Gettin' Western

After things wrapped up in Williamstown, I immediately headed west (yes, immediately, ask mom, she was less than excited about the scant twenty-four hours I had at home). With my brother Zane (a Colby College Skier) riding shotgun, we hit the road and didn't let up until we landed on Ben Corwin's doorstep in downtown Denver. Ben was kind enough to host us before we headed to the University of Colorado Boulder Mountain Research Station in the Front Range outside of Boulder. I am writing a geoscience thesis next year on snowmelt and groundwater connectivity in the alpine and subalpine zones in this region of Colorado. At the station we met Professor David Dethier, who has been a steadfast supporter of Williams Skiing since three pin bindings were the norm, and we spent the week placing remote monitoring equipment in streams and springs and measuring snow fields. Most days were balmy: in the 40's. But! Skies were clear - for the brief moments it was not snowing or hailing. Suffice to say that winter has not relinquished its icy grip on the Front Range just yet. 

 (From back to Front): David, Zane and I escaping a snow squall at 10,000'

 Zane and David Traverse Upper Como Basin

 Winter treated the Front Range well this year. Pictured here is a stream gauge Zane and I dug out from under 207cm of snow.

Measuring discharge amidst a hailstorm. 

From Denver, we turned our wheels west once more, Portland, Oregon bound. In Portland, we spent a few relaxing days with my paternal grandparents before completing the final leg of our journey to Bend, OR. I am spending the month of June in Bend before heading back to Colorado for three weeks in July and then, ultimately, back to Williamstown for the end of July and August. 

What a month to be in Bend! A strong snow winter and cool spring has left the Cascade mountains blanketed in a strange substance not oft seen in Williamstown these days: snow. So far, I have skied almost every day I have been here and just wrapped up a 3:15hr over distance skate ski with Jackson Hill from CU Boulder. The conditions were glorious: perfect spring snow, seventy degrees, and well-groomed trails. Can't ask for much more than that in June. 

 View of Mt. Bachelor from a crust ski to Broken Top Mountain on Thursday morning.

The groomed track at Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center this morning. 3:15 of glorious skiing!

A selfie taken by Jackson Hill of Parker MacDonald (Bates, right) and I (left) on our ski this morning. The Vail team is in town training and it was nice to have some NESCAC company out on the trails. 

I'm excited to be putting in some good training hours here in Bend, on snow and off, but I cannot help feel somewhat less than myself without my teammates. I find comfort in imagining them training hard, picturing Eli Hoenig drinking a tall, 16oz recovery drink on the Sudbury estate, envisioning Braden Becker applying aloe to his sunburned body after a "short" 27 hour run, and knowing that we'll all be together again soon. 

With love for my fellow Ephs everywhere, 

JF