Where to Ride 1/13 Tuesday

[Kenny]

NW flow continues at high elevation areas. The flow is a little more westerly so, PowMow is looking pretty good for wind in the mid-teens, next best bet will be Skyline with wind in the low to mid-teens. Strawberry may also give up some rides, but plan on going east and getting as high as possible.

Evanston will also have wind in the mid-teens. Wind does not look promising at lower elevation locations.

Wednesday is looking really light, might get lucky at Skyline or if you have snowmobiles to access Heber Mountain or Lake Creek.

I spent a lot of time off the water with a broken ankle and I ended up reading a lot of books, so I am going to give you my top 10 list of books that I read this summer:
10. Crashing Through by Robert Kurson - the story of a man who was blinded by a chemical explosion as a small boy and regained his vision due to a restoration of the stem cells in his eyes while he was in his 40's. A fascinating story of courage and how the mind "sees" the world.
9. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - this classical novel about the story of a man that was wrongfully imprisoned and his tale of revenge is a real page turner and has some great teaching moments as well.
8. Touching the Void by Joe Simpson - the true story of a climber that was left for dead in the Andes and his story of survival. This is a quick read that is both gripping and miraculous.
7. Lone Survivor - by Marcus Luttrell - the true story of a Navy Seal who survived a massive attack in the mountains of Afghanistan. The book goes into great detail to describe the training methods of a Navy Seal and how they are taught to never give up.
6. The Kite Runner by Kahled Hosseini a fictional novel based of two boys in Afghanistan, one a servant, the other his master. It is a story of tragedy, redemption, and hope.
5. Manhunt by James L. Swanson - The story of the man hunt for John Wilkes Booth after he shot President Abraham Lincoln. This historical account reads more like a novel because the research is so extensive. It really takes you back in time.
4. 1776 - David McCullough - This book covers the Revolutionary War during the year of 1776. General Washington truly had a ragtag army that was lacking even the most basic of necessities. We are not just talking about armament, we are talking shoes, pants, and food. It was divine Providence that allowed the early American revolutionaries to win. This book is a great read.
3. In the Eye of the Storm - this book is the story of a Mormon missionary to the islands of Tonga. Some of the stories are humorous, some faith-promoting and many are quite adventurous.
2. The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz - the true story of a young Hungarian officer who was sent to Siberia to work in a slave labor camp by the Soviets. His escape and walk across Russia, Mongolia, over the Himalyas and into India. It is an amazing story and a quick read.
1. South by Sir Ernest Shackleton - this is one of my favorite books and I like to reread it often. It is the true survival story of the crew of the ship Endurance. Shackleton had planned to travel across Antartica by dog-sled but his ship was locked in the ice and the planned adventure turned into a quest for survival as the ship was crushed in the ice and the men were forced to live on the ice and then sail north for land. It is an incredible story of leadership and endurance.

[whit]

Kenny,

The point forecast does look weak for Wednesday, but I just read this from the Cottonwoods Forecast...... NWS SLC under snow/avalanche....Maybe some wind strengthening on the ridges Wednesday?

Issued at: 2009-01-12 15:29:00
"Synopsis:
High pressure off the California coast will keep northwest flow over the area this week. A system moving well east of the region will keep enough moisture over Northern Utah for a slight chance of snow overnight and tomorrow morning. Winds have weakened and will remain that way through tomorrow afternoon. The winds are expected to strengthen Tuesday night and Wednesday as another system passes to the east of the area. "

I like your choice of books. I also like non-fiction adventure books.
I recommend: "South" by Sir Ernest Shackleton......one of the greatest adventures of all time !!!
Recently: "No Shortcuts to the Top" by Ed Viesturs
Antarctica: "No Horizon Is So Far" by Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen ......They Kited across Antarctica
Classic Mountaineering Books: "Anapurna" Maurice Herzog, "Conquistadors of the Useless" Lionel Terray, "Starlight and Storm" Gaston Rebufatt, "Portrait of a Mountaineer" Don Whillans
Surfing Books: "Eddie Would Go" S.H. Coleman....classic Hawaiian Surf Culture, "Da Bull" Life Over the Edge by Greg Noll

Enjoy
Whit G

[Kenny]

Thanks Whit, I especially appreciate the book recommendations since I cannot ride until Saturday. Forecast for today looks the same, light NW winds, Wednesday and Thursday look similar. If I were to head up, I would take skis and my largest kite and head for the upper ridge lines. Since I do not own a snowmobile I would either head to the upper ridgeline at Skyline or the cabins at Strawberry. If I had a snowmobile I would head to Heber Mountain or LakeCreek.

Avalanche danger is still moderate, so stay off of steep north/northeast facing slopes and take all necessary precautions.

[Weston Youd]

OK, I normally wouldn't respond to the forecasts, but because you listed alot of the same books I've read this year, I thought I'd promote 2 that weren't on your list, but that I really liked.

Cormac McCarthy's "The Road". It will scare you, sadden you, but inspire you as well. He can write hope into the most dismal setting.
"The Story of Edgar Sawtalle". A good book, that is reads well.