Gris-gris.

I might go buy one of these. Not to make shoveling easier, but to make my piles higher.

Babies love heavy equipment.

New snow in Missoula.

Pointless shoveling in a blizzard.

Given enough new snow, almost anything is skiable.

Actually, urban skiing on Missoula’s edge occurs more frequently than you’d think, especially if you have a good sense of humor and low expectations. When it's in, the south slope of University Mountain is one of the nicest slopes you'll ever ski. Last week it was legitimate. But given enough snow, you can get this:

(Avalanche crown on Mt. Jumbo, already filled in again. Photo by The Missoulian.)

And this:

The last time I remember a Montanan making it on to the Today Show or Late Night or one of those big productions, it was a guide near West Glacier who, with her horse, fended off a grizzly. Before that it was a jogger in Pattee Canyon who was attacked by a black bear. And so this year it is a Missoula boy buried in an avalanche in his back yard. Buried, he licked and ate the snow, then fell asleep. Here’s the scoop:

http://www.today.com/news/boy-8-i-tried-lick-bite-my-way-out-avalanche-2D79337155

There are a number of remarks I feel compelled to make here.

1. In the video, taken in the minutes after the slide, people are running toward the accident, not away from it. That’s standard in America these days, but …
2. …they are running toward it carrying avalanche probes. I don’t know how many of you casually have avalanche probes and avalanche shovels set by the back door, but actually I do, and obviously a lot of other people do around here, and that’s probably one of many things that makes Missoula singular among cities in the world.
3. I don’t know Casey Greene, but according to Facebook we have five friends in common. Also according to Facebook, he was skiing off the summit Mt. Sentinel just two days before the slide. That does not require comment other than perhaps folks should think twice before they say too many evil things about the snowboarders that may have set off the slide that came down on Jumbo.
4. The last two times I’ve seen Casey Greene on television he’s been wearing a different Black Diamond shell each time. Those things are insanely cool – and pricey. Consider me jealous. When it comes to beanies, however, while I admire his style, I think I’m happy with mine. (I'm also betting the studio was sufficiently heated, but whatevs.)
5. Finally, it’s hard to appear on live television and not look like a total doofus, and this family did pretty well. Being interviewed live is like having a very important conversation with a stone cold sober person when you are drunk, and the whole time not wanting that person to know you’ve been drinking.