7/04 Happy Independence Day! Snow Log

[RickHeninger]

I just have to post this... I saw at least 5 utah surf rats up at Snowbird today... That was amazingly fun! I have SPRING skiied maybe 10 times in the last 20 years, but never summer skiied. Plus, I'd forgotten how fun it can be up there during this time.

We got up there and took the tram up and only were able to get in about four runs because of the amazingly long line... But it was a blast... So many people having so much fun...

But I just have to vent and commiserate with some of you... I brought my vid cam, and usually I feel pretty proficient with my videoing capabilities... I am out of practice as I haven't done action videoing for a while... I thought that I got some great skiing video of my bro in law and a few others, footage skiing behind in the bumps, from down below... It all basically SUCKED! Too zoomed in at key shots, camera lense brainfart (i.e. leaving it on a couple times), too much camera movement... Simply forgot everything I've ever learned about getting good footage... You been there? It was the kind of day you really wanted to get good footage... I think a wide angle lense is the only way to go if you are trying to ski and video at the same time! Any experienced advice out there? Thanks for letting me vent here for a sec ...

Oh well... I did get some great shots of the crazy people up there and the awesome spirit going on... I can't remember if I had ever skiied with my shirt off in shorts... It felt so nice to have that cool corn snow jump up on my calves while skiing... Oh and on the Tram ride down... We (The entire tram load) sung: God Bless America, The National Anthem, that Proud to be an American Song, and some others...

Oh... And does anybody know where or how to get relatively inexpensive helmet cameras? For windsurfing and other?

Looks like Sulphur was good today!

[Kevin Simmons]

Sweet day at the Bird! Forgot that corn snow is still good in July. Glad I wasn't the only windrider at the Bird today. We got up there at 8am and there was no line until about 9:30am. By 11am we were tired of waiting in line and skied down the Cirque and walk the last little bit.

This was my 3rd time skiing July 4. Skied the Bird about 10 yrs ago, Squaw Valley CA a few years later and the Bird again today.

If you are a skier and have never skied the 4th you're missing out. As long as the nights are clear the snow will freeze and the corn will be excellent.

We had some video problems too...but that's because the guy in our group with the camera was distracted by bikini's.