captain ahab

We spent the long Presidents' Day holiday weekend in Moab with absolutely stunning weather - into the 50s and sunny, so it felt even warmer - but we were not alone.  It was pretty busy (seemingly all of Colorado was there, judging by the license plates) with folks eager to get out on the trails.  Timing was everything too, as several storm systems moved in starting on Monday, bringing much needed snow across the state.  So we took advantage of the nice weather and got some new-ish hikes in, including one on Friday: Captain Ahab.

"let'sgolet'sgolet'sgolet'sgo"

Everytime we've gone to Amasa Back and hiked Hymasa, we've seen the signs for Captain Ahab, an advanced, technical, one-way downhill MTB trail.  We figured that February would be a good time to check it out before the hordes arrived in the spring.  Indeed, there were just a few vehicles in the Amasa Back lot when we got there; we ended up seeing around ten MTBers and just a couple of hikers/trail runners - it was practically deserted.

We were framed!

As before, we hiked up Hymasa and then, at the overlook - views of Dead Horse Point State Park, Jackson's Hole and the Cliffhanger 4x4 trail - we went left, continuing up on Captain Ahab.  We'd assumed that the trail would be mostly downhill but there's still a fair amount of climbing involved before you really start to go down.  There were a couple of patches of snow in the shaded sections but for the most part it was dry.

That view tho'

The blue-blazed trail is very pretty with great views, crossing sandstone domes and ledges, winding through rock gardens, picking its way along cliff edges, nearly circumnavigating Whale Rock.  (Get it?  Captain Ahab goes around Whale Rock).  Once we got around WR, we looked down into the Kane Creek canyon (new hike idea: wade Kane Creek) and continued along the canyon rim.  The trail was descending in earnest now, at a level below where we'd hiked up on Hymasa.  There were some narrow  spots and a couple of turns you really wanted to make, and then it opened up and rejoined the main 4x4 road not too far above the cattle gate.

Turn left.  No, really. TURN LEFT.

I very much preferred the Captain Ahab portion to descending from the overlook via the 4x4 road, although the 4x4 road does often have entertainment opportunities - watching the off-roaders make their way over obstacles.  I wouldn't recommend hiking Captain Ahab at any time other than the winter, however, because it could be dangerous for both hikers and MTBers who are coming down quickly.  But on this day, with that amount of traffic, it was lots of fun.

Hike stats:  8.53 miles; 2:57 hours / 2.9 m.p.h. moving; 3:11 / 2.7 overall; 1,420 feet of elevation

mind the gap

 Oops!  Sorry about the gap: we had a very nice long weekend in Moab and there's several posts worth of stuff to share with you.  But work is wicked busy right now and by the time I get home / exercised / dinner made and cleaned up / laundry attempted, it's all I can do to re-watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show/Bake-Off whilst drinking a glass of wine.  

All will be remedied as of this weekend, I promise, but until then, please enjoy this shot of Milton "helping" H with the photography on a recent hike.

spring skiing in winter

 Our friend Will from back east - the really good tele skier - was out in Utah last week, skiing with the same group of guys from prior trips.  They were at Solitude and Brighton for the first couple of days and then segued to Little Cottonwood Canyon for the 'Bird and Alta.  H had hoped to ski with them (or least catch up for a beer) but his work didn't allow it.  Will said that they skied their legs off, hitting all the chutes and cliffs and trees they could get to.  It sounds like they had a good trip but it's really too bad that it hasn't snowed for over a month.

No, really: it's been a month since we've had appreciable snow.  The ski areas are doing their best to preserve the snowpack but it is dwindling.  If the weather pattern doesn't change soon, the water situation is going to be bad come summertime - and we thought it was bad last year.  This of course has me all kinds of conflicted because while I know we need snow, and a lot of it, I can't help but enjoy the warm, sunny weather we've been having.  It's just so dang pleasant out!  

Oh hey it us

We took the bus up to Alta on Sunday and even though the parking lots would end up filling by midday, our bus had plenty of room on it, despite being free all February.  We cruised through the singles line at Sunnyside and went straight to the Supreme lift for four or five runs.  People are describing the snow conditions as "chalky" - it's just packed powder and, amazingly, doesn't get skied off too badly.  We did stick to the groomers, however, because even though it was very warm and very sunny (I should have worn some sunscreen on my face), the sun is not quite high enough to really soften the snow yet.  This is good for snowpack preservation, less good for people who want to ski off-piste.

Man oh man that sky

We did our usual tour of Alta, riding all the lifts that were running: from Supreme to Sugarloaf, then to Collins when the lift lines got super-long, with one trip up Wildcat, then back to Sugarloaf around lunch when the crowds thinned out.  H did try a non-groomer run up and over Razorback but he reported that the moguls were massive and that rocks were starting to peek out on the undersides, not good if you're trying to keep your ski bases and edges intact.

We didn't stop for lunch but caught the 1:30 p.m. bus back down, not wanting the dog to languish inside too long.  Once we had gotten home and sprung him, we put the tailgate down on the truck and had our own little tailgate right there in the driveway.  That shouldn't be happening in northern Utah in February, but it sure was enjoyable.  See: conflicted.

kardemummabullar

It has been so busy at work (I do estate planning/probate work and we have been ridiculously busy since the pandemic began and people had to face their own mortality) that I was overwhelmed before I went back east and then figuratively drowning since I got back.  Not a lot of time for anything other than work and laundry (there's always laundry).  Once this week flew by, I was looking forward to a weekend of cooking and skiing.  

I waved H off Saturday around 7:15 to catch the ski bus, downed a couple of slices of toast and some coffee, and then Milton and I headed out for our 3.5+ mile Dimple Dell loop.  It took us rather longer than it sometimes does but poor M hasn't had a whole lot of outdoors time recently and I wanted him to be able to sniff everything he wanted to sniff for as long as he wanted to sniff it.

Once back, I started a kardemummabullar dough and then showered, got a load of laundry in and started prepping veggies for a Hatch green chile stew while the dough rose.  I have had such struggles with yeasted baking in the last couple of years since I started baking.  This time I was very careful with the recipe AND reduced the yeast by 25%, per a high altitude baking post I found.  When I pulled the cover off the bowl after an hour, I actually squeaked with surprise and delight: it rose!  The dough doubled in size! I DID IT!!!!

Tasty but time-consuming

Of course I didn't really know how to twist up the buns, and I may have overbaked them slightly. and they would be improved by having a glaze of some sort.  But they came out wonderfully and tasted good and I am thrilled that I finally had a bake work out!  It gives me all sorts of hope and optimism for the next time I try to bake something (which would have been an olive oil bread on Sunday but I ran out of time).  Fingers crossed that I may have turned the corner and figured out how to bake.

Other things made but not pictured: Hatch green chile stew with jackfruit and chocolate bundt cake.  

divide and conquer

 Sorry for the gap in posting, y'all.  I had to go back east for a bit for some family stuff but while I was gone, H and Milton went to Moab.  H had to work during the week but they did manage to get some trail time in.  And while I was shoveling out hip-deep drifts from a Maine coast blizzard, they were MTBing at the Moab Brand trails: 10 miles one day and 12.1 miles the next.  Milt got an extra cup of food on that day!

Trail dog

I got back on Saturday and rallied to go skiing on Sunday.  We haven't had any noticeable snow in a month - it is dire - so conditions were pretty beat.  But the sun was out and there weren't too many people (see above re: no new snow).  I don't have any photos to share, however, because the one chair selfie we took is not for public consumption.  So posting will be a little light until I bake something photogenic or we get back out there on the hill.  Check in with us a little later!

weekend recap

How can it be the end of January already?  We had a nice northern Utah weekend, full of skiing, friends and food.  To recap:  on Saturday, H went skiing solo, doing runs all over Alta.  Despite the dearth of new snow this month, almost everything is open, except for the Sugarloaf side of Devil's Castle.  Ski patrol even opened East Castle and a few intrepid souls were willing to sidestep all the way up for some freshies.  I've done that hike twice, once boot-packing and once sidestepping and, let me tell you that boot-packing is much, much easier.

Very rustic apricot galette (I should have 

kept it in a touch longer to brown more)

Meanwhile, down in the valley, Milton and I did a four mile walk before I ensconced myself in the kitchen for some therapeutic cooking.  I did a batch of scratch brownies, a rustic galette with this past summer's apricots, prepped for Sunday dinner and started the dough for an olive bread that had to prove at room temperature for 18-24 hours.  When H got home from skiing and cleaned up, we drove up to town to meet friends at Piper Down for beers.  We hadn't been there for years and were pleased to learn that they now have an extensive vegan menu.  And Guinness!

Overdressed for the temperature but actually warm for once

Sunday was sunny and warmer than the day before.  Although I was probably overdressed, this was my first ski day this season where I didn't have to go in after four runs to thaw my toes.  After riding the Sunnyside lift up, we went directly to Supreme for four runs, then over to Sugarloaf.  We'd had a small storm a couple of days earlier and while it was all tracked out, some stuff was still skiing fairly soft.  

Razorback

We did a run down Chartreuse, which is a trail I like a lot, although in one spot the bumps were huge.  We also did the bumps on Razorback, during which we noticed that Cecret Saddle was open.  First though we went to Collins and skied a few runs on the front side.  Ballroom was okay - being in constant shade preserves the snow - and Corkscrew was skiing about the best it ever has.

The avalanche rubble on Cecret Lake

When we went back to Sugarloaf, we gave Cecret Saddle a try - fairly soft, with close-up views of the avalanche carnage on Cecret Lake - and then did a run through the cabins.  As it closed in on 1 p.m. we were starting to get peckish, so after a run down Rock N Roll and in through the low gate there, I skied out.  H squeezed in one more run before we caught the bus for home.

That's not half bad looking (#rustic)

And then, I managed to produce a halfway decent loaf of bread: @legallyplantbased's no knead olive loaf!  I had to add a lot more flour to compensate for the high altitude baking issues, it needed to rise a but more and I didn't disperse the olives well ... but it baked well, had a good texture and tasted good!  Woohoo baking!

Decent-ish crumb; bad olive placement