A perfect winter day

People who say they hate winter cannot ever have been out on a day like this. Fresh powder, brilliant sunshine, crisp air, and spectacular scenery everywhere you look. This, and the next few photos were taken during a late March ski trip to Alta (Utah) with my kids.

The "kids"

Older son (right) spent this particular winter working at Alta after college (note Colby sweatshirt). 

"Not serviced by lifts"

Note that the skiers are going uphill. Especially impressive since, at 12,000 feet, there isn'a a lot of oxygen up there.

This was a mistake

Things drop off very steeply to the left. And there's no way out of the bowl for a mile or two. I made this mistake only once. Got down it in one piece, but slowly. Can't say it was a lot of fun.

Cozy retreat

I could live here.

Where the maniacs go

Backcountry skiing is big in Utah. People put on climbing skins and climb to the top of this and surrounding peaks. Then they ski down. Sometimes at night. They do this for fun. Not me, man.