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!