Landmannalaugar in all its unearthly glory.

Alright, so it’s nearly the end of the first month of 2011. And guess who hasn’t said jack about his Best of 2010? That’s right … this guy right here. That ends today. Here’s what I’ve got from this most awesome year of traveling, adventuring and blogging!

One of the advanced students moves through a kata (I believe this Craig)

One of these days, I'll be photogenic in a racing photo.

Best Race: The Midnaeturhlaup – This was a good year for racing, beginning with the Kona 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. But it’s the Reykjavik Midnaeturhlaup that takes top honors. Find out how awesome it is to run a 10K and then hang out in hot tubs with your fellow racers – all long after Jay Leno would’ve signed off!

Best Skiing: Breckenridge – I’ve fallen hard for Breckenridge. It’s big, pretty and filled with absolutely sweet runs. But it’s also got more for it. Find out all the cool things about skiing at Breckenridge – especially the crepes!

Hawaiian Airlines - Doing social media right.

Best Twitter Accounts: There’s more to succeeding with social media than just setting up a Twitter account and tweeting about your sales. ExOfficio, Hawaiian Airlines and First Ascent are three companies that get it. They interact with followers and make their companies seem fun and committed to what they do. I’ll give the best government twitter to Maricopa County Parks – talk about getting people fired up about local outdoor recreation!

Comments

• January 31, 2011, Erica at ExOfficio writes: Thank you so much for the kudos!
• January 31, 2011, admin writes: You are welcome, Erica. A good social media presence really makes it a lot easier for me to support a company. Great source of info, of course, and a great way to build a relationship. ExOfficio is doing it right!

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Scoping out the Breckenridge Nordic Center's igloo. Awesome! Now build your own and sleep in it!

Okay, I told you about 9 things you should know when visiting Breckenridge, Colo., in my super-spectacular previous post. Here’s something I forgot to mention: There, you can check out an igloo. It’s a small one, fit for two people at the most. But it’s a real, live igloo nonetheless.

You can drop in to the igloo at the Breckenridge Nordic Center. Get there while it lasts! You probably have a few months left.

Now, if you live in a snowy place, I’d think you need to get out there and build your own igloo. This cool story in the San Francisco Chronicle will get you started.

And if you’re wondering about the super-fly-looking jacket I’m wearing, you can check out my review of the First Ascent DownLight Sweater at Associated Content.

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Comments

• March 4, 2010, Tanmoy writes: Wow. You should make a travel plan for the Himalayas. Please don't miss that. Cover Ladakh in Northern India (near Tibet). Some pictures for you: http://www.project-himalaya.com/gallery-top-ladakh.html A Himalayan trip would cost you much less than any trips.
• March 5, 2010, admin writes: Tanmoy, you're giving me some serious food for thought with this. Thanks!

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From tahoe

Alright, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! After all, I didn’t go to Tahoe to eat smoked trout and guzzle coffee – I went there to ski. And I’m gonna spill the beans about where you should go. Bear in mind that conditions were icy, and mid-day temps were in the mid-forties. Bummer conditions for skiing. Can’t fault the mountains for that – it’s just plain ol’ bad luck.

1. Northstar-at-Tahoe – This is where we spent our first day of skiing. It’s a darn nice hill with a plethora of blue runs. It’s big, with lots of lifts headed to many places. The staff is really friendly, and the trails are pretty well-marked. The views on the southeastern-most trails are beautiful. Problem is, there’s a lot of homogeneity to the blue runs. Not a lots distinguishes them. They are long, so you get a nice, long, groovy glide. Be sure to check out the tubing park about halfway up the mountain. I didn’t, and regretted it. There’s lots of great food everywhere, especially at the condo/shopping area near the outdoor ice rink. Earthly Delights is pretty awesome. Oh, and don’t buy gear at any of the shops there. Rip-off! Oh, and Northstar is packed with sprogs. If short people put a harsh edge on your shred, best to avoid it.

Awesome view from a Northstar run.            From tahoe

At the very top of Northstar after clouds roll in.      From tahoe

2. Homewood Mountain Ski Resort – The most laid-back, genuine and unpretentious ski resort I’ve ever seen! Tons of great blue runs and lots of nasty, mogully black-diamond stuff for you animals out there. I’d love to ski here after a huge storm of fresh powder. The blue runs are all very different from each other, from wide but steep trails to bobsled-style runs. Some of the lips before the trail drops are imposing – but they’re usually worse than they look unless the snow is icy and you’re a big dude who’s also a scaredy-cat. It’s a very convenient setup here – Homewood is right on West Lake Boulevard. You pull into the lot, buy your ticket, pop on your skis or snowboard and go! Services here can be a little sporadic, especially on weekdays. You have to go to the north lodge to get food or water, which can be a pain. They could also do a better job of penning up the smokers to prevent them from stinking up the nice mountain air, though. The staff is friendly, and the views are spectacular. On many runs, the deep blue of Lake Tahoe looks so close that it feels like you’re a blown turn from swimming in it. If the kiddies at Northstar give you the willies, the crowd is lots older here. Also, the value here is sick … a weekday pass was something like $39. Super-cheap, as Alfred E. Neuman would say!

Can you believe that view?                          From tahoe

Early morning at Homewood.           From tahoe

3. Squaw Valley – We didn’t ski here. After two days of alpine and one day of XC, our legs were simply too shot. Just as well. (Gulp) Squaw Valley scares me. I didn’t see a single run from the lodge that I’d feel comfortable skiing. These mountains are craggy and beastly looking, and huge cable cars and gondolas carry people around. Except for at the bunny hill. You’d have to go there and see it in-person to see how scary it is. I was genuinely intimidated. I think Squaw Valley is also kind of silly in charging non-skiers $22 for a gondola ride to the High Camp, where they have a skating rink, tennis courts and other cool stuff. Seriously. Especially on week days. Silly.

4. Boreal – This is a perfect place for the newbies. The runs are short and unassuming, and there are barely any black runs. I’d probably fall asleep on these trails, but it’s perfect for either getting your ski legs for the first runs of the season, or helping a new skier get some confidence. Be sure to get a load of the lodge, especially the arcade. You’ll feel like you fell into a DeLorean aimed straight into the neon and spandex heart of 1985. Livin’ on a prayer, baby! This could be a fun place to snowtube … if they were actually open during their posted hours. Lazy bums.

5. Soda Springs – We went here to look into snow tubing. No dice – it was all torn up, and the staff seemed to have no idea what was going in. They sent us to Boreal, where we were denied again. But as far as the skiing, this seems like it would be a great place for a solid blue skier to get a taste of the black diamonds. This is a pretty unassuming place, with a lot of wide-open spaces for beginners to dial in their greens and move to blue. I would mind trying the black runs here, since none of them seem to long or intimidating – definitely less scare-factor than Squaw Valley or Homewood!

Your heroic guide, Wandering Justin.        From tahoe

Well, there you have it! I’d definitely consider Homewood the value king. But if you’re an awesome skier, Squaw Valley will keep you occupied. It has more ritz and glitz, if you appreciate that sort of thing. Homewood is more Guns ‘n’ Roses, where Squaw Valley is the London Symphony Orchestra.

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Comments

• February 8, 2009, joyce writes: really, why the disses on Boreal. I feel for the price they do an excellent job and their terrain parks are great. Boreal has that great non-corporate atmosphere. I mean it does not feel like you are at Disneyland (Northstar). Personally i would take Boreal over many resorts to get that down-home, real-skiing feel. The mountain might now be the largest, but it provides skiing and that is what i am looking for.
• February 8, 2009, wanderingjustin writes: I will agree that it's very non-corporate (and that Northstar IS very Disneyland). But so is Homewood ... and it's about $20 less and far larger. If I'm skiing out of state, I want to sample a lot of different runs. Boreal is just too small to appeal to me much. Same for Soda Springs.

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From tahoe

You can only cram in so much skiing, especially when the slopes are icy. There comes a time each day when you’ll have to troop indoors for a bite. Or sometimes before you board the lift.
I can’t say North Tahoe cuisine titillates the tongue. It’s a lot of Mexican food, steaks and pizza. But there are a few neat little places tucked around, if you know where to look. Let me save you some time driving up and down the winding roads. In no particular order …

FiftyFifty Brewpub – There’s a lot to like about this spot in Truckee. And I’m not just talking about the oak-aged barleywine, which is a rare treat you shouldn’t miss. But you can also get some great entrees. I went for a BLT served with seared ahi tuna. And get this – FiftyFifty offers a side of black beans! Far healthier and tastier than fries or chips, no? I’d like to go back and try a pizza. The service was also excellent.

Tahoe House – Our hostess at the Firelite Lodge pointed this one out to us. We never would’ve found it otherwise, since it’s just off the junction that splits Tahoe City traffic to either Truckee or Homewood. If you head toward Homewood, Tahoe House is just a few hundred feet away. They brew really strong coffee by the cup (no sitting around and getting sour here) and have awesome baked goods. My coffee paired nicely with a smoked ham and gruyere croissant. I also stocked up on some goodies for the plane ride home: a rum ball, a slice of chocolate cappuccino coffee cake and a slab of pecan fudge – each tasted even better than it sounds. I was tempted to also grab some homemade smoked trout, but I would’ve endeared myself to none of the passengers. Load up on the desserts because they’re the best you’ll find around. The décor is also very homey Swiss style.

Jason’s – This became our favorite spot in King’s Beach. You could eat healthy with some decent veggie angel hair, or go for a burger or porterhouse. Jason’s also has a decent salad bar, a friendly vibe and a very good staff. The desserts are pretty good (though not as awesome as Tahoe House), as are the spiked hot cocoa drinks. Parking can be tough – be sure to look around the back of the building for more spaces if the front is crammed.

Gear and Grind Cafe – This is an awesome spot in Tahoe City. They brew seriously strong coffee, and it doesn’t sit around getting stale. You order it, they grind it, they pour hot water over the filter. BOOM! Serious coffee. And they make a great ham & egg croissant, too. If you’re lucky, Sierra the Calm but Friendly Shop Dog will appear to hang out with you. She is most excellent company. They also open early and can set you up with supplies you might need before you hit the slopes or trails. Lots of good reading material on-hand if you’re solo that day. A very friendly staff, in both the cafe and sports portions.

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From ski utah

Holy cow, it’s so easy to beat up on poor Utah. People snicker about Mormons with dozens of children in tow. They giggle about not having any fun … at least when other Mormons are watching. They wet themselves laughing about the unfailingly cheery young men pedaling bikes everywhere from Tucson to Timbuktu.

But really, if you want awesome skiing and a cosmopolitan vibe, you are going to have a hard time beating Park City, which is just 40 minutes from the airport in Salt Lake. You’ll find a wealth of awesome ski resorts, great food, excellent post-ski activities and killer scenery all within about 20 minutes of each other. And you don’t even have to rent a car: You can grab a shuttle from the airport, and Park City has an extensive (and free) public transit system. This city is still riding the high from hosting the 2002 Olympic Winter Games … that Park City won restored a smidgen of my faith in the selection committee, because I believe this city deserved it.

What won’t you find? If you’re a beer snob, you’ll suffer. Utah law caps the alcohol by weight at 3.2 percent. And that, my friends, is the end of the taste. It’s a small price to pay, though, for awesome, convenient skiing.

Here are five things that make Park City rock, in no particular order.

1. The Canyons Ski Resort – Sorry, wanna-be X-Games dudes with funny hair, piercings and MP3 players jacked directly into your brains: No snowboarders allowed! But that’s not all that makes this great: Fast lifts, beautiful trails and lots of places for intermediate stooges like me to enjoy really put it to the top of my list. The views are intense, and it’s pretty much the first in the line of several resorts. You can grab an excellent lunch, but be sure to get in early if you want the rather pricey but highly regarded skiers’ buffet. Some of the runs are extremely long, and even run in short tunnels under roads leading to pricey ski villas. Cool!

2. Utah Olympic Park – I have always loved the winter Olympics, especially the early 80s-vintage voice over talking about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat as a ski jumper crashes out-of-control through a mass of barriers. Here, you can see exactly what a ski jumper sees while looking down one of those jumps – and let me tell you, I practically needed a diaper just looking down that jump. I can’t even fathom volitionally sliding down it. You can also check out the bobsled/luge track and a fun museum at the visitors center. If you time your visit right, you can also check out amateur bobsled action. We struck up a conversation with one such minor-league sledder … I wish I’d been taking notes, because it was a great look into what goes into making it to the Big Time.

From ski utah

3. The Best Use of a Golf Course EVER! – I won’t mince words. I hate golf. Not so much the game itself, but the culture around it, that it takes up gobs of space and that you can actually be a top-level golf pro and smoke cigars while playing! But when it snows, the golf courses near The Canyons become cross country ski havens. This was my first time doing XC skiing … and let me tell you, it was AWESOME. It works you like a dog. I had my jacket off and was shushing along in naught but an Under Armor shirt within a few hundred yards. After putting in near 35 miles of downhill the previous day according to my GPS, putting in 10 XC miles was hard! The good side? I got to eat everything in sight sans guilt!

From ski utah

4. An international vibe – Everywhere I went, I was hearing a Brazilian or Australian accent. It seems Brazil has an exchange program that send young people to Utah to work during the winter (that’ll keep ‘em on the straight and narrow – no Samba carnival lewdness here!). Australia, on the other hand, largely exports middle-aged, gin-blossomed dudes eager to mack on young women. Well, I ran into a few young Aussies here, to be fair … not exactly the Stereotypical Australian Blokes I mentioned in my Australia travelogue, but still fun nonetheless. (The acronym SAB, by the way, seems to be gaining traction.) Lots of people from the UK, too. So it’s not the insular, innocent mountain town you may have expected from Utah.

5. Unintentionally Lewd Toy Displays – Well, apparently the crew at the J.W. Allen & Sons toy store is, um, up on the latest way to catch attention for the little sleds they sell. Apparently, you put your bum on the plastic, grab the handle and cruise down the slopes. Well, I just have to wonder if they also sell a model that takes batteries, if you know what I’m sayin’. I’m sure these items were at the head of their best-sellers list! Sometimes, it’s the little things that give flavor to a place … but this casts the area’s conservative nature in a new light, and makes me what happens here when nobody else is watching.

From ski utah

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Comments

• January 10, 2009, Mike writes: In reguards to your comment that Utah has a no beer over 3.2%, you couldn't be more wrong! There is absolutly NO cap on how much alcohol beer can have in Utah. Why would you say that?
• January 10, 2009, wanderingjustin writes: Really? If you find that link less than convincing, Google the terms "Utah beer laws." Better yet, visit Utah and try finding a brewpub serving a beer punching in more than 3.2 percent alcohol by weight. And even if you manage to find a state-licensed liquor store, what are the chances of finding a Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA or a bottle of Old Engine Oil Special Reserve? Not good, I'd wager.
• January 12, 2009, Soko Banja Apartments Accomodation in Sokobanja- Apartmanipavlovic writes: As it is very cold at the moment in Sokobanja, where I live, I would like better sunny beaches, but I must admit that I also envy a little bit all those people going down the slopes of Park City, Utah. It is more, more impressive than the slopes of mountain Ozren where I go skiing. Sokobanja, which is actually a Spa a very popular resort in eastern Serbia is at the foot of mountain Ozren.
• January 13, 2009, Lauren writes: That's looks like so much fun. Honestly, I have never been skiing but, I have been to Utah and it's so beautiful.
• January 14, 2009, wanderingjustin writes: You really should try skiing! It's so much fun. I didn't take it up until I was 27.

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