Bouldering at Big Bend

Boys on the Mushroom Rock

Big Water Yurt

I spent last week at a Fire Resource Advisor Training in beautiful downtown Ogden. I only drove the wrong way on a one way street once, not bad for me and my city driving skills. After the training I met up with Creed, Ty-Ty and Nate and we skiied into the Big Water Yurt up Mill Creek Canyon.

We decided to get into the yurt via Big Cottonwood Canyon up Mill D and cross the ridge into Mill Creek. The snow was surprisingly good after 10+ days of no snow and high pressure. Enormous facets are growing on the snow surface which could make for some sketchty avalanche conditions after the next big storm. Sam, Craig and Brandon came in later and got to the yurt at about midnight after a very cold ski/hike up Mill Creek.

After getting out of the mountains on Sunday I found out my Dad was being taken in for an emergency gall bladder removal, so I stuck around Springville Sunday night to make sure everything was ok and now I am back in Moab.

View out of the yurt dome

Always a nice sight after a cold day in the mountains

Looking through the window at the Yurt Dwellers Creed, Ty and Nate devouring key lime pie.

Heading up towards Dog Lake

Hauling in the essentials including a 6 pack of Henry Weinhards (Root Beer of course) and a key lime pie.

How Many Osmonds in the 3rd District?

If you have not seen this you have to watch Colbert take on our new Congressman from Utah. I may not agree with Chaffetz's political views but he was a good sport for going on.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Better Know a District - Utah's 3rd - Jason Chaffetz

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

Perigee

The moon was at perigee tonight (the closets it gets to Earth along it's orbit) so it appeared larger than at any other time in the last 15 years. We climbed our favortite slickrock dome to watch it rise. I made everybody hike up and we were about an hour early, allowing plenty of time for everyone to get very cold, but it was all worth it. As the moon came up it was very large and the kids were thouroughly impressed.

Playing pothole hockey waiting for the moon to rise

Moonrise over the Sierra La Sal


"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
Buddha quotes

Mega moon rise over the Porcupine Rim

North Woods

We went up high to do some snowpack evaluations today and to dig our rescue sled out that we have cached up on Laurel Ridge, never found the sled, snowpack is getting stronger, snowed all day and we skied the North Woods on the way out.

Winter Hot Spring

We made another 5th Water hot springs trip before heading back to Moab. My favorite time to go to the hot springs is in winter. It makes me feel like one of those Japanese monkeys sitting in hot water surrounded by snow.

Hot Spring Monkeys

Murdock Monkeys

Hiking in

Sixth water in the back flowing through the snow


The lower springs

Hap Hap Happy New Year

New Years Eve Party at the Murdock's

Hopefully, Alina will make another video of me rapping,

"Hap, Hap , Happy New Year!" like last year.

Making out with the fireworks, hot

Kids enjoying the illegal fireworks, River is just a little dramatic

and the time honored Murdock tradition of bringing in the New Year with gunpowder

Wasatch War Zone

With the forecasters saying things like, "it would be safer to work with road side bombs in Iraq than ski anything steep", we decided to ski the more mellow, safe portions of the Wasatch. After Christmas things started to settle a little, so Todd and I went for a tour up Cardiff Fork. After crossing four good-sized avalanches that had run probably right after the Christmas storm, we decided to turn around and head for safer terrain at the head of the canyon.

Looking up the slide path of a big avalanche off Kessler Peak

Another slide off Kessler that took out some big trees

Skiing the mellow rigdeline between USA Bowl and Willow Creek after turning around in Cardiff

Looking back at the LCC and BCC divide near Silver Fork

Powder Park

Creed, Toad and I skied into Powder Park in Big Cottonwood before the sledding accident.

Heading into Powder Park on a perfect day

Toad
Checking out the November rain crust that has made the backcountry so unstable for the last month or so

My new favorite place. This is a wide open, long run we found in Powder Park off the Park City/Big Cottonwood ridgeline


Creed dropping the knee

First Turns

Todd and I went up Big Cottonwood before Christmas for the first runs of the season. The good news was that it dumped all day on us and the snow was great. The bad news was that Todd broke his binding on the first run (see photo). The best news was that the snow was so good he was able to ski with a broken binding

It's not fun unless someone goes to the hospital

Over the holidays we made it up to Summit Park to see Creed and Jen's new dwelling. We also took advantage of the ample snow and hillsides to do some sledding next to their house. As usual, a jump gets built, and people egg each other on to catch some sweet air. Creed made the comment that "it's not fun unless somebody goes to the hospital" which he later regretted.

Me getting face shots

Creed talked Tyler into starting at the top of the hill and hitting a huge jump. (I had nothing to do with it). Somehow Tyler hit the jump, even though the landing was nothing but asphalt. I was sure that there would be a broken bone involved. Alina snapped a nice action shot in mid flight.

Ridge trying out the jump

Todd and Ridge jumping Creed and River



And of course the day did end with a trip to the ER. Creed ended up breaking his wrist. Amazingly he broke it not on the jump but just sledding down a hill and whacking his arm against a buried stump. Of all the mountains I have climbed and skied and rivers I have floated with my little bro he has never broken a bone until he crashed into a tree on a sled 30 feet away from his front door.

Heal quick so we can get out skiing.