundage for all the reasons above, the people are friendly, the vibe is cool and everyone is there to just have a great time. Even on a busy day it never feels crowded. I live in Utah but I buy a season pass there every year.

I purchased the 4FRNT HOJI ski in the 18/19 season with the idea of it being my new backcountry ski. I paired it with the Shift binding from Salomon. My main reason behind this ski was the rave reviews about it's versatility on and off the piste. I was quite happy with my Wailers from DPS but was ready for a change.

Wasn't happy at first... The learning curve effect

My first runs where not powder runs, it was on the groomer. I didn't feel connected with the ski like my MSP 107 which was largely due to the shape of the ski. It's got a full rocker shape and when I was leaning into the front edge I couldn't find it and felt like it wanted to put me in the back seat. This caused a lot of leg strain and pretty much wasn't happy with the ski. I spent hours on forums and online with the pro's at 4Frnt about my experience. Everything pointed to "give it more time, you'll love it when you find the sweet spot" Mind you this was only on the groomers. In the powder I had zero trouble with them but nothing mind altering from my other skis in the powder.

The Sweet Spot?

Determined this year to find the "sweet spot" on these skis I started off skiing these and only these. I took the advise found on many forums about skiing from the center of the ski and focus on not waiting for the ski to engage but just tipping the ski and trusting the edge will be there. ALL BE DAMNED there is a edge and this ski can CARVE like a tradition shaped ski. In fact this ski is so playful, responsive and fun as hell I don't see myself picking any other ski than this 90% of the time. It's really the most fun I've had on skis in a long time. I love how playful this ski is and how responsive it becomes when you find the sweet spot. It's one of the quickest skis from side to side I've ever been on. It makes navigating tight spaces between trees so much fun. It's super light so you feel like you have full control over it in any condition. The lightness does make it a bit sketch in chopped up conditions but completely manageable.

So how does it do in the powder? 

I took this ski in the Idaho backcountry and man oh man let me tell you it just "floats different" than any other powder ski I've been on. Combined with its light weight and super floaty feel this ski makes for an awesome uphill ski and FANTASTIC downhill powder slayer. Because it's light weight and floaty feel powder turns feel more responsive and quick which I prefer. You don't need 6+ inches of powder to feel the float, give this ski a few inches and it feels like 6 (um, yeah there is a joke there somewhere Michael Scott) but really all this ski needs is a few inches to increase the stoke and fun you'll have on these.

Here you can see in pretty deep powder the float is real this was at Snowbasin this year

Is there anything I don't like about it? 

No, not really. The learning curve is a lot for the average skier, you need to be committed to learning to ski on a fully rockered ski to truly love this ski. If that isn't for you don't bother because you will not like this ski. Some say once you learn to ski on a rockered ski you'll have a hard time picking anything else. I can see why, it's just more fun. Not to say that a groomer with a narrow or traditional shaped ski isn't just as fun because digging an edge into a well shaped ski is also awesome. I just now understand why they'd say this. I do see this ski taking more time away from my MSP 107 this year and years to come. Also I'm trying to spend more time in the back country so by default the MSP's will be sidelined to the HOJI.

Some IG love too: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tfasGFBWm/

To access No Name you need to take the John Paul lift and then jump on the Allen Peak Tram (aka the beer can).

From their you’ll traverse north east to the ski patrol shack and hike up a few hundred yards. Because the area is accessible only by hiking you can typically find a lot of great untracked snow.

We scoped this line from the middle bowl chair and headed right over from the 119 (sounds like a California highway) and dropped in to the Porky's lift. Again there is so much great terrain available at Snowbasin with minimal hiking. We got some great video and the Powder lines where great but not very long because the middle section is covered in rocks still.

You can hike up or traverse from the gate on Elk Ridge. I typically traverse because the hike doesn't add that much in terms of vertical feet. The sisters bowl was a bit rocky but still pretty skiable, but again it's December 30th so we're winning!

One of the most popular elements of the Strawberry gondola is getting your picture taken at the "top of the world" just south from the lift. You'll know it when you see it. It looks over the Wasatch valley and has some of the greatest views all year long.

Strawberry has two well known expert area access gates to "middle bowl cirque" and "lone tree" both visible from the top of needles lodge. These gates are north of the gondola and again both gates are OPEN. Did I mention it's only Dec 30th.

• Return to Send’er  Matchstick

• Winterland TGR

• Drawn From Here Featuring: Eric Pollard

• Fire on the Mountain Chris Benchetler

• Timeless Warren Miller

• Stone’s Throw DPS

• 121 Volkl

• In the Meantime Featuring: Tanner Hall

• Romance Level 1

• The 7 Stages of Blank Blank Collective

• Shelter

• The Collective Faction Skis

Here is a larger more comprehensive list from SkiFilms.net

More on Snowbasin later

I wanted a longer jacket this year and I sent my Siderwinder to Arc'teryx for repair (2 months and still waiting on it FYI) so to scratch a childhood itch I jumped over to this jacket in a bad ass green color.

I'll do a full review after I put it too the full test. So far what I like about it:

• Awesome fit

• More soft to the touch feel than my Arc'teryx  (not sure if this is bad or good)

  • Right now it feels like it doesn't do as good of a job blocking cold wind chill)

• Pockets and more pockets

• Length is spot on

• Zippers are large

• Great hood fit

• Light and seems very breathable - will do some larger treks in it in Jan / Feb

I was torn between the K2 Mindbender 130 or the Atomic Hawx Ultra Xtd 130 - Both are super sexy looking and the different color layout of the Mindbender is really catching my eye.

Both have pretty identical specs with their width and weight and it really came down to the combination of reviews and history of the the product line.

The winner is... Atomic Hawx Ultra Xtd 130 - I came to this conclusion because of the long history of fanfare with this product line. Year after year these boots have gotten praise from everyone on Evo.com and Backcountry.com for being the single boot to rule them all. It has all the technical aspects I wanted and well, they're really sexy!

I will be providing a full review of these boots later this month after a few more storms hit and I can dial them in.

• Skis: 4FRNT HOJI

• Bindings: Salomon Shift

• Backcountry G3 Skins

• Salomon QST Pro 120 (for now - new boots coming soon)

• DAKINE Poacher RAS 18L Pack for small trips 30L for larger

On the MSP I went with the Salomon Warden MNC 13 bindings so I could keep my touring pads on my boots

On the HOJI (more on this ski in a different post) I decided on the Shift Binding because damn, that's an amazing product.

I'm Chris Larson and I'm here to share my passion for skiing on this blog. My home mountain is Snowbasin in Ogden, Utah. There is something magical about being in the mountains and even more magical about snow covered mountains. I hope to share more with you about my adventures skiing this year all over the western US

I get asked why are you doing this blog a lot. For my day job I spend all day writing, creating, building and marketing websites for my clients. Rarely do I get to spend time doing things with creative freedom so I created this blog with no other purpose but a creative outlet for me personally with something I'm overly passionate about. The other reason is some of my best days have been skiing at resorts that I know nothing about and meeting up with a local on the chair lift. When that local shares with me the best spots on the mountain my day is 100X better and the same goes for someone I meet at Snowbasin. When I share with them my favorite spots their experience is 100X better. So this is that place, a blog where I could document my favorite runs of each location I skied at, in the hope that someone might find this information helpful and useful when they visit the same resort.

Full disclosure, if you visit this site and notice all the spelling errors and grammatical issues don't mind me or those petty issues. This place is a safe place for me to not worry about such things. I'm here to openly write and improve those skills about the wonderful world of skiing to all my soon-be internet friends.

If you're a local and want to meetup please let me know and I'd love to travel and ski / ride with you anytime chris@skierblog.com