#lastchair

(Written by Sam Cox - March 20, 2023)

Today is officially the first day of spring and I already miss winter. Snow has become a rare commodity in the valley, but is still holding strong in the high country. Here is a glimpse into a few moments this year, when the days were shorter and temps colder.

Thanks to everyone along the way for the turns, breaking trail and occasional pre-dawn departure. 

Do you like hippy pow and burning hot laps on the skin track? Damn right you do. You can thank me later for the musical selection:

(Written by Sam Cox - March 29, 2025)

Austria was the centerpiece of my wanderings this season. The rest of the winter was a little hectic, somewhat eclectic, but overall an absolute pleasure.

Even snuck in a couple sunsets on the beach.

The FIS World Cup Finals were held in Sun Valley at the end of March. It was a dream come true to watch all the athletes practice their craft in person. The real privilege was having the opportunity to see Mikaela Shiffrin take home win number 101 in style.

If you've made it this far - 40 seconds of good times:

(Written by Sam Cox - February 23, 2024)

Like many, I've logged some miles in the Arlberg and Tirol over the years, but only dabbled into the expanses of Austria beyond their confines. February was a prime opportunity for two dudes well into their 40's, armed with a rental car and older generation iPhone's to venture further east and have a look around. The essence of the region is easier to sum up in photos, rather than words. Cheers.

Completely unrelated - winter 2024 in Montana has been a roller coaster of emotions. But, there have been some brief windows of superb meadow skipping:

(Written by Sam Cox - February 22, 2022)

It had been a while since I left the country with a pair of skis. Nervous anticipation, last minute packing. Obsessing over weather forecasts, snow reports and avalanche conditions. 

Once en route, a couple hours of transit and a libation deep, everything settled into place. I had embarked on a ritualistic journey as old as the idea of sliding down a mountain - the ski trip. 

Central Austria is a gem. From the family atmosphere at Kühtai to the shiny infrastructure of St. Anton. The Olympic history of Axamer Lizum and the audacity of constructing a ski area at the head of the Kaunertal Valley. 

Stability was fickle. The off-piste had to be approached with respect. Alternating storm cycles and sunny days were the norm. Quality turns were plentiful. 

I could spend all winter skiing in the Alps, but the realities of finances and obligations at home eventually set in. That’s alright, I’m content being even a temporal guest from time to time. 

Perhaps it’s the scarcity of the visits that make these experiences so special. Until we meet again old friend, thanks for everything.  

  If you’ve made it this far - completely unrelated, 45 seconds of pow session on the neighborhood skin track this winter:

(Written by Junkshow Media House - April 10, 2021)

We wanted to get an article together back in the fall, but sled maintenance, skiing pow and drinking beer with our friends got in the way. Here is a retrospective look at last season’s series of episodes:

S8E1: Quaranteam 

With plans to sneak across the Canadian border, COVID-19 hit. We headed home and quaranteamed up.

S8E2: An American Tale

Willfully establishing residence in a snowmobile trailer during the winter is no small feat - hours of meticulous preparation only go so far to overcome the hurdles of frigid temperatures, wet gear and cramped quarters. The trade off, is total immersion into a lifestyle where simplicity and freedom reign supreme. Select your zone, park the rig, allow everything else to dissolve into background noise - let skiing and the experience become the focal point. This concept became our reality, enjoy.

S8E3: Light to the Dark

A 10 inch predicted storm became 20 inches and then it morphed into over 50 inches. Eventually it was too deep to ski, too deep to sled. Daylight turned to darkness, the rhythmic hum of the t-bar echoed in the distance - we'd found what we came for.

We spent this winter exploring - poking and prodding around nooks and crannies, sleeping in parking lots and getting acquainted with sunrise on the skyline. See you in the fall.

(Written by Sam Cox - March 25, 2021)

It was a year of unknowns and new experiences. Nobody has a playbook for skiing during a pandemic. A couple of winters ago I moved, I still live in the mountains but no longer in a ski town. During a normal season, this means I spend some time on the road. I feel at home in a state of transit - finding solidarity with a meandering ribbon of pavement as it stretches ever onward, away from darkness and toward light, possibilities and hopefully powder.  

However, this winter, my scope of reality was trained predominantly on the immediate local area. Borders remained closed, the snowpack was sketchy as fuck and it didn’t seem worth investing the time or energy to spread my wings and encounter the same setup elsewhere. 

The reservation system at Bridger Bowl is dysfunctional at best, it’s a constant source of frustration. Sadly, it’s the least of Bozeman’s concerns. It’s difficult to watch something you love being destroyed. Admittedly, I’m angry, conflicted and confused because Bridger has been such a significant component of my life for almost 40 years. Everything is perspective, but to me, the community I grew up in is unrecognizable and broken. To a Covid refugee from New England, an adult onset skier with a Sprinter van from the Midwest or someone from the Bay Area with unlimited disposable income/time, it looks like Utopia. The soul is being priced right out of the ski area and city. Soon, the only thing left will be trust funders and tech geeks, languishing as terminal intermediates despite having brand new everything. They’re hell bent on gentrification and single origin, shade grown, organic beef burgers at the ski area cafeteria. Fuck it, the joke is actually on them - Bridger struggles to get 250″ of snow on a massive winter these days, frequently less than 200″ falls during operating. Did I forget to mention the lift lines? People move to Bozeman in droves, all from a “hot tip” in Outside Magazine. It’s unsustainable growth by any metric. I’ll take solace that I was fortunate enough to start skiing there in the 1980′s, long before the masses heard a whispered “Montana” drifting seductively on the wind. Then again, it could always be worse. There are thousands people who suffer from such an acute case of Stockholm Syndrome that they scramble over each other to purchase a season pass at Montana Snowbowl.   

I don’t have the answers to the problems plaguing Bridger Bowl. All you can do is adapt, make the best of it and move on from from situations that bring you down. I’m an old dude with a broken back. I spend a lot of time solo, wandering around the woods getting weird and attempting to ski as much pow as possible. Meadow skipping, skin track sessions, sled laps or riding the lifts. Anytime I can indulge in these activities with friends, I’ll call it a victory.

A couple highlights from the winter of Covid - right turns, left turns and a quick season recap:

(Written by Sam Cox - March 25, 2020)

I strive to spend as much time as I can walking amongst individuals and landscapes that I harmonize with - they shine additional light into my world. Skiing provides an opportunity for clarity and perspective, but every ski season contains interruptions and unforeseen events. It’s all just a work in progress, the actual reward is the sum of the experiences along the journey. As the fabric that holds society together is being stretched thin by a pandemic and the tremendous ramifications associated with it, we’re all in this together. I reflected on some moments from earlier this winter that bring a smile to my face. I hope you enjoy them too.