Happy Holidays - Explore Big Sky
Happy Holidays - Explore Big Sky
Happy Holidays - Explore Big Sky
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Ski BuM 101<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> is a secluded ski town in a corner of reality. This column is for those who<br />
are here or in other Montana ski towns to live, party (optional), ski, snowboard or<br />
telemark every possible day, and for those who want to bike, fish, camp, hike, or<br />
climb all summer. I’d like this to be a guide for surviving issues like broken skis<br />
or broken cars, and a guide to feeding yourself properly so you don’t expire in<br />
the middle of the <strong>Big</strong> Couloir. This column is for those who desire a better life,<br />
and for those of us who don’t want to go back to where we came from. In this<br />
column, I will do my absolute best to help the <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> ski bum succeed in living<br />
the dream.<br />
Lesson 2:<br />
The epic Day<br />
By eRiC PauLSOn<br />
There are great days of skiing, and<br />
then there are epic days. Epic days<br />
should never be confused with epic<br />
conditions. While epic conditions<br />
happen all the time, for you to truly<br />
have an epic day you’ll want to take<br />
care of a few things first.<br />
1. Wake uP! Getting out of bed<br />
can be a chore. Between working,<br />
riding, and partying, the average ski<br />
bum usually lacks sleep. For many,<br />
waking up early isn’t an option. For<br />
these individuals I suggest learning<br />
‘The Fireman’. This is a pretty easy<br />
skill once mastered. First, have all<br />
your gear ready to go. Socks, clothes,<br />
goggles, skis... everything. Lay it all<br />
out so you can wake up, sit up, and<br />
start putting your gear on. The goal is<br />
to be out the door in three minutes.<br />
Once you’ve mastered the fireman,<br />
you can sleep longer and still make it<br />
to the mountain on time.<br />
2. Make SuRe yOuR STiCkS<br />
aRe TuneD. You can go all season<br />
long without tuning your skis or<br />
board, but that doesn’t mean you<br />
should. Sure, you probably won’t<br />
notice your tune (or lack thereof)<br />
cruising down the Dictators in chest<br />
deep powder. But slow sticks equal<br />
longer cat tracks, wasted energy and a<br />
slower, less epic you.<br />
3. giVe yOuRSeLF THe eneRgy<br />
TO Ski aLL Day LOng. Your day<br />
won’t be epic if you’re bonking at<br />
noon. Everyone is different, but the<br />
most common sources for energy<br />
come from things like food, water and<br />
caffeine. My personal routine is feasting<br />
the night before, drinking a pot of<br />
coffee the morning of and snacking<br />
between runs. I fill my backpack with<br />
things like water, hard-boiled eggs,<br />
dried fruit and trail mix. All of these<br />
are affordable and filling.<br />
4. PLan yOuR aTTaCk. This<br />
skill is mastered with time and<br />
consequently, it makes each epic day<br />
better than the last. Things like snow,<br />
wind, chairlift openings/closures<br />
and crowds need consideration. I’ve<br />
had epic days skiing all over <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong><br />
and Moonlight Basin, but the most<br />
important thing for me is finding<br />
the chunk of the mountain with<br />
the deepest snow and the smallest<br />
crowds.<br />
5. FaCe SHOTS. Ahhhh, the<br />
most important part of the equation.<br />
While the act of choking is not<br />
something I usually enjoy, I make<br />
an exception when it gets deep out<br />
there. When it gets really deep,<br />
you have to time each turn to inhale<br />
between face shots. Some days it is so<br />
deep you wished man was born with<br />
the ability to breathe snow. Those are<br />
the days you remember for the rest<br />
of your life: when you’re firing on all<br />
cylinders, floating through ridiculously<br />
deep powder, and you feel like<br />
the mountain has disappeared and left<br />
you hanging in the clouds. This is it...<br />
this is EPIC.<br />
Eric Paulson, owner of LonePeak Auto<br />
Detailing, moved to <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> in 1999.<br />
He grew up skiing Spirit Mountain in<br />
Duluth, Minnesota. Besides enjoying<br />
the outdoors, Eric spends the rest of the<br />
year focused on work, fishing, hunting<br />
and fixing up old cars.<br />
Delivery<br />
Take Out<br />
Take-N-Bake<br />
BIG SKY’S<br />
406-995-7175<br />
$<br />
$<br />
<strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Weekly<br />
BEST PIZZA<br />
&CALZONES<br />
1 OFF<br />
COOKIE<br />
DOUGH<br />
Offer not valid with any<br />
other coupon or discount<br />
$<br />
5OFF ANY ORDER<br />
$15 OR MORE<br />
Offer not valid with any<br />
other coupon or discount<br />
2 OFF<br />
ANY<br />
SALAD<br />
Offer not valid with any<br />
other coupon or discount<br />
West Fork Meadow Plaza<br />
facebook.com/trailheadpizza<br />
SHUFFLEBOARD NIGHT<br />
Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m.<br />
• 8 Teams of 2<br />
• Double elimination<br />
• Players get $3<br />
pints and a special<br />
tournament menu<br />
HOURS<br />
Everyday 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. OR LATER...<br />
We stay open if people are having fun!<br />
365 Days a Year!<br />
(406) 995-3939 <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Sky</strong> Meadow Village Center<br />
December 24, 2010 29
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