Alta, WY - As we drove north towards the small Idaho town of Driggs, I sat in the passenger seat with a heavy heart. No, it wasn’t the girlfriend troubles back home that had gotten me down, rather it was the snow, or more precisely the lack thereof. Women are nice to have around and…
Bozeman, MT – “One if by land, two if by sea.” The code for the light signals emanating from Boston’s Old North Church during the American Revolutionary War was clear enough. Equally clear is the signal cast by Bozeman, Montana’s call to arms, a single blue light flashing high above a tall building on the…
Bolton, VT – We here at First Tracks!! Online like to think we have a finicky audience. We like to think that our readers want a little more from their snow sliding experience than endless groomed runs, man made snow, and $7 burgers. Perhaps we’re wrong, but we believe that many of you out there…
Santa Fe, NM – Home to Georgia O’Keeffe, green chiles and hand-crafted turquoise jewelry, New Mexico’s capital is home to another gem high in the Sangre de Cristo mountains overlooking the city: Ski Santa Fe. n The family-owned ski resort lies northeast of the city, 15 miles away by car. Artist’s Road begins climbing out…
Carrabassett Valley, ME – The wind had quieted. The sun had burned away the early-morning clouds. And when my husband and I slipped off the Timberline lift, the sign to our left was like a neon EAT ad beckoning to the starved. It told us that Sugarloaf’s famed Snowfields were open. n The views from…
Big Sky, MT - Energy buzzed through the growing line of skiers and snowboarders lined up at the entrance to the Lone Peak tram. For once, we’d been in the right place at the right time: upon arrival at the unloading station of the Lone Peak triple chair, when queried, the liftie informed us that…
Story by Marc Guido and Michael Bernstein Photos by Marc Guido Bozeman, MT – “One if by land, two if by sea.” The code for the light signals emanating from Boston’s Old North Church during the American Revolutionary War was clear enough. Equally clear is the signal cast by Bozeman, Montana’s call to arms, a…
Aspen, CO - At first glance, all is well in Aspen, Colorado. Seats on the many connections from Denver are hard to come by, the airport is amongst the finest in ski country, real estate developments continue to snake down valley, and the town is alive with an unmatched variety of shops, nationalities, and cultural…
Aspen, CO - It all starts far out over the Pacific when pulsing rivers of cold, wet air begin swirling eastward. The vaporous waves wash ashore and then heave up against the mountains, cresting and breaking in a spray of fresh powder – crystalline grace for skiers and riders. Rich and I meet the waning…
It’s hard to believe, but the modern telemark revival has been under way for a generation – enough time to see quantum changes in gear, not to mention in awareness and attitudes. n And we have come a long way. Some old-timers may even remember that back in the early days, telemark skiers were met…
There’s nothing worse than putting on damp boots. So for years I dried my snowboard boots on the stove, letting the warmth from the pilot light do its job overnight. Then I visited my buddy Pete’s cabin in Whitefish. He had a Peet’s boot dryer. No more boots on the stove! PEET’S ELECTRIC BOOT &…
Jay, VT - Back in 1947, James Thurber’s story about a chap named Walter Mitty was brought to life on the movie screen by the zany and talented Danny Kaye. Mitty was an ordinary man who got himself into trouble with some extraordinary daydreaming. Charles Schulz’ Snoopy was loosely based on Mitty, especially the “World…
Mavrovo, Macedonia - "How much is the bus to Mavrovo?" I asked the lady behind the counter. She looked at me confused, and answered dismissively, "The bus will come." "OK. I want to buy a ticket." "The bus will come," she repeated, then slid closed the window for talking and looked away. She would not…
Story by Matt Duffy Photos by Marc Guido (February 2001) - It took a lot to get here, which says nothing about the easy access to Taos. Planning for a full season of features at First Tracks!! Online began while I was laid up and recovering from ACL surgery. I was in severe snow-withdrawal, and…
Hancock, MA – The charm of a “low speed” lift has always been decidedly lost on me. Lets get to the top … now! That was the only concern. Intolerable twelve- to fifteen-minute lift rides always seemed to be cruel and unusual punishment, especially those first few chairs of the day. If I wanted to…
Lawrenceburg, IN - Tucked amongst the rolling hills and farms of Indiana lies Perfect North Slopes, a small, quiet mountain for skiers only. Located outside of Lawrenceburg near the tri-state corner of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, it is conveniently located an hour and a half from Indianapolis and 45 minutes from Cincinnati. Its unique location…
A number of skiers and concerned businessmen have approached me about the lack of recent snowfall. Their cry is always the same: “What can we do?!” I’m not a licensed meteorologist. I can only recommend what has always worked for the white man: “Begin,” I say, “by washing your car.” n Proper use of the…
Old man winter—old person winter, if you want to be contempo about it—is here like we haven’t had in many years. I have to say that it’s been the most exciting winter sports season in recent memory. Not only has the weather been fabulous, but I’ve seen more variety on the slopes than ever before. …
