Donaldson Crew Adventures

Fresh off last weekends avalanche course, my neighbor, friend and fell classmate Abe, wanted to head up early and ski Tumalo  (across the road from Mt Bachelor) mountain this morning for his birthday!  Hunter was up at the hill yesterday, Noah had a friend over, so I was able to head up.  

Here is Tumalo mountain in the summer. 

A trip up Tumalo mountain last winter in Jan 2016 (snow conditions were much much better today)

We got up there at 6:30 and headed out just as we got some nice morning alpen-glow on Mt Bachelor. 

It was a cold morning but clear and beautiful as we headed to the top.  Note in the first photo down low that is the parking lot at the main lodge of bachelor still empty at this time.

Couple shots of the top before taking our first run down the bowl on the north side. 

Shots from the bowl (our first tracks)

Video - me laying some fresh tracks on a section of the bowl

We all went to the mountain today. Hunter was boarding with a friend and we put PJ in a day lesson.

The remaining 4 Donaldsons skied together!

Abbie and Preston have been in lessons for 3 weeks in December which ended this past Saturday

Today was our first time with all 6 of us skiing together.

Today it was cold and clear.  My buddy Mark wanted to know if I was interested in heading up for a half day of back country skiing, so we headed to Tumalo mountain.  I took the boys up here this past summer (2015) but this is my first winter trip to the top and skiing down the bowl on the north side. (2nd back country trip with skins since getting the equipment)

While Bachelor usually stays open until the memorial day weekend, it will likely melt out at the bottom before that point this year due to the lack of snow.  It was very thin near the bottom today, but up high it was great so we spent out last day out near the top of the mountain.  Really nice and warm today making the snow super soft.  We had a great day and a pre-celebration of Hunter turning double digit birthday tomorrow.  

Some Video footage from today:

Today we had another spring skiing day at Bachelor with temps in the 60's and no wind.  I convinced the boys that we could do the Summit today.  We ended up doing it about 5 times.  Boys loved it.  It was the first time for both of them to get to the Summit runs.  

Hunter wanted to hit the park today so we spent most of the day there. Unfortunately Noah wasn't feeling well so he couldn't make it. Here is one of his jumps. He doesn't quite stick this one but he was landing and sticking others.

Have had good luck with weather at Mt. Bachelor recently.  Last Saturday with Noah, and today with Both Noah and Hunter.  

Noah skied both green and blue runs today! He did awesome.

First time back to the slopes in a couple years.  I decided to try skiing again.  I haven't skied in over 15 years.  Hunter and Noah did half day lessons which gave Pat and I a few hours on the slopes, and then we took the boys up from the lesson area to the bunny slope.  

Noah really picked up skiing quick once he had a couple runs down on the bunny slope.