Closing day at Copper was another rough one. It’s been snowing here all week and we had soft fresh to greet us this Easter morning. Charlie also had a tough day on the slopes, and had a difficult time getting his helmet off at happy hour.

Goodbye ski season 2011. It’s been real. (Certainly my best season to date).

Spring, we’re ready for you now.

Joy and I escaped to Fruita this weekend – temporarily leaving endless winter at home in Breckenridge.

Winter here is long. Thankfully you can find 70 degrees and sun in one corner of Colorado, even when there’s snow in another.

We rode the West Rim in Rabbit Valley on Saturday – a great warm-up for the season.

Sunday I was dragged to Grand Junction to ride the Lunch Loops. First we ‘rode’ Holy Cross (I spent more time on my feet than my bike). Then we spent an hour searching for the Gunny Loop, which may as well have been called ‘Gunny Vortex’ as it never seemed to end.

Not that I’m complaining. I got my first taste of Spring, and I can’t wait for more.

A new blog. A new camera. Maybe some inspiration to start this photo thing again.

As it turns out, the iPhone 4 has a kickass camera. Now I don’t need to lug around my SLR when traveling, playing, exploring. I don’t need to develop film for the Holga because I have an “Holga” App.

When making art, finding art, creating art, appreciating art; the brain, soul, and heart must all be in alignment. That’s not to say each must find their individual state of euphoria, but rather they simply must reach harmony – to help phase out everyday distractions, and to filter in the moments, experiences, and interactions that remind us (me) why we are who/when/why/where we are (I am).

Still, I haven’t made, found, created, or appreciated Art in a long time (6 months according to this photoblog), but perhaps my digging through the archives to find this shot, and write these words, are signs that harmony betwixt my sensory organs is coming.

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D80
• Shutter: 1/250
• Lens: Nikon DX 18-70mm
• Aperture: f/9.0
• Date Taken: 4.18.08
• Location: Moab, UT
• Time: 6:24am

Today was the first proverbial day of summer. The sun came back. It didn’t snow. Frisco had their BBQ and the Farmers had their market

Me? I bought a house. Not today, but a few weeks ago. I’d been feeling a bit under the weather so news of its note. But yes, I’m a homo-wner. Today we rode our bikes from my house to the Breckenridge Town Party for the ribbon cutting of our new arts center. It’s one step up from the summer camp amphitheater. I love it.

I rode my bike home and into my shed and sat on my deck.

Life is good

This shot is another from the Commanche Drive-in.

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D80
• Shutter: 1/160
• Lens: Sigma DC 10-20
• Aperture: f/10
• Date Taken: 5.18.08
• Location: Buena Vista, CO
• Time: 5:32pm

Though not nearly as impressive a land lock as this ship, a new find at the Commanche Drive-in found my lens this afternoon.

And as one season ends, and another begins, I hope to find my camera in my hands more often – and my ass at the computer less often. Unfortunately a lively blog requires a numb computer ass.

Today Tim and I got out of town to drier (and warmer) climates In Buena Vista, home to Mt. Yale and Cottonwood Hot Springs (which we took advantage of after our bike ride). If we had hit the Basin first(which is still skiing like it’s mid-march) it could have been a perfect Transition day…

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D80
• Shutter: 1/200
• Lens: Sigma DC 10-20
• Aperture: f/10
• Date Taken: 5.18.08
• Location: Buena Vista, CO
• Time: 5:07pm

As ski season three draws to a close, the year would not be complete without Jason and Susan’s Annual Beach Party. This year’s was “Snowflakes and Sweethearts: Prom at the Beach.” Unfortunately, not unlike the rest of the season, the weather was cloudy and snowy – not at all ideal beach weather. Still, we made the most of the afternoon with burgers, booze, and the newest addition to our Beach Arsenal: The Ski Shot.

This also marks the third year in the 10-year A-Basin Jason Retrospective. Well, I guess it’s not really “Retro” until year 10, but that won’t stop me from posting the latest shots each year.

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D80
• Shutter: 1/250
• Lens: Nikon DX 18-70mm
• Aperture: f/7.1
• Date Taken: 3.29.08
• Location: A-Basin, CO
• Time: 12:28pm

A few weeks late, but here’s the story on Crested Butte.

Snow.

As is in more snow that I knew what to do with. Well, I knew to ski, but what I did could hardly be considered skiing. They’ve just been getting pummeled all season. Twelve inch, Fifteen inch, Eighteen inch dumps all the time. And that much three days in a row. All the time. So much snow that Good Morning America or some other lame east coast news show came out to do a feature on the town, and the town decided not to remove any snow from the streets to better show off their bounty. So this shot was actually taken from the sidewalk, over a drift, towards a Main St. business. The sidewalks had ten foot mounds on either side with small cut outs every fifteen feet or so to escape to the street. I actually had to escape through one of them the next morning when a monstrous snow blower with it’s mashing teeth chased me out of the snow corridor.

So I tried to ski Mt. Crested Butte, but I got my ass whooped. Ten to fifteen foot cliffs were the norm, with plenty bigger if you wanted. My last run of the last day I found myself in a chute that simply cliffed out at the end – mandatory air. That was enough for me. Maybe next year.

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D80
• Shutter: 1/5
• Lens: Nikon DX 18-70mm
• Aperture: f/4.0
• Date Taken: 1.29.08
• Location: Crested Butte, CO
• Time: 10:49pm

Lots of new photos to post, hopefully I’ll get a few up this week (as opposed to 1 or 2 a month)

The International Snow Sculpting Competition came and went, and I have few new shots to add to the collection. This is Team Vermont adding some final touches to their sculpture. I’ll try and find a good shot of the winner, Team China, later this week.

I spent a few days in snowy Crested Butte this week and I have a new shot or two from there, as well. They’ve been getting HAMMERED with snow this season, and we caught two 12″+ days. What’s more, they haven’t been removing the snow from town and there are towering mounds of snow everywhere – to the point that you can’t even see the store fronts. More stories on that later.

Besides that, it’s a sleepy Sunday night. The Giants just upset the Patriots (boo). I’m trying to get ahead on some work (and make up for too much ski time) but there’s more snow on the way this week so it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting much rest from the mountain…

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D80
• Shutter: 1/1250
• Lens: Nikon DX 18-70mm
• Aperture: f/6.3
• Date Taken: 1.26.08
• Location: Breckenridge, CO
• Time: 11:42am

My new roommate, Carl, tasked me with babysitting Mylo a few weeks ago. He also let me borrow his kick-ass new camera, so one afternoon I decided to do a quick portrait session with Mylo during our walk.

Technical Data

• Camera: Nikon D300
• Shutter: 1/1250
• Lens: Nikon DX 18-55mm
• Aperture: f/2.8
• Date Taken: 12.10.07
• Location: Breckenridge, CO
• Time: Unknown