02 february 25

skiing & sweaters

Here we are; second installment of monthly fuel. February has been giving here in Western Montana. Early this month, the snow (finally) came and as much as Ajax and I need to get cracking on home renovations, getting out to ski seemed to have a higher priority. We hit the local hill hard and got out into the backcountry much more than previous years, which has been the goal all along. “When it’s good, it’s good” took on a whole new meaning this month when 2 weeks of nothing but fresh powder turned to into a week of sunshine and daily highs of 45+ degrees. We’ll see what March has to bring. Here’s February’s fuel.

coffee & beer go togather, right?

Coffee

After a few hours of touring, when I’ve sweat my up a mountain for hours and shivered my way back down, I always crave something warm back in the parking lot. A cup of coffee is my go-to especially if we have a longer drive back home. We’re still perfecting our tailgate coffee situation, but our current set up serves us well enough. The list below includes the essentials and I have absolutely forgotten one thing or more on different occasions, making the whole operation undoable.

Tailgate coffee kit:

1. an old Coleman Stove

2. gas

3. aforementioned Aeropress XL + filters (Moka pot or French press work too!)

4. enough cups for the folks you plan to share it with

5. coffee (pre ground) I have yet to purchase a handheld, manual grinder

6. water

7. kettle

Pro Tip: if its cold out and your stove refuses to light, try pouring some fuel directly on the burner and lighting it with a match prior to pumping the tank with the lever up. Works like a charm.

As for coffee itself, this month I’ve been enjoying a light and dark roast blend of 50% Columbia Natural and 50% Sumatra. I haven’t had many light/dark roast combined coffees, but this is the seasonal coffee at the shop I’m roasting at and it’s been a big hit. The Columbia Natural provides a boozy acidity, dried fruit flavor, while the Sumatra gives off the classic full bodied, rustic sweetness it’s known for. It’s an excellent partnership. Sorta emulates the current season we’re in; notes of spring in the air, while the dark winter persists - since we all coordinate our coffee with the weather, right?

Location

On theme with skiing-Ajax, a friend and I went to a spot none of us had been to before, called Lockwood Point. The trailhead was only 20 minutes east of town- off of Highway 200. With a late start to the morning we were skiing about 11:00. We figured out quickly that this was a popular spot for folks with snowmobiles, as the approach to Lockwood Point proper was somewhat of a slog. We skinned up a long, flat logging road that led to a well-used skin track for 3 hours and it was dumping. Dumping snow. In fact it had been dumping all week. I had no expectations for the day and after we hit a section that looked like fucking good skiing I was ready to strip the skins off and head down. I forgot water and food and my feet hurt. The boys were hell bent on making it to the top, although that was about to add another hour to the trip up and I had somewhere to be at 6. I put my head down and kept climbing. There’s 2 things I am too stubborn to do; quit and make boys feel like they have to wait for me. It’s a blessing and also a curse. We reached the spot where we planned to turn around, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about skiing in the backcountry there’s always one more ridge or one more point to get up and sometimes you get started at 11:00 and do need to make it home before dark. A group of folks were lapping a section we were about to ski and more above us, but they took a snowmobile up the logging road and looked much more fresh than the three of us. We whipped out a map and discussed the options. Option 1 was to hang left and ski along the skin track we took up and make it back to the logging road where we’d (probably) have to slap the skins back on to make it to the car. Option 2 was to hang right, ski a 3000ft descent to Highway 200 and hitch-hike back to the car. Tempting and would make a great story - but remember- I had to be somewhere at 6. We hung right. I hadn’t skied through powder that deep - ever. Face shots every turn had me stopping to wipe my glasses and cough the snow up from the back of my throat. Unreal. And the fact that this place was 20 minutes from town and we saw maybe 4 others - made it incredible. We’ll be back, no doubt, maybe with a sled next time..

Read

The Revelry Collection - A print only - film only magazine released its first issue, on the 25th. I snagged one along with an annual subscription - If there are any left you have until March 25th to purchase. It’s an adventure magazine at it’s core with beautiful storytelling and photographs. It aligns so perfectly with what I’m trying to do with this Substack and life in general. It’ll be a coffee table staple in our household and I just may be lucky enough to be a part of a future volume - stay tuned - and if you aren’t subscribed already, do so on this platform to gain insight on what goes into creating a magazine. (

Revelry Collection

) Bentley Zylstra is out here doing the Lord’s work - PRINT IS NOT DEAD!

Record

My February album is a Date with the Everly brothers. Old timey lovey dovey charm - perfect for Valentine’s Day and cozy afternoons inside after getting after the snow all day. Easy on the ears for the young, the old, the lovers and the wannabes. You can’t hate on the pioneers of country rock and gosh darn it, they’re so damn cute.

Photo

One of those days at Snowbowl.

Shot on: Canon Sure Shot Telemax 35mm // Kodak Portra 400

Misc

Wool Sweaters. I found this particular one, an old L.L. Bean number this month. I’ve been wearing it underneath my shell while skiing and will be on colder days from here on out. It out performs any down puffy I’ve ever owned and it looks so good out there. I am a sucker for non technical, functional clothing. A wool sweater is top notch. Gives vintage and subtle “I care what I look like” vibes but doubles as the warmest thing you own. Pro tip - buy one a size or two too big so you can wear a thin puffy underneath for optimal - good lookin’ warmth.

Get it while it’s good! Spring is on its way.

-S