Snowshoes in the Sun

A fun day in all the snow.  We found these old snowshoes in the shed and couldn’t resist strapping them on and taking advantage of all the snow we have.

Boarders Silhouette

Boarders Silhouette, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

Night Lit Skier

Night Lit Skier, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

This short cut off the main run was full of deep fluffy powder and all you could see was the one light shining down from the trees. It was the fav run of the night.

Lift Chair In Motion

Lift Chair In Motion, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

just a little glimpse into hyper-speed on the lift

Snowy Landscape

Snowy Landscape, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

A few photos from an excursion to Utah….

From the top of Strawberry Express lift at Snow Basin resort, near 9200 feet, looking east.

Three Gliders

DSC_6772, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

Three paragliders line up in the clouds.

Blue Ridge Flyer

DSC_6672, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

I haven’t braved this adventure yet, but it looks like an unbelievably peaceful ride, aside from the occasional turbulence. It’s obviously a way to see some fantastic landscapes and dramatic skylines, like our beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

Unison

DSC_6616, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

Two gliders take off one after the other and turn together for their course objectives.

Ready!

Ready! , originally uploaded by boonejag75.

The wind has done what it’s supposed to and the time is now. One by one they straighten their rig, lift, turn, and run toward the edge of Tater Hill for a ride.

Preparations on Tater Hill

Preparations, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

I’ve had the privilege of attending the Fly Tater Hill Paragliding Competition for the past two years. This year’s marked the 4th official comp. This first group is waiting for the wind to turn, pickup, and lift as they ready for take off.

Cross Country

Cross Country, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

We don’t get snow very often anymore, but this week we got enough for the cross country skiers to get out and take some laps around the lake and thru the maze.

Sun Rays on Glider

Tater Hill Day 2 119, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

Once these guys took off, the visual of watching them peacefully glide over the mountains and valleys was incredible to see

Above the Rhodies

Flyin’ High

Airborne

Take Off!

Get Ready

Once the western wind begins to blow, it’s tiime to straighten, untangle and get ready to run.  These guys and gals run about 20 yards, with the chute rising behind and above them.

Para-Waiting Day 1

Day One of the Paragliding Competetion on Tater Hill starts with a lot of “Para-waiting”. High winds from the wrong direction kept participants enjoying views and studying terrain.  I’m here with Lynn, a local photographer and friend, waiting on conditions to change.