[stinkymonday]

OK, OK, OK..... here's your damned TR. We'll do it in parts - let's see if I finish tonight....

Headin' north:



Well, Colorado is just full of hungry critters. Barely past the state line:





The birds! The birds!





One bird after another. Too bad I've got to take advantage of this awesome gap in the weather to go skiing:



Rolling into Lincoln Gulch mid Friday afternoon, the masses are already present and chomping at the bit. And by masses, I mean POWDERHOAR + Kim, and tomski. After a while, Christian pulled up in his unmistakeable truck, followed some minutes later (a couple hundred of them) by Piper. Meanwhile, tomski regaled us with visions of East Mountainboy so vivid and powerful that an almost-full moon ski was in order. We did talk about it. Now don't get me wrong about Piper - he was dying to go skiing, as evidenced but the painstaking loading of his rig. Here's one I took later:



Anyway, the camera kind of went away at that point and we spent the evening amusing ourselves with food and drink. Birds were singing long before we hit our sacks, and all was as should be.

[stinkymonday]

After waking up at the awful hour of 6ish, then forcing myself to get more sleep, before collapsing out of my sleeping bag a little later, I find tomski to be the only life in camp. At this point, it is probably worth repeating his comments:

[stinkymonday]

These guys (center frame, just above the choke) were struggling, but racking up the fun units:



This guy, like all those seen hiking up out of Mountain Boy, told us tales of woe and despair in an attempt to keep us from his secret stash:



Looking at Cosmic:



Piper suffers an attack of vastly increased excitement:



The world according to Mountain Boy:





Hanging out on the couch:

[stinkymonday]

OK, well here's the part you've been waiting for. Piper drips the gnarliest triple black we could find:




Followed by Christian:




Taking a breather during our 8,564 foot descent:



And off:



Piper making sure that TSV gets some airtime:



Christian showing us enviable depth of pow:



Piper finishing:



In your face!

[stinkymonday]

Back at camp, Trek – the sole ttips dog in attendance – let's us know what he thinks:



Kim tries to dampen spirits:



The massive ttips base camp - we took two sites this year:



Wobage came by to let us know how awesome was the skiing on Mountain Boy. He also fixed all our optical needs for the next century.

Later, Christian fires up the grill:



While we all sit around it:



The birds still sang before we called it a night, and all was good.

Next morning, we are all overcome with exhaustion from the previous day's grand tour. So, I take a few photos while other sit, sleep, eat, drink, and ponder the 'No Fireworks' sign on the outhouse.

Sucky view from Site 6:



From center-camp:



Eventually, like all good things, Indy Pass VII comes to an end:

[stinkymonday]

Finally, a few views heading back through the pass. 4th July side:



Activity at the top of Cosmic:




Mountain Boy action history. Note the turns to the ground:



"Independence Pond":



We came, we turned, we upheld the tradition. See you at Indy Pass 8.



/season

[christian :?)]

copulating brilliant. I love you man. Thanks for making it.

It will not die, the TR lives on. and so does the tradition. We are hardy souls.

Much loves.
_________________
There's a whiff of the lynch mob or the lemming migration about any overlarge concentration of like-thinking individuals, no matter how virtuous their cause. - PJ O'Rourke

[whip]

A bad day skiing...
_________________
No amount of money is worth your free time

[Grant]

[Danno]

well done, follks, well done. Hope to be in attendance (with full crew loaded in the Lily Pad II, as yet unpurchased) next year.
_________________
"anecdotes are fine assbaggery is not"
"But of course to Telemark is just one function of ski gear, but to have fun is the other. If I so much want to make Parallel turns all day long, I shall do this as well"

[cesare]

Epic NTN stoke!

I was doing that w thing Saturday and was bummed I couldn't get it together to make it. As a consolation prize, Woolbury, TeleBear, and I skied Evans Sunday. Freshies.
_________________
that sounds like a sure-fire way to get bitch-slapped by devil's club -- dschane

[Tainted Meat]

Excellent!!!!

Sorry we didn't even make an attempt to come.

I had to babysit Danno on Friday night anyway.

[MattB]

Nice work! Looked uh, epic-ish!
Really great photos too.
_________________
There cannot be pleasure without pain. -Skerik

Matt

[TeleBear]

You guys are seriously awesome for holding this down.

I was just a little bit sad all weekend at the thought of missing the connections, talk and bonding at the fire...

Sick lines! You guys really slayed it. Did you even ponder heading up to Grizzly couloir?

Chez, Larry and I skied Evans on Sunday, and the conditions were moderately better, with an equally burly approach.

Much love Independence brothers and sisters -- we'll see you again soon.
_________________
Please don't dominate the rap, Jack,
if you've got nothing new to say.
-Jerry

[Thumpa]

Great pics Stinky. Wish I could have made it. Time to put the summer wax on the skis. Here's to next years' Epic slay-age at Indy Pass.
On a side note, how did Grizzly look?
_________________
A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.