Lots of leftover GoPro from last season that I whittled down earlier in the summer, I guess it’s almost about time to dust off the ski gear.

After returning to skiing during college, last winter was far and wide the best season yet. e had some long continuous periods of frigid cold temperatures and surely found our breaking points with cold weather recreation but the snow was downright incredible. I’ve gotta give a big thumbs up to the best friends and ski partners in the world, Robby Brown, Casey Denning, Lucas Van Oss, Andy Madea, Bill Forcier, Rob Fox, Chris Denaro, Josh Arneson, Quinn Keating, and my favorite corporate desk jockey Matt Berkowitz. I can only hope to get as many pow days as we did last season. Thanks to all my friends for waking up at 4am, driving in snowstorms and skinning 3 hours for a 5 minute descent, every trip was epic and 100% worth it in my account.

Special thanks to Fischer Skis and Bolton Valley Resort. Shot entirely on the Gopro Hero 4 Black.

Forgive me for posting your secret spots, everyone else was doing it.

A Look Back | Winter 2014 from Ryan Denning on Vimeo.

Quite an active December so far, unfortunately it’s looking like there could be an ice storm coming this weekend for the mountains.

With the slow travel on Sunday I decided to try and stay close to home and find somewhere to skin, I suppose in an effort to save cash and stay away from the kooks. Weekends obviously suck and I’ve had zero inclination to wait in lines or get elbowed by the crusty old powder hound in the line for first chair. That sounds pretentious I guess but I’ve given into the notion that I may be turning into a Hermit. Call it pretentious, call it snobby – the rat race is unappetizing.

Here’s how the first turns of the season went.

I love skiing groomers just as much as the Jersey plate passing me at 75mph with 8″ of snow on 95 who I will eventually have to speak to about stepping on my skis in the madness that is Sunday River’s lift line but at some point, astonishingly quickly actually, it just becomes stale and mundane. Maybe a few nights sleeping in the parking lot at Bolton will help. Nothing like forgetting what day it is up at the 1500′ village. That 300″ average annual snowfall adds up somehow – in the form of a surprise 3 inches, twice weekly. Let hope this incoming system is kind to them because Northern Vermont is almost in, almost.

I’m real stoked to be skiing with a new crew from Burlington. I met John and Dane last season and they’ve got a great group of skiers and riders – Tuesday morning we took a trip up to the NEK for some exploration. The snow was significantly dryer than what I had seen in the Whites on Sunday and much dryer than what I had at home on the coast. Great skiing for sure, not bottomless but just enough blower for the tunnel effect. There is some potential up there this winter, see for yourself below. I’ll be back for sure and now that Andy’s living up in the area, game on!

Skiers: John Howland, Sam Chalek, Ryan Kinner and Taylor Luneau

Hoping to get at it again on Saturday morning here in NH, before the ‘R’ word rolls in.

Away from the ski lift obviously. Carbon footprint bro.

Season of the hermit.