Skiing down a famous cross-country trail, then chowing down at a famous church supper proved a perfect combination for fun for seven members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club who visited Jackson, New Hampshire, yesterday.

Skiing-wise, the main attraction was the Ellis River Trail, the most famous in the vast network maintained by the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. Rated 'green-easy,' this scenic route runs parallel to the eponymous river for about six miles between Dana Place and Jackson Village.

Six members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club pose for the Ski Bum's camera shortly before starting down the Ellis River Trail at Jackson Ski Touring: Lisa Mandabach, Susy Kist, Cici Zerega, Mark Zerega, Lynn Kemna and Barb Leonard.
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I've led this trip for a number of years, and yesterday's combination of sunny skies, recent powderfall and mild temperatures provided perfect conditions. It was also a perfect introduction to the club for Lisa Mandabach and Lynn Kemna, two new members enyoying their first MOAC trip.

Lynn Kemna and Mark Zerega share a moment along the Ellis River Trail yesterday.
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Lisa Mandabach enjoys her first trip with the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club yesterday.
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Susy Kist is a longtime member of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club.
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Thanks to having three cars in Jackson, we were able to set up a shuttle and ski the Ellis River Trail one-way southbound. JSTF once ran a free shuttle bus, but that hasn't been operating for the past couple of years.

The Ski Bum enjoys the company of five MOAC women yesterday along the Ellis River Trail at Jackson Ski Touring.
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The late afternoon sun still touches the mountains as our group reaches the covered bridge over the Ellis River yesterday.
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We wrapped up the trip as the sun was falling behind the mountains, then piled into our cars and continued down the road apiece to the Bartlett Union Congregational Church for the 2008 finale of its 'Famous February Suppers' series.

These all-you-can eat feasts have been held on each of the four Saturdays in February for many years. Priced at $8, the 'famous' suppers draw many skiers.

After nearly a decade of anticipation, Maine Huts and Trails is now open for business. To be precise, make that "Hut" singular. But the organization's showcase first hostelry, near Poplar Stream Falls in Carrabassett Valley, is a singular creation, and the facility opened to cross-country skiers and snowshoers last week.

I forgot to bring my camera when I attended last weekend's open house, but Ann Hitzrot, a friend I know from the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club, graciously loaned me some of hers for this blog.

Skiers head toward Poplar Stream Falls Hut, the newly opened overnight hostelry in Carrabassett Valley.
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The first hut is located about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, just off Gauge Road in Carrabassett Valley. Although the distance is short, the trail is hilly with a net elevation gain of about 350 feet. Expect to use your herringbone step and snowplow! (You can also use snowshoes.)

Alternatively, the hut can be reached via a connection to a trail that starts farther west on Route 27, near the Sugarloaf outdoor center (aka cross-country touring center), a route that avoids one substantial hill.

The main trail to the hut and beyond is mechanically groomed with one classical track set. For some reason, the side trails are broken out with a snowmobile, but not groomed. Curious choice.

Skiers arrive at the Poplar Stream Falls Hut after climbing the final short hill. The hut is located about 2.5 miles from the Carrabassett Valley trailhead and requires a net vertical rise of about 350 vertical feet.
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Skis are planted in the snow near the Poplar Stream Falls Hut, which opened for business last weekend.
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The "hut" is actually a cluster of small buildings. One is for dining -- full breakfast and dinner are served -- with an upstairs common area. Plus there's a scattering of bunkhouses located a few yards away.

A bunkroom at the Poplar Stream Falls Hut, one of several arrangements available for overnight stays.
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The upstairs loft is part of the common area of the central building.
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Three different sleeping arrangements are offered. Semi-private family rooms have a double bed plus two bunks. Then there are bunkhouses for eight and twelve.

Maine Huts and Trails executive director Dave Herrings speaks with visitors in in the main building at Poplar Stream Falls Hut.
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Prices start at $55 for members of the non-profit organization. Costs include hot breakfast and dinner.

Poplar Stream Falls Hut was made possible by a donation from New Balance, an athletic footwear company with several Maine manufacturing plants. A network of twelve huts is projected along a 190-mile skiway that will extend between the Sunday River Valley and Rockwood, on Moosehead Lake.

MH&T officials anticipate starting construction on the second, to be located at the eastern end of Flagstaff Lake, sometime this summer, with an opening expected for next winter.

The Ski Bum hopes to come again soon, and issue additional reports. He also hopes to bring his own camera.

After seven days in Utah -- the longest in any state -- the Odyski headed eastward to Colorada. But before saying farewell to Utah, the Ski Bum visited the Alf Engen Ski Museum, in Park City, and nearby Soldier Hollow, the site of the 2002 Olympic cross-country and biathlon competition.

A manequin of a slalom racer hangs from the ceiling at the Alf Engen Ski Museum in Park City, Utah.
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A manequin depicting a freestyle skier hangs from the ceiling at the Alf Engen Ski Museum. The photo is not upside down; this is the way freestylers are.
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Alf Engen was a Norwegian immigrant who was one of Utah's most influential skiers. In addition to his prowess as an athelete -- he set numerous jumping records at nearby Ecker Hill -- he helped established half a dozen ski resorts and ran the school at Alta for many years.

Many consider him to be the father of Utah powder skiing, something that obviously fit his position at Alta, which is known far and wide as Utah's powderhounds' paradise.

I met Connie Nelson, the Engen Museum's personable executive director, and she repeatedly proclaimed, "I've got the best job in the world!"

Connie Nelson, executive director of the Alf Engen Ski Museum, poses in front of the display case devoted to the awards and honors amassed by the institution's namesake.
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Among Alf Engen's lifetime honors was this ski boot award, given by the G.H. Bass Company, of Wilton, Maine, for outstanding achievements in the 1939-1940 season. The Bass company was a leading manufacturer of ski boots in the middle of the 20th century.
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Connie and I discussed a number of issues relating to ski museums. As many Ski Bum readers know, I am one of the directors of the Ski Museum of Maine, which has a fund-raiser coming up February 16 at Sugarloaf.

The Ski Bum poses in front of the statues of Alf Engen and Joe Quinney, two of Utah's most influential skiers. The sculptures stand at the entryway to the Alf Engen Ski Museum in Park City, Utah.
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After saying goodbye to Connie, then strolling along Main Street in Park City, I continued to Soldier Hollow, where I casually toured for a couple of hours.

Two skiers make their way across the bleak and snowy landscape of Soldier Hollow yesterday. This area, which is now open to public skiing, was site of the 2002 cross-country and bialthlon events at the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games.
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A high school racing team trains yesterday at Soldier Hollow, site of the 2002 cross-country and biathlon events of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games.
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As an New England skier who is used to gliding through woods with occasional distant views, I was amazed by Soldier Hollow's wide-open terrain, with continuing vistas that extend for miles across a starkly beautiful desert-scape.

Unfortunately, this bleak beauty comes at a price: The wind swept across the area all yesterday and drifting snow continually filled the tracks -- making the experience far less than ideal.

After two postponements due to snowstorms, yesterday I finally made it to Alta, Utah's famed powderhounds' paradise. And I found Utah's famed dry powder snow falling -- actually blowing sideways -- with such intensity that I actually saw very little of the area.

Fortunately I had a guide, Alta's very personable Tyler Jackson, who led me on a tour that included runs off three chairlifts that reached altitudes of more than 10,000 feet.

Visibility was generally only a couple of hundred feet, but there were occasional glimpses of the spectacular 11,000-foot peaks of the Wasatch Range that so forcefully define the Alta experience.

Note that all photos used in today's entry are courtesy of Alta, and obviously taken on another day.

Skiing thousands of acres of waist-deep powder, with the 11,000-foot Wasatch Range peaks forming the backdrop, is the defining Alta experience.

Alta is Utah's famed powderhounds' paradise.

Alta is located at the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon, but there's nothing little about this magnificent ski area.

Some Alta aspects that Tyler pointed out:

1. Alta is a skiers' mountain. No snowboards allowed.

2. Alta has a modern lift system, including three high-speed detachable quads.

3. Alta has a fine beginners' area, with a cluster of scenic green trails, near the Albion base area.

4. Alta's ski school is named for Alf Engen, the legendary Norwegian immigrant whose influence is still felt throughought the state of Utah.

5. Alta is about 25 miles from Salt Lake City, and served by the region's public transportation system with a regular schedule of buses.

6. Alta tied its season-to-date snowfall record with 404 inches through January 31.

Alta has two base lodges, several hundred yards apart. The Albion base (shown above) serves the beginners' area.

Alf's mid-mountain restaurant is a popular Alta eatery.

Tyler and I had lunch in Alf's, a comfy mid-mountain restaurant that is decorated with historic photos of Alf Engen and a fine collection of antique skis.

This sunset scene reminds me that I want to visit Alta again -- on a sunny day.

I wish I could have been at Alta on a sunny day. But the allotted time for the Utah portion of the Odyski is almost over, and it's time to move on.

Skiing The Canyons yesterday completed my Park City Trifecta, and convinced me that this area of Utah can make a powerful claim to be America's schussing capital. Combined with Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley, skiers have almost 8,000 acres of terrain, on nearly 20 peaks served by about 60 lifts.

Two Park City resorts were Olympic sites in 2002, plus it's the headquarters of the U.S. Ski Team and home to many skiing companies.

And the three big ski resorts are close together. Park City and Deer Valley abut -- but there's no crossover trail and no common ticketing arrangement. Both can be seen from The Canyons.

The Canyons is Park City's newest major ski resort, developed shortly before the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games. The Flight of the Canyons -- a fancy name for its eight-person gondola -- whisks skiers out of the village (background) and up to a central mid-mountain area.
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The Canyons is the region's newest major ski resort, a vast expansion and multi-million dollar makeover of the former Wolf Mountain. Creating The Canyons was one of the last projects of the former American Skiing Company.

A skier checks the trail map at the top of the Saddleback Express, one of 13 chairlifts at The Canyons. He's got plenty to choose from -- about 3,700 acres, the most in Utah.
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The Canyons boasts 3,700 skiable acres -- tops in Utah, they claim -- on eight mountains of about 9,000 feet elevation. These range from fairly easy areas such as Dream Peak to Ninety-Nine Ninety, which is entirely black diamond and double-black.

Skiers prepare to head down a long green trail from the top of The Canyons' Dream Peak.
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I found that getting around was rather awkward, in part due to The Canyons' extreme size. Two lift rides are required to reach the spot where most skiers start. (First) a cabriolet transports people from the parking lot to the village, where they then have to walk a couple hundred feet before (second) riding the Flight of the Canyons -- the fancy name they use for their gondola -- which then transports them to the Red Pine Lodge area, a sort of central mid-mountain staging area. Then they start skiing.

Stats don't tell the full story, but they're a great place to start. So let's start this report on Deer Valley, in Park City, Utah, with a few key numbers: 2,000 skiable acres with six peaks and six bowls -- all served by 22 chairlifts.

Half a dozen: Number of extremely friendly and personable Mountain Hosts and Info Desk personnel who helped me enjoy my first visit to Deer Valley.

Jennifer Lewis, working at the top of 9,400-foot Bald Mountain, was one of half a dozen friendly and personable Mountain Hosts and Info Desk people who helped make yesterday's first-ever visit to Deer Vally so enjoyable.
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The Quincy Express is one of four high-speed detachable quads that serve Flagstaff Mountain. Overall, Deer Valley has 11 high-speed chairs.
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Skiers head west from Bald Mountain, one of six peaks that comprise the Deer Valley mountain resort.
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No. 2: Yesterday was the second day on my Odyski with perfect weather.

No. 1: Deer Valley's overall rating in Ski Magazine's annual readers' poll for 2007-2008.

Zero: Number of snowboarders at Deer Valley. Puts them right up there with Alta in Utah and Mad River Glen in Vermont as knuckle-dragger-free mountains.

No. 1: The Ski Bum's rating for lunch. Yesterday's turkey Chili Cheese Fries (with turkey chili) was the best on-mountain lunch I can remember. Beats out the Chili in a Bread Bowl at Bullwinkle's at Sugarloaf, but only by a bit.

The Ski Bum appreciates excellent on-mountain eateries, such as the Empire Canyon Lodge above, where he found the Chili Cheese Fries a landmark dish.

Deer Valley likes to host international-level races, and several events of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games were held at the resort.
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Deer Valley's commitment to topnotch international competition is a natural: the Director of Skiing is the legendary Stein Eriksen, gold medalist in Giant Slalom at the 1952 Oslo Olympic Winter Games.

That's another No. 1.

My Odyski is now in its third week, and yesterday was the first time I've enjoyed perfect weather. And Utah's Park City Mountain Resort was the perfect place to savor a calm, sunny day with temps in the 20s.

With poetic justice, my perfect day started on the Payday six-pack, one of the resort's many high-speed detachable lifts.

A network of high-speed detachable chairs is the backbone of Park City Mountain Resort's lift system.
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Skiing Park City is simply awesome -- and I use that over-used phrase with careful consideration. Skiable terrain comprises 3,300 acres spread over eight peaks and nine bowls served by 14 chairlifts. Difficulty ratings run from green circle learning areas to white-knuckle double black diamond glades, bowls and chutes.

Park City's terrain includes with this very scenic green circle run at the top of the Payday six-pack.
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A skier negotiates a mogul field with Jupiter Peak in the background.
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McConkey's Bowl, near Jupiter Peak, was one of several double black runs I took yesterday at Park City Mountain Resort.
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Park City itself is a rather swanky place these days, a far cry from the raucous mining town of the late 19th century, and equally removed from the depressing ghost town of the mid-20th. Much of the skiing terrain is located on old mine property, and many of the old structures remain, suitably marked with historical signs.

One of several long-disused structures from Park City's mining heyday of the late 1800s is located about halfway up the mountain.
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On an interesting historical note, the Creole mine dump, located on the edge of town (and on the current trail system) was the site of Utah's first ski jumping hill. Among those who jumped in 1923 was Alf Engen, a national champion whose memory is honored in a museum located in Park City.

Park City Mountain Resort is only about 45 years old, but it made its own mark on history in 2002, when it was the venue for several skiing and snowboard events of the Olympic Winter Games.

Some thorny Internet problems prevented me from updating Ski Bum readers on my Odyski for a few days. But they've been resolved, so let's do a little catching up, beginning with Big Sky Resort, Montana's biggest attraction for skiers and snowboarders.

Big Sky in Montana, the first western stop on my Odyski, asserts itself as "the biggest skiing in America" with 5,512 acres on Lone Peak (pictured) and two smaller adjacent mountains.
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I skied Big Sky Sunday through Wednesday, staying slopeside at the Huntley Lodge, with a lift only a few yards from my room.

Big Sky's size is extremely impressive, comprising 11,000-plus-foot Lone Peak and its southern, eastern and northern flanks. Note that the northern section is actually part of adjacent and interconnected Moonlight Basin. A special ticket (an upgrade to the basic Big Sky pass) is needed to go over there.

The weather was a bit of a disappointment. Zero gorgeous bluebird days and one day (Monday) I skied in a blinding snowstorm. Note that the first photo in this series is an advertising shot; I hardly ever actually saw the summit during my four days of skiing.

The Big Sky base area comprises six large buildings and about as many smaller ones. Being a true destination resort, about 80 percent of Big Sky skiers and snowboarders stay overnight on the mountain or nearby.
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Another view of the Big Sky base area. Two of the mountain's four high-speed quads plus two other lifts originate in this area.
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But to compensate for Monday's on-mountain challenges, I took a big noontime break to lunch with three of Big Sky's sales and marketing people: Communications director Dax Schieffer was my host and had been my personal ski guide the day before. National sales manager Brandon Bangs -- whom I'd already met a few months earlier at the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo -- explained Big Sky's market as a destination resort, while online expert Lyndsey Kiland told me about the resort's Internet marketing.

I told her that the Ski Bum is supported (advertising-wise) by Sunday River and Sugarloaf, two Maine resorts that are now part of the coast-to-coast Boyne Resorts system. (Big Sky is the most famous of the Boyne group.)

The Ski Bum took a long noontime break on Monday to have lunch with three Big Sky marketing professionals, including Lyndsey Kiland.
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During lunch I also ran into several Mainers. Filmmaker Greg Stump was around, making arrangements to shoot his newest movie, while our waitress hailed from Saddleback.

Expect to meet more Mainers at Big Sky: Special deals are offered to Maine Pass holders, such as the Ski Bum.

There's no doubt that Big Sky is selling a total lifestyle package that ranges from the obvious skiing to a full suite of amenities.

Apres ski scene at Big Sky: "Two Crazy Austrian Bros Revue" hold forth in the Huntley Lodge. Above is Bro No. 1.
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Crazy Austrian Bro No. 2, playing Jimmy Buffett tunes in Big Sky's Huntley Lodge.
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