Picto Diary - 04 to 09 February 2026 - Grrr. Fourth of Thirty-three at Solitude

Above: Grrrr. 4th (of 33 participants) place at Solitude competition on 1/31. 04 February 2026.
Images by Portland or Koessler.

Above: Red Rock Brew Pub. 04 February 2026.
Two old geezers sitting in the warm sun post Fish and Chips at Brew Pub.

Above: Deer Valley, Empire Lodge west wing. My Office. 05 February 2026
23-15-250
Alone at my office.
Another therapeutic AM on skis. Thru the windows: The ski season that doesn't look like a ski season. Skiing mainly on manufactured snow. To be fair... notwithstanding the paucity of real snow I'm a happy skier as I am mainly a groomed run skier these days. And there are more groomed runs, buttressed by manufactured snow, open than I have time to ski in an AM. I'm having great fun getting to know the runs on the new east side. For so many years I watched the construction of these new east side runs and wondered if I would be able to ski them before I had to pack up the skis. Now, here I am doing it!

Above: Deer Valley, UT. Dew Drop ski run. 06 February 2026.
24 15 265
I skied with Donna and Kirsten in the AM. Donna led us through some new terrain for me on the East side. I skied for the first time Persistence run to the Vulcan Lift. I understand why the run is called Persistence. Its steeper and longer than Hawkeye run on the Flagstaff side. Three quarters of the way down Persistence, my body told me I should stop for a break. But I had to keep up with my hot dog skier companions, so I started taking deep breaths and "persisted" by skiing all the way to join Donna and Kirsten at the base of Vulcan Lift.
After enjoying a break together at my office at Empire Lodge, the three of us took Ruby Lift and Pinyon Lift together, after which we parted company... them back to the East Village and Mwah (sic) skiing to the Crown Point lift to start my composite exit runs.
I like to finish my AM skiing at Deer Valley on two composite runs. Think of a grand prix racecourse route like the 24 Hours LeMans. On such a course, there are straights, hair pins, chicanes, climbs and descents. And so it is (but for the fact that there are no climbs) for composite ski runs where the Grand Prix ski course comprises linking together parts of different runs in the resort.
Navigator composite run from Crown Point Lift.
Kimberly (steep descent under a bridge followed by curvy "grand prix" narrow, serpentine run), Navigator (moderate descent along ridge with spectacular northeastern views), Deer Hollow (enter a hairpin at speed and negotiate a narrow curve right), Gnat's Eye (easy road to Solid Muldoon and runout to Snow Park Lodge).
Dew Drop composite run from Carpenter Lift:
Solid Muldoon (steepish start), Success (easy cross over), Dew Drop (plunge under a bridge), Last Chance (easy cross over), Little Kate (moderately steep descent back to Solid Muldoon and runout to Snow Park Lodge).
On today's final lift ride (Carpenter) precedent to the Dew Drop Composite run, I shared the lift chair with a 70-year-old retired college professor born in Iran. He is now an American. He said he had never been more worried about his natal country than he was today.

Above: Deer Valley, UT. East Side Gondola. 06 February 2026.
Donna, Kirsten, Bishop.

Above: Blair Education Center, Park City, UT. 07 February 2026.
Summit County, UT Republicans Lincoln Day Lunch.
Image. Mike Kennedy. US Congress Utah 3.

I conversed briefly with Mike Kennedy. I did a fundraiser for him when he ran against Pierre Delecto in the Republican Party Utah Senate primary in 2018. Back then, feeling strongly (and subsequently proven right) about Delecto's inadequacy as a Utah Senate candidate, I had hopes that Mike Kennedy could beat him. Back then, I also felt that I had wasted my effort to support Kennedy as Kennedy turned out to be a weak challenger of Delecto. Delecto's faults (hypocrisy, sanctimony, elitist, globalist traits) were easy to highlight and Kennedy demurred (Utah Nice) given the opportunity to expose them. Since, I have generally been supportive of Kennedy, now a US congressman. He relied on the convention/caucus process to get nominated... a plus. He sets a great example as a successful MD and family man. He stopped by LSDM in Park City on a Friday meet a few months ago. Today, I invited him to make a return visit when he could.

Other luminaries: Jason Chaffetz. Marlo Oaks, Utah Treasurer. Blake Moore, US Congress, Utah 1. Tina Cannon, Utah State Auditor.

Chaffetz is being touted as a candidate for Utah governor. He would be a welcome replacement for the oleaginous Cox who has departed from conservative orthodoxy by introducing overly burdensome Covid-19 protocols, putting forward sanctuary state enticements, and tilting left on LBGTQ issues.

Kudos to Summit County Pub leaders Ari Ioannides and Aspiring Geek (Jimmy May). I gave a donation. I like the way the Pub party in Summit County is being run these days... which has not always been the case.

Pre event side conversations:

Blake Moore, US Congressman District 1: Mwah (sic): Congressman Moore, what are you doing here? You're congressman for District 1. Summit County is in District 3. Our congressman is Mike Kennedy. Blake Moore: Ari Ioannides, Summit County Pub Head, and I are good friends. Ari asked me to join the meeting to say a few words.

Blake Moore, for me, typifies the milquetoast aura of much of Utah's political leadership (voire Cox, Delecto). Moore was active in supporting January 6 investigations. More backed the discredited Liz Cheney for GOP leadership. Moore's position diverts from conservative orthodoxy on LBGTQ issues. Moore generally finds himself on the side of fiscal compromise on issues where conservatives want to hold firm. Moore is a "can't we all just get along" politician in an era where firm stands are critical to reverse "frog in the pot" cultural disintegration.

Tina Cannon, Utah State Auditor: Mwah (sic): Did Cox and company break the electoral rules in claiming victory as governor? Tina Cannon: No. There was a flawed process that certified the signature gathering process when signatures were actually short... but the Cox organization was not responsible for that. They followed the rules every step of the way. We need to shore up the process though.

Mark Allen, candidate Utah State Legislature, District 59 (Wasatch and Summit Counties). Native Utahn now resident in Heber City. Employed as a PistenBulley groomer machine operator at Deer Valley. I appreciated his grounded, authentic demeanor as a grass roots legislature candidate. He did not like either of the two Heber bypass solutions now on the table.
Mark Allen hopes to carry on legacy as state House District 59 representative - Park Record

Above: Deer Valley, UT. Ruby Lift. 08 February 2026.
25 15 280
Image. Bishop 'n Dagget.

Pre break I skied a few runs with Environmental Physicist on the East Side. Dagget showed up at my Empire Lodge Office at break, and after break we skied a few runs together. Dagget, having recently almost upended Park City's deep state elite in the mayoral election, and having been dissed by the same group when they failed to appoint him as a Park City City Council member, has a lot of potential influence for the good stored up thanks to his dogged campaign efforts in the otherwise disjointed, fragmented and muddled Wasatch Back should he chose to use it.

Above: Ian Weinman Legacy Dog Park, Park City, UT. 08 February 2026.

TIMDT and Mwah (sic) went to a Super Bowl party chez Maharajah and Marinara. Super bowl parties have become an American institution, and we were appreciative of being invitees to this one.

The first Super Bowl I remember watching was Super Bowl III, 1969, when the Jets of the AFL beat the Colts of the NFL, 16-7. Three days before the game, Joe Namath famously guaranteed a Jets victory at a public event in Miami, saying "I guarantee it" when asked about the outcome. His bold prediction (and the team's performance backing it up) helped legitimize the AFL, accelerated the AFL-NFL merger (completed in 1970), and turned the Super Bowl into a true national spectacle. Namath became a national celebrity. TIMDT and Mwah (sic) watched Namath star as Lt. Stephen Maryk in "The Caine Mutiny," on Broadway in 1983. Thereafter, Namath became known as "Broadway Joe."

The game: I had no dog in the hunt. But the game story (Seattle 29 and New England 13) will be one that celebrates Seattle's outstanding defense. New England had to punt for each of the first seven possessions, and by that time I stopped keeping track. For a time, I thought I was watching a rerun of "Groundhog Day."

The ads: Lottsa politics and controversy: Ring "Search Party." There goes privacy! Robert Kraft's blue square ad. Realistic demonstration of antisemitism? Some great ads: Budweiser's Clydesdale/Eagle add was terrific and uplifting! Also good were Pepsi's polar bear spots.

Bad Bunny half time show: Sadly political. Clear anti-MAGA, anti-Trump globalist celebration of porn, pedo, and perversion.

Above: Deer Valley, Silver Lake Express Lift. 09 February 2025.
26 01 281.

After taking Carpenter Lift up from Snow Park, I skied down Silver Link. No freeze overnight. Mushy. I couldn't see the ridges in the flat light. I decided to bag it. Apparently, snow coming tomorrow with descending temps. Back to a real ski season? This one has been a strange one.

Addendum:

Dear Steve ...

I just LOVED these photos and your narrative. Yes, I miss Deer Valley. But I am still working - 40 hours a week - at Luther High School. Keeps me young!!!

Hope all is well.

Best regards,
Music in the Mountains,
Onalaska, WI

Always great to hear from you and glad you are enjoying life!

 

OMG my poor sweet Freddie
Life can be so cruel.. I’m glad he is so loved by his family. I feel confident he will rise above this 😍go Freddie.

Spago,
Marina del Rey,
California