One-Nineteen
Nine years, eleven months
Finally had to pay the piper for playing on easy mode for the last three years. Way back at the beginning of September, I drove up Farmington Canyon to see if the patch was still there. It was not.... After a few weeks of waiting to see if there would be a freak storm, it became apparent that in order for the streak to survive, Timpanogos would have to be hiked.
Going up
To be honest, it really isn't a bad hike. The bottom part sucks with the weird asphalt section and other various messed up sections of trail. But it's a really pretty hike so the misery is at least enjoyable.
The land of 1000 switchbacks
Fortunately I didn't have to go alone. Tony Aadland decided to get back on the Turns All Year bullshitmobile and join in for the worst turns of the season. Tony's streak also would have been at 119 months had it not been for an injury after month 100. Last Sunday was kind of a full circle moment since we first hiked Timp back in month 10 (August 2016) when there was really no plan to even do turns all year. It's also funny that I think we've each done it at least 9 times but have never gone to the summit or done the hike without a snowboard.
As far as snow conditions go, it was pretty classic late September. Icy, muddy, rocky, suncupped bullshit. Or maybe goatshit. Yeah, lots of goatshit. I reckon it's probably back down to snow that fell in 2022 or 23. The Timp snowfield is still pretty large for this time of year given the lower snow year. Far from enjoyable to ride, though.
Lovely
So smooth
The streak is safe for another month. A new water year starts tomorrow. A new season will follow shortly. October will be my 120th month of Turns All Year. Ten years of snowboarding once a month every month. Pretty much the only question I get asked about it is what I'll do once it ends. I reckon I'll just start up again if it ever comes to an end. It's not like it's that big of a commitment to find one day a month to go snowboarding. Might as well just keep doing it regardless if it comes to an end or not.
You know its good when your base is covered in mud afterwards
Looking forward to that first pow day sometime between 5-30 days from now.
