Still a little bit of #winter out there! Beautiful day @coppermtn! (at Copper Mountain Resort)
It’s #Friday and that deserves a #Carlsberg. Especially from a balcony @coppermtn. (at Copper Mountain Resort)
kRaZy ladies @jmcmillan and @juliamancuso (x2) getting colorful amidst the Aurora Borealis and what looks to be a Spyder sent from outer space. Photo: @arztm
In the big mountains, snow snakes don’t discriminate. They’ll go after 16-time U.S. National Champion @juliamancuso just like they will the rest of us. (#regram from @sierraquitiquit from #Iceland)
Iceland continues to not suck for @jmcmillan, @sierraquitiquit, and now, @juliamancuso. Photo: @arztm
@juliamancuso has arrived in #Iceland, joining @jmcmillan, @sierraquitiquit, and the @warrenmillerent crew to make movies and photos! (#regram from Jules).
Ski Day #100 for Tommy this season. THAT deserves a #Carlsberg. #blackbearandchapelparkingonly
Kids shred. #skiing #fun #snow #winter photo: @thepublicworks
Dav doing Dav stuff on the #Eiger wearing his White Spyder gear. #Regram from @steepskiing
Jess McMillan takes it all in. Photo by Mike Arzt
Words by Jess McMillan
The last three days in Iceland have been incredible. Nestled into the Skier’s Valley is Artic Heli Skiing’s home base. Peaks rise up to 4,000 vertical feet in a 360-degree view that is breathetaking.
True to its namesake (Niceland), Iceland is home to some of the most kind people I have ever met. And they have a great sense of humor. For example, we were having lunch in Olsfiorder and one of the newscasters was doing the news, on camera, in his underwear. I think he was trying to make the point that it was a nice, warm day in Iceland. Point taken.
A warm day in Iceland isn’t that warm. The average high is 55 degrees in the summer. On the flip side, it’s not as cold as I had expected. The winter temperatures average around 30 degrees.
We’ve had just a taste of the skiing so far, which definitely left us wanting more. Every direction I look there is a beautiful peak, waiting to be skied.
Most of the slopes are 35-55 degrees and average 2,000-3,000 vertical feet. Iceland may be famous for its corn skiing, but I can attest that the powder skiing is as good as it get as well.
I came to Iceland to ski, but skiing is not the only thing there is to do on the island. In the last three days I have been surfing, seen waterfalls, walked through volcanoes, stood in a light house, rode a horse, and experienced one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen in my life. We even got to see the Aurora Borealis (see below).
And that is just touching the surface (the tip of the iceberg) of what there is to do and see in this magnificent place.
[After the jump there are some photo contributions from Sierra Quitiquit as well!]