PLOD Plot Here

Junuary in western Montana is in full swing, bringing with it bike rides and trail runs in shorts. It’s also heaping wood on the ski stoke fire, all while killing the skiing.

These warm, sunny days remind me of one of the most magical times of year, when the days are long, the temps are warm, and the steep snow is stable. This time last year we had another bout of high pressure with warm daytime highs and clear, cold nights that settled down the snowpack and saw many ambitious, save-it-for-May type objectives be sent in January. These unseasonably pleasant spells help to scratch a couloir itch and regenerate excitement for the powder skiing and meadow hopping that has a knack for coming back in February and March.

Except right now it’s not. With nighttime lows throughout the region in the low 40s even above 7,000 feet, the freeze/thaw cycle that builds stability has been replaced with a thaw/thaw cycle that does not. Reports indicate that skiers all over the Bitterroot pulled the plug early last weekend, and that the Snowbowl bar sold many more pizzas and pitchers than one-day lift tickets.

But complaining about the weather never changed it, so I guess it’s time to dust off the road bike or something. I hear it’s cold in Cooke City.

Day 7:
2hr 17min – Trail run
46min – Town run (this was too much running)

Day 8:
1hr 10min – Momentum
52min – Run
54min – Hockey

The updated PLOD Plot is available at the top of the page. Eight days in and I’m getting very tired again. The legs are heavy but spirits are high, as long as I can sleep enough.

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