Picto Diary - 18 to 25 December 2025 - Frippin" at the frop 'neath the Echo Dam.
Above: Sarasota, FL. 21 December 2025.
Mynduveroan.
Above: Sarasota, FL 21 December 2025.
Drums and B1b.
Above: Wasatch Bagel, Park City, UT. 21 December 2025.
Bishop 'n Maserati.
Above: Succes ski run. Deer Valley, UT. 21 December 2022.
4-6-19
A picture says a thousand words. Park City is off to a poor start snow-wise this 2025/26 ski season. Up until yesterday, at Deer Valley, there have only been a couple of long, groomed ski runs available since Deer Valley opened for skiing ten days ago... Birdseye off of the Sterling Lift and Success off of the Carpenter Lift. In past low snow years at this time there have been seven or eight ski options ready which are equivalent to Success and Birdseye. I.e. Deer Valley can open ski runs using manufactured snow even in low actual snowfall periods. But there must be cold temperatures to make snow and most of December to date has been warm.
The crowd of skiers in the image are partly why I skipped skiing this run and took the Silver Lake Express lift down to Snow Park and the parking lot. The image is captured from the Silver Lake Express lift chair. I can ski crowds if I have to. I can ski cut up snow if I have to. But I don't like to ski both. And "both" was the condition of Success as I over flew the run in my lift chair. I feel badly for the tourists who have come to find only limited (more than usual) ski terrain.
Earlier, I got in three pretty good Sterling Lift runs before the lift was put on wind hold. Two of the runs were on Birdseye and the other was on Homeward Bound/ Ontario, opened for the first time today. Even during the December holiday period, I can usually get in seven or eight decent runs before the crowds build up, and the snow gets cut up.
Despite disappointing conditions it's better to be on the mountain savoring the views and the fresh air than at home in an armchair! Count today as a good day.
Things may be looking up as a good storm appears to be arriving tomorrow (Sunday) night.
Over the course of the season, I'm going to make a list of ski rules based on my own experience of skiing for twenty-five years in Park City. I'll list the rules as I think of them and then aggregate them at the end of the season.
Steve's ski rules:
1. Ski as though anyone skiing in your field of sight could fall or make an unexpected maneuver.
Above: Iron Canyon, Park City, UT. 22 December 2025.
Sprinter dash.
Above: Rory, Luke and Alison. 23 December 2025.
Annals of a former world. Those little boys are all grown up!
Above: Park City Mountain, Canyons. 23 December 2025.
5-2-27
Canyons. Red Pine gondola.
Two runs on Kokopelli before people/cut up snow ratio started to work against me. Crappy visibility as well. Any day outdoors, though, is better than being at home in an armchair.
Above: Echo Reservoir and Dam. Summit County, UT. 24 December 2025.
Out and about on the Duc.
The Echo Dam Frop
Christmas Eve, no snow in sight.
Over to the Duc, a ride sounds right.
I-80 east through Promontory's curves.
Real heavy lean triggers sphincter nerves.
Santa with a uke playing Christmas jam.
Frippin" at the frop 'neath the Echo Dam.
Echo ghosts join Santa's jive.
Albert Sidney and Leland are the first to arrive.
UP trains. at least ten a day.
Ride Chinamen's rails right where they lay.
Santa with a uke playing Christmas jam.
Frippin' at the frop 'neath the Echo Dam.
Foggy sprinkle descends on Duc.
Home before deluge with a bit of luck.
Wasatch Bagel end of ride break.
There Kreg and Angel, real not fake.
Santa with a uke playing Christmas jam.
Frippin' at the frop 'neath the Echo Dam.
Merry Christmas 2025 from Margaret and Steve Taylor
Above: Christmas Eve, 24 December 2025. Jim/Phoebe Haileys in FL visiting the other grandparents, Gerry and Mary. Jake/Stephanie Taylors in Park City, visiting us grandparents.
Peace on earth, goodwill to men. Luke 2:24
Above: Steve and Margaret Christmas Card. Park City, UT. 25 December 2025
Addendum
My favorite Gov Herbert story is when he and wife attended her high school reunion and met her high school boyfriend. On the way home he asked, "Aren't you glad you married me instead of Bob? Now you are the First Lady of Utah".
Her reply was, "Why? Maybe HE'D be governor now." 😊
Academy Theater, -
Salt Lake City, UT
One reason I like this anecdote is it affirms feminine hegemony within that dastardly patriarchal marriage relationship. We are living in an age where women are encouraged to emulate men and when masculinity is scorned. Accordingly, we are ending up with a number of marginalized males and childless cat lady's. In the end, each sex suboptimizes and culture suffers. In marriage, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Patriarch can very much be a puppet of the matriarch. Synergy only works in the context of the yin and the yang, in the marriage contract, the male and the female, working together.