The Elusive Wapiti

Elk hunting is a mystery, timeless and spiritual. It is a challenge of patience and determination.
It requires stamina, strength, mountaineering skills and foresight. And in this day and age, a lot of LUCK.
Especially in the Central Idaho Wilderness.
Why?
Ask any local. Most will frown, shake their heads and tell you the wolves are out of control. Deer and elk populations are down in these units, and the elk that are out there have changed their longtime lifestyle patterns to defend their numbers against these once endangered and fierce predators. Since their reintroduction into the wild several years ago, grey wolves have increased their numbers and packs beyond biologists' expectations and developed much more aggressive and successful hunting operations than anyone had dreamed could be possible. I believe they are truly a problem, and others agree.
Scientists point out that elk behaviors have changed to accommodate their defenses, and according to the local hunters who for much of their lives have harvested game in the Sawtooths and in the hills that drain into the East Fork of the Salmon River, hunting for winter meat has become increasingly more difficult, if not impossible, in these hardest hit areas.
Now, after much controversy, the wolves have finally been de-listed, but until hunters can put a dent in their numbers, elk hunting will not be easy.
I should know. I hold a wolf tag, although I was not so lucky as to take one down. Not yet, anyway. No worries. I still have time as the season is not over for a few more months.
But what of the elk?
My two girlfriends and I spent nearly two weeks in search of these graceful beasts, known by Native Americans as wapiti. Dr. Heather Mack and Sandy Sisiam had hunted and harvested many elk in past years in these areas close to their homes along the East Fork. They are expert trackers, comfortable in the terrain of the vast land shadowed by the majestic Sawtooth and White Cloud mountains and are more at home climbing up and down the steep drainages and traveling high into the alpine forest and deep backcountry than anyone I know.
And we were certainly equipped to find, take down and harvest our cow, for which we had drawn a coveted tag in 36a. We were outfitted to kill in women-specific gear, all of which can be found at Cabelas. She Outdoor Apparel, a new clothing company just for women, dressed us in the most comfortable and technical garments perfectly fit to a woman's body in camo patterns that blended us with the sage covered foothills and draws, Aspen stands and Douglas fir forests we hiked up and into each day. We were certainly invisible to any eyes out there.
Our rifles were fit for a lady as well, thanks to our friends at Remington -compact Model 700s with shorter stocks, pulls and barrels in 7mm-08, plenty of firepower with the Accutip rounds we chambered. And of course, we had the best scopes out there - the invincible VX-3 from Leupold, allowing us to see our targets in even the worst light and visibility conditions we could meet. And to accurately gage the distance between us and our targets, we were equipped with the TBR RX1000 Rangefinder. We even had horse packing gear and field dressing tools from Cabelas. We spent nights sleeping in Cabelas warm womens backpacker bags insulated with PrimaLoft in a yurt far from civilization.
We hunted hard for ten days, on horseback and foot, but saw few elk and after finally locating and sneaking up on a bedded down herd, missed our only opportunity due to a timing snafu. But I did manage to capture it all, and more, on camera.
Check it out on The Great Outdoors starting November 8.

Michaux Mash

Bone chilling morning temps, a light drizzle and muddy terrain shrouded in fog set the stage deep in the Michaux State Forest Sunday for this ultra early endurance mountain bike race, the first of the season for the team of Sicklers racers who braved the elements to dominate the field of more than a hundred seasoned riders.

Rock gardens, gnarly wet logs, narrow twisty singletrack, and lung busting, seemingly endless climbs faced the team as we rode 27 miles in this notorious mountain bike wilderness to place three team members in the top five champion spots.

Dan Ellis is an animal.

He actually rode 45 miles in the 4 hour nine mile lap race to take first in the Masters Class and set himself among one of the top riders overall, close on the wheels of some of the fastest pros in endurance mountain bike racing in the country.

But no prizes or money for the winners. That's mountain bike racing, and that's Michaux.

Its all about the glory here. For his efforts Captain Ellis was caped and masked.

Same for Hammerlinda who needed 6 phone calls to awaken her at 4:15 AM to insure she'd make a 5:15 AM departure from Sicklers' Exeter shop.

Big Mark was not waiting for anyone.

And once Linda got her tires rolling off the start line, neither was she. Linda, who said she'd ride with me and not try to be competitive took off like a gazelle from the start line, never to be seen by me until the end when I rolled in a few minutes after her. We both got on the podium, with Linda taking 3rd out of more than 20 women who started and me two spots behind.

Pretty impressive for the Sick Chicks first race.

Unfortunately for me, I followed a bunch of Masters (BM and some other "master navigators" trying to chase BM down) on the first lap into a wrong turn that turned out to be a 5 minute downhill that deadended and required a 10 minute climb to get back on course. I lost 15 minutes and had to pass a pile of people throughout the next three and a half hours to put me in 5th place.

But my 5th place finish was huge for me since I was unable to race or even ride my mountain bike all last summer and have only been on it a handful of times in the last year. Going into it I had no idea I'd even be able to ride one nine-mile lap of the rocky, grinding and legendary Michaux trails let alone bust through four hours and 27 miles of it.

And talk about inspiration - Sick Chicks Corrinne Farrrell and Cindy Seaman raged, both completing 27 miles as well, the longest expert distance imaginable for these two young racers. And to think this was Corrinne's first race ever. These girls are tough and Hammerlinda and I are stoked to have them complete our Sick Chicks team this summer. We're really looking forward to our next race in a couple weeks at Marysville.

And so are the guys who also tore it up at Michaux and peppered the course with red, hammering 27 miles along with us chicks to make an excellent showing. Great job Shafe, Larry and Darren.

And a special thanks to our leader Big Mark for pushing us all to our limits and showing us new ways to wear our socks.

To view the results, click here: http://ffrp.googlegroups.com/web/Michaux_Mash_Results.xls?gsc=GSZbjQsAAADjM5hTbdi8QD-tRfM6o6rO

It's gonna be a great season!!!!!!!

The Steep and Deep

When God invented snow he needed a place to put it. 

It had to be a very special place where only those with respect and honor would venture and partake without disrupting the natural peace and sanctuary it held.

So he created the Little Cottonwood Canyon, and at the very top of it, high in the Wasatch Mountain range, God spit out a little town with a spectacular mountain towering over it. He named the mountain Baldy and the little town Alta. There is no place on the planet with better powder.

Alta, Utah is my favorite place on earth.

Not just for the phenomenal snowfall, some years over 600 inches, but for the people that are drawn to this magical place, keep it, protect it and share it. 

Kim Reichhelm is one such person.

She is a legend among big mountain skiers and quite possibly one of the greatest skiers of our lifetime. Not only for her skills and experience, but for her ability and kindness and conscientious efforts in sharing her life with others, keeping the sport of skiing alive as it changes and evolves, and inspiring others to make that journey to places they'd never think they could go.

This week I am skiing with Kim and her partner Greg Harms, two Alta ski patrollers and some ripping skiers who hail from all over the country and who have gathered here to join Kim in a steep skiing adventure in this little magical town where it has snowed more than 3 feet the past few days.

Two days ago, Onno, Alta's general manager loaded us in a snowcat and took us high up above Alta in a snowstorm to ski the deepest powder I've ever seen well beyond ski area boundaries.

Yesterday's adventure was even more powerful. 

We strapped our skis to our backs, and under a canopy of brilliant blue sky and sunshine, we put in a bootpack and hiked up Mount Baldy to its highest ridge, to ski the Baldy Chutes. Our group, led by Kim, Greg, Jesse and Ted were the first to make tracks here in a long time. Thanks to Kim and company, it was an incredible experience. 

Stay tuned, I'll share that experience with you on The Great Outdoors March 1.

And check out www.skiwithkim.com  and www.alta.com

New Gear

This is trade show time of the year and let me tell you, it’s worth your while to check out some of the incredible new products on the market.
A couple of weeks ago I made a dash down to Orlando to attend the Shot Show for the weekend and there was so much to see at the Orange County Convention Center that I forgot all about Disney. I hung out with my buds at Bennelli USA – they had an awesome setup – so many amazing shotguns, from the classics to a new high tech performance line. But they remain tight-lipped on the newest addition to the Bennelli firearm family – the Vinci. It promises to be a spectacular release, but no amount of persistence would get my good friend and fellow female shooting afficiondo Christie Gates or anyone there to reveal what this gun is until March. Like something out of a James Bond movie – so stay tuned.
I made some new friends at Rossi Taurus and will be firing some handguns down at their Miami headquarters later this season for the show. They’ve also promised me a new pink wooden stock rifle that is sized for a small gal like me to use for antlered game hunting. I’m really excited and can’t wait to do some handgun target shooting.
My friends at Leupold & Stevens have some new products as well, including a superb new rangefinder that fits in your pocket. I can’t wait to try it out. Hopefully I’ll get my Dall Sheep permit and get to use it as well as a new scope next fall.
Under Armour is a new sponsor with some amazing products for a fitness fanatic like me. I’ve been wearing the compression fit base layers throughout this winter and believe me, they will keep you warm and dry under your North Face outerwear like nothing on the planet. But best of all, they are now partnered with Eyeking and marketing super high tech sunglasses –virtually unbreakable – both frames and polycarb lenses, and with polarized models. I am loving the line. They are great in the winter and really cut glare on the snow.
Sitka is a great guy’s clothing line that we’ll see on the show this upcoming year, with state of the art garments field tested in Alaska in the worst of weather. They are adding PrimaLoft insulation to keep the clothing light and packable. Lorpen socks are also using PrimaLoft yarns and their hunting and skiing socks are the warmest I’ve ever worn.
She Safari is another new sponsor I am really excited to work with. I met Pam Zaitz, the glamorous founder and designer of this gorgeous yet hardcore line of women’s hunting clothing. I hope to see her again at the Western Hunting Expo this week. Finally someone is making hunting clothing that fits like my designer jeans. Both She Safari and Sitka can be ordered through Cabela’s online.
Did I say Western Hunting Expo? Indeed. I am on the airplane as I write this on my way out to Salt Lake City for that event. I’ll be ripping some turns in the Little Cottonwood and Park City each morning and hanging out at the Expo later in the day.Can’t get to the trade shows yourself? No worries. Just look for some of these great new products as we feature them on the show in upcoming months!

Go to the Snow

In another two weeks I'll be heading back out to Utah again to make turns and video for the show in the awesome Wasatch.
Believe it or not, you can too.
My favorite clothing company, The North Face, has teamed up with the folks in the Little Cottonwood Canyon and Travelocityto send two lucky shredders to the stash for four days. The contest awards the winner and his or her guest a room at Snowbird's posh Cliff Lodge and spa treatments to go with it. Airfare and four days worth of skiing in the best powder on earth is also included.
The icing on the cake - Cryptic Collection outfits from The North Face for two. And you don't have to wolf down 127 hot dogs either. So how do you win? You simply have to enter and say prayers to the snow God.
But DON'T DELAY! The contest ends January 31. Just visit The North Face's website at
http://contests.thenorthface.com/gotothesnow and while you're there, check out the coolest tech clothing on the planet!

The Deep Freeze

Brrrrrrr................
With temperatures expected to hover in the singles this weekend, many of you are probably thinking about staying indoors.
Wussies.
Not me.
The deep freeze makes for awesome snow conditions, if you can keep yourself warm enough to enjoy. In fact, we are getting dusted just about every night with little lake effect clippers that love to hover over Elk Mountain and frost it in white. Not to mention that Elk's snow crew will be taking advantage of these great conditions and making tons of snow. And I expect some nice moguls on Tunkhannock for the weekend with no sketch in the troughs because its been groomed down and covered with fresh again.
The cold temperatures allow snowmakers to produce lighter and higher volume snow. When it's cold, less air is required to make snow, thus more of the good stuff comes out of the guns and lays on the slopes to be buffed out with the groomers.
I skied on Wednesday and found conditions to be excellent. There is absolutely no granulation, the snow surface everywhere is as good as it gets and at 8:30 AM I ripped turns on the softest corduroy you can imagine with my beefy Elan Speed Magic boards.
It was cold. So cold that Bob rode around in the plush new heated groomer with Snow Captain Chris and shot a story about grooming while I shredded.
More of this bitter Arctic freeze is expected. But don't despair. You CAN enjoy the snow and stay warm. Take if from me, I lived in Alaska and skied at below zero temps on a regular basis with no ill effects.
Janie Matthews of Idlewild Ski Shop on the access road to Elk is our show's newest sponsor. She tells us to dress in layers and cover every exposed bit of skin, including your face. Hot Chillys base layers are the first step, the tighter the better to wick out moisture and keep in body heat. On top, I have to recommend North Face's Summit Series technical clothing with sealed seams and windproof fabrics. PrimaLoft insulation in the gloves will keep your fingers safe and add a Hand Warmer to each glove. Trust me, your hands will never freeze.
Finally, Janie's staff is installing my new Hotronics - the latest technology in boot warmers- the heat pad is built into your liner and sits under the footbed, with a battery pack and control on the outside of the boot. You can get these, along with new Dalbello boots and custom footbeds, at Idlewild and also Country Ski and Sports.
I can't wait to try them.
Finally, here are a few additional tips from Bob De Luca at Elk:
1. Avoid frostbite damage. Keep every surface of skin covered and check your partner on every chairlift ride for grey or yellowish patch on the nose, ear, cheek or finger.
2. Drink hot fluids and NO alcohol until you are finished skiing or boarding.
3. Take frequent breaks
4. Use hand and foot warmers
And here's my advice:
Ski hard and tear it up - nothing keeps you warmer than firing muscles to the max!

09

Wow.

Right back where we started.
In a 9th floor spa room at the Cliff Lodge and freshies at Snowbird about to be had.
How did we get here again you ask?

Well, last year we were hunting mountain lions. For nine days we scoured drainages and draws, thick evergreen forests, rocky ridges and steep snowcovered hills deep in the White Cloud range of Central Idaho searching for lion tracks. We spent days on horseback, at times leading the animals around cliffs and gnarly terrain. On the 9th day, Ryno's mount Casper lost his footing on a slippery shale slope in crisp snow up to his hocks and fell onto his side, nearly tumbling down the mountainside on a 45 degree pitch. His legs struggled to gain a hold as he rolled, and in the process, he crushed the sights on Ryno's bow as it lay in its saddlebag on the sturdy horse's haunch. The good news is that he righted himself in time to save his life and Ryno, who was leading him, managed to keep his footing on the steep traverse.

It was time to call it a day. The hunt was over for now.
Mike Scott told us in 25 years of hunting this range, he'd never gone this long without finding the track of a big male cougar. Even in the worst of conditions, we should have still found a giant tom for all the time and effort we put in. It was rough. It snowed and snowed, the temperatures were in the single digits and below zero at night and first thing in the morning, and nearby mountain passes were avalanching onto roadways and into ski areas, taking lives.

But we persisted. We saw more wildlife than you could ever believe, rocky mountain sheep, mule deer and elk, and we found the tracks of females and smaller, younger toms that prey upon these creatures. We could have taken one, but Ryno didn't want to just kill any lion. He wanted a trophy cat and nothing else. We also found many wolf tracks and the remnants of their kills in this great big lion territory. It made us wonder if there was a correllation between the lack of lions and the abundance of these canine predators sadly still considered "endangered" in three states. What we learned in all this time was that it's time to argue for delisting the wolves before they increase their numbers and packs any further, on their way to disturbing the delicate ecosystem balance that has existed in these parts for as long as the local ranchers and guides can remember, long before the so called environmentalists got the idea to breed more wolves here.

So we dusted off our Elan powder boards, packed up the truck and headed down the road to my favorite state.

We spent New Year's Eve at the Sidecar in Park City, Utah listening to the greatest ski town on the planet's mayor as he channeled Jerry Garcia and strummed his custom birdseye maple guitar, signed by the famous departed songster himself.

We skied Park City Mountain resort, visited with our friends from the city government and even made turns at Deer Valley with the city's environmental staffers, who tore it up with us.

Now we're at Snowbird and 12 inches have fallen overnight. We're waiting for the tram to open and listening to the bombs going off as control work is completed.

Hope your start to 09 is as good as mine!