CARVEY o u r g u i d e t o s k i i n g a n d s n o w b o a r d i n g i n s o u t h w e s t m o n t a n a

january 2014

a s p e c i a l p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e b o z e m a n d a i l y c h r o n i c l e

Winter Bucket list

tPLus sidecountry survival: avalanche danger beyond the ropeline t classic line: last call on buck’s runt friendly competition: cross-country skiers test their mettle on the highland glen trail t

skier: mike jones Photo: chris kerrlocation: Bridger ridge

ski adventure rounduP for 2014

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The days leading up to the Highland Glen Invitational World Championship Nordic Ski Race™ this past December were filled with trash-talking, gamesmanship and sandbagging. Pre-race penalties were

assessed, injuries were feigned and there were scurrilous whispers of possible racer collusion. But as I slid my ski tips toward the starting line and the official starter (my wife Laura) began the race

countdown, I could practically feel the chunky heft of the gold medal around my neck.

“Go!”Eight ski poles stabbed at the snow, bindings

creaked and elbows collided. I jockeyed for position on the downhill start against my three opponents. At the first opportunity, I swerved to the left margin of the trail and with a solid “thunk,” my Nordic skis slapped snugly into the deep parallel grooves etched

by the PistenBully grooming machine the night before.

As the ski trail climbed and dipped roller-coaster-style through a series of hills peppered with sage-brush, I settled into the metronomic kick and glide motion that I was sure would propel me to victory. But as I crested a steep hill a quarter-mile into the race, I saw that John Banta was already two hills ahead of me — his wife Shelley hot on his heels.

GoinG for GoldFriendly competition highlights the expansive terrain of highland glen trail system

Story By terry CunninghamPhotoS By ChriS kerr

John Banta has gold in his sights as he nears the finish line while skiing the Highland Glen trail system on Dec. 20.

1st Place 23:04John bantaClaim to fame:

Double-knee replacement recipient

introDuCing the F ielD

2nd Place 25:05shelley banta

Claim to fame:Former pro basketball star

3rd Place 31:49terry cunningham

Claim to fame: race course designer

4th Place 35:47david cookClaim to fame:

retired brain surgeon

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I was a distant third and losing ground with every stride. My carefully crafted race plan was vaporizing but, for the moment, I was still in bronze medal position. I just had to beat the 72-year-old retired brain surgeon 50 yards behind me.

Nothing is ever simple with my Nordic skiing buddies. When we heard rave reviews about the Highland Glen Nordic ski trails on the Bozeman Deaconess Hospital property, we decided that a ski race would be our best introduction to the course. To add spice and consequence, the third and fourth place finishers would buy a Community Nordic Trail Pass ($50, available at www.bridgerskifoun-dation.org/trail-passes) for the top two finishers. The Bridger Ski Foundation expertly grooms our favorite Nordic ski destinations and we always sup-port its efforts by buying an annual trail pass. You should too.

I volunteered to layout the racecourse — hoping to gain an advantage — and discovered why the facility has become so popular. The five-mile trail system features remarkably varied terrain — roll-ing prairie hills, gently angled fields and a thickly wooded gully — that challenges skiers of all abili-ties. The sight of deer, rabbit and fox tracks criss-crossing the trail makes you forget that Highland Glen is minutes from downtown Bozeman.

I plotted and flagged a 3.5-mile figure-eight racecourse that contained steep climbs, deep dives and long straightaways. Now, halfway through

the actual race, I realized I’d made two key tactical blunders. The first was not fully ap-preciating the skill of Bozeman’s orthopedic surgeons. John Banta is the speed demon of our group, but I had assumed that the double knee replacement surgery he underwent this summer would slow him down considerably. Skiing faster than ever, he zipped past me on the opposite side of a field fence and shouted, “I’m having a heart attack!” Obviously, his knees were the least of his worries.

My second miscalculation was mathematical. Shelly Banta is the best athlete of the group, hav-ing played professional basketball internationally in her 20s. When she announced that she would be racing using skate-skiing equipment, I insisted that she accept a 20 percent time penalty, claiming that skate-skiing is 20 percent more efficient than classic Nordic skiing. In truth, the online consen-sus is that it only provides a 10 percent advantage. As I watched Shelley disappear in the distance, I estimated that she was skiing 24 percent faster than I was. Dumb old math.

Although he’s 18 years my senior, Dr. David Cook was directly behind me throughout the race. Furthermore, he didn’t appear to be taking the contest very seriously. He arrived for the race in a black one-piece Jean-Claude Killy Alpine ski suit with pink and teal highlights that must’ve been all the rage in 1968. As chairman of the Bozeman

Recreation & Parks Advisory Board, David was instrumental in helping make the Highland Glen multi-use trail system a reality.

A half-hour after starting the race, I double-poled furiously down the long straightaway leading to the finish line, glancing back to make sure Da-vid wasn’t mounting a stretch drive in his onesie. John and Shelley greeted me at the finish line with high-fives and hugs. Shelley’s finishing time was so much faster than mine, she won the silver medal even with the 20 percent penalty, in a rare display of magnanimity, it was agreed that the official race results wouldn’t contain an asterisk.

A few minutes later, David appeared on the far side of the pasture fence, skiing through a stand of tall prairie grass. He stopped to chat with a friend, missed a key race course direction flag (which he accused me of swiping) and still arrived within scant minutes of me. The medal ceremony was emotional, heartfelt and brief. It was time to hit the local brewpub and re-litigate the outcome. t

The author takes the competition in stride on the Highland Glen trail system.

The crew poses for a photo before hitting the brewpub.

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The third week of December provided some valuable avalanche lessons when three people in two separate incidents triggered and were caught in avalanches near the Bridger Bowl boundary. in both cases the parties exited the ski area into the backcountry. The first incident involved two highly experienced skiers on Saddle Peak. like they have done for years, they rode the Schlasman’s lift and hiked to the top of the peak. The skied at the same time, but had some distance between them. a few hundred feet off the top one skier triggered a slide on a thinly covered, rocky area and was caught. luckily he was able to grab a small tree and hold on for dear life. his partner was not caught. The avalanche went over cliffs and would have been unsurvivable. They both skied away unscathed, but shaken by the near-death experience. The next week a couple was near the north boundary of the ski area near the top of a small bowl when an avalanche broke and carried them both more than 1,000 feet down slope. no one was buried but one skier had a serious leg fracture. gal-latin County Search and rescue, with the help of Bridger Bowl, responded quickly and rescued them both.

The lessons from each are varied, but worth mentioning. avalanches are unforgiving and have unpredictable outcomes. Sometimes people survive long, dangerous slides while other times small, innocuous slides are killers. The bottom line is that survival is not guaranteed.

anytime two people are caught, or al-most caught in the same avalanche we can deduce that they were on the slope at the same time. This was the case in both these instances. “going one-at-a-time” is a mantra we repeat in our classes and advisories, but is sometimes misunderstood. When we say “one at a time” we mean that in the literal sense. One person skis down while a partner

watches from a safe zone out of the potential avalanche path. Only after the skier exits the path does the next one descend. This practice is difficult and sometimes impossible in areas adjacent to the ski areas, which we term “side-country.” Sidecountry is backcountry terrain that can be easily accessed from ski lifts. One-at-a-time is hard to do because other skiers can overcrowd and stack up above you. This is a dangerous situation because a stranger can put you at risk by triggering an avalanche that sweeps you to your death. They’ll

likely be infinitely sorry, but you’ll be dead.

The avalanche danger on both days was quite serious. Our avalanche advisory gives a broad-brush danger rating for each mountain range with slope specific assessment left up to the individual skiers. The goal of the advisory is to give you relevant informa-tion in order to make good decisions about whether to ski a particular run or not. The avalanche danger on the day of

the Saddle Peak slide was rated “consid-erable” and three days later when the couple was caught it was rated “high.” in other words, human-triggered ava-lanches were either likely or very likely. avalanches were expected. it is very possible to ski in the backcountry during a heightened danger, but it requires careful snowpack assessment and a conservative approach. you are poking the avalanche dragon after all. in both instances new snow and wind-loading added weight onto a weak snowpack. This combination is never good.

Skiing the sidecountry is fun and can be done safely. We must never forget that sidecountry is backcountry. The ter-rain within ski area boundaries is closely monitored and controlled with explo-sives. The snow on the other side of the boundary is not. it may be easy to get to, but that ease is not a reflection on its safety. a skier doing laps within sight of the ski area is no safer from an avalanche

than someone deep in the backcountry. The snowpack does not know about the ski area; it’s either stable or unstable with similar odds of triggering an avalanche no matter how far away the ropeline is.

in these two incidents, one party needed a rescue while the other did not. rescues are tricky and risky. here in Bozeman we rely on gallatin County Search and rescue (gCSar), which is run by the Sheriff’s department. They have a roster of professional quality volunteers who are willing to risk their lives to aid a victim. The skier with the broken leg was rescued by gCSar volunteers who had to make a serious decision on whether to launch the rescue or not. The ava-lanche danger was bad and the rescuer was going to be exposed to slides. it

was decided that the exposure could be kept to an acceptable level, but it’s risky nonetheless. The rescuer who went out there was taking a calculated, but personal risk to help someone in need. it easy to imagine a situation where the risk is too great and rescuers cannot en-ter the scene, even within sight of a ski area. Personal responsibility, doing your homework on snowpack stability and practicing safe travel protocols will keep the odds of safe winter skiing stacked in your favor. t

Doug Chabot is the director of the Gal-latin National Forest Avalanche Center. He can be reached at dchabot@fs.fed.us.com.

Sidecountry 101

By doug chaBot

Avalanche lessons learned while stepping out of bounds

ChriS kErr

Skiers hike toward the summit of Saddle Peak after leaving the Bridger Bowl ski area.

Big Sky PuBliShing, january 17, 2014 7CARVE

garrett grove/Photo

A skier revels in a glorious run at Revelstoke Mountain

in British Columbia.

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the B cket listDon’t let these winter ski adventures pass you by

As the New YeAr embArks, the rocky mountains’ snow-encased peaks create a blank canvas upon which all, truly meaningful, adventures begin.

with the season well under way, your quiver of gear is already overflowing. Down jackets layered upon more down jackets, hats, gloves, and mittens create a colorful foundation blanketing the mudroom, while a multitude of skis — short ones, fat ones, shaped, rocker, skinny and skate, along with a miscellaneous multitude of traction devices — those that go on shoes, over shoes, in place of shoes, lie idling by, anxious for their turn in the barrel.

this site alone, this joyful jumble of winter’s paraphernalia, kindles the imagination sending shivers down your spine, stirring pleasant memories of last year’s outdoors adventures and those yet to come.

Lo! A tiny sliver of doubt slips in, furrowing your ice-encrusted brow causing a pit to grow in your growling stomach, and your pleasantly chilled toes to curl. A sly thought slips in. Could it be! Is there really only four more months of this glorious season left to enjoy? You put pen to paper, your frosty ideas begins to materialize and a winter adven-ture bucket list is born. Not to add to your Arctic frenzy, but rather to help crystallize it, here are a few nippy undertakings worthy of consideration.

text By kim iBeS

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January Jonesingsaturday, Jan. 18 through sunday, Jan. 19: grab

the skinny skis and head to the historic izaak Walton inn just outside glacier Park in Essex. it’s the perfect place to partici-pate in and celebrate their annual Ski Fest. Bring the kids, the grandparents, and first time cross-country skiers. While you glide away, through their 33k trail system or embark on an epic back country adventure (either guided or solo) along the Continental Divide, they can learn how to ski, enjoy free sleigh rides, vote on izaak’s employee ice-sculpture contest, and in general keep themselves covered in snow. www.izaakwaltoninn.com

saturday, Jan. 24: hey, you’re already more than halfway to Big Mountain. hope you brought your downhills and while you’re there watch the World Ski jouring Champi-onship in Whitefish. in the world of ski jouring, where crazy skiers trust their ponies to pull them, this is the premiere event featuring the largest cash purse with over $20,000 in awards—as they say, ‘it’s the biggest party on snow!’ www.whitefishskijoring.com

saturday, Jan. 25: Bohart Cross-Country Center hosts the 2014 nordic ‘Senior’ Olympics. Don’t let the word ‘senior’ scare you. if you’re 45 or older you can participate in either a 5k or 10k classic or freestyle race. Competition is fierce, it’s a great way to test your mettle and come on, it is the Olym-pics. www.montanaseniorolympics.org

saturday, Jan. 25: This day just doesn’t quit. after you’ve left your all at Bohart, grab your best gal (or guy) and head south to Big Sky. hang at the ice-encased SnoBar from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. just behind the huntley. The dance floor and stage are all made of snow. if you arrive a little early get a bird’s-eye view of the SnoBar from their new adventure zip lines—fly over the Snobar at over 30 mph. after you’ve found your feet and quenched your thirst, head back to the meadow and the newly built Warren Miller Performing arts Center to enjoy the Portland Cello Project — their fusion of punk, rock, and classical music is a perfect capper to this crazy day. got to bigskyresort.com.

Cap january off with an outdoor snowshoe adventure at the refuge Point Snowshoe/Ski Trail. This 4k trail is marked, though not groomed. located 23 miles north and west of West yellowstone, its historic trails gently roll through aspen,

Douglas fir and lodgepole pine, with stellar views of Earth-quake lake and the Madison range.

Fantastic Winter February Funyeah, this one’s a little off the beaten path, and not even

in Montana, but it’s close — and it’s guaranteed to amp up the winter punch list. One word: revelstoke. Sure, it’s noted as the ‘global capital’ of heli-skiing, but it also boasts north america’s longest lift-accessed vertical of over 5600 feet (lone Peak Tram’s vertical drop is 4350 feet). located deep within the Selkirk range, there’s no shortage of powder. The quaint small town of revelstoke, with its Victorian, Queen anne and Dutch revival buildings complete the package. www.revelstokemountainresort.com

saturday, Feb. 8 and sunday, Feb. 9: Ok, spending a lot of time in northwestern Montana. you’re on your way back from British Columbia anyway, so pull over in Whitefish for its legendary Winter Carnival. no other town in Montana celebrates its winter carnival the way Whitefish does—these guys are certifiable and fun. yes, lots of skiing at Whitefish resort with a rail jam, Torchlight Parade, fireworks and smokin’ great bands on the hill. But peel yourself away for a few hours to watch the parade in Whitefish—they bring a whole new meaning to the word ‘spectator’. Way too much fun. www.whitefishwintercarnival.com or www.skiwhitefish.com.

sunday, Feb. 16: load up the snowmobile and head to White Sulphur Springs for the annual 100-Mile Snowmobile Fun run. ride through marked and groom trails under the beautiful little Belt Mountains. it’s $10 per poker hand — no limits. Silly fun for the family. clgkrg@mtintouch.net Phone: 406-547-2298

saturday, Feb. 22 and sunday, Feb. 23: keep those skis in the rack. Snowbowl hosts its annual Snowbowl Cup gelande Championships. Daredevils on alpine skis fly between two cliffs onto a narrow drop above the grizzly lift, some catching more than 200 feet of air. With a prize purse of over $8,000 it attracts the best around the u.S. While in the area check out the Travelers’ rest Preservation and heritage association’s Winter Storytelling Series. The evening of Feb. 22 features Phillip Burgis, a poet from uM. www.montanas-nowbowl.com or www.travelersrest.org

MagniFicently Merry Marchsaturday, March 1 FroM 5:30 p.M. to 8:30 p.M.:

a benefit for the heart of the Valley animal Shelter, the 10th annual Snowshoe Shuffle. The torch-lit snowshoe hike heads up the slopes of Big Sky resort, both owners and their beloved pooches partake in the outing followed by a chili dinner, music and raffle. www.bigskyresort.com

saturday, March 8: Cowboy up! it’s time for the Mon-tana Snowrodeo at the great Divide ski area. Professional rodeo folks from the u.S. and Canada compete on skis, but i’m not sure you’d call it skiing. These folks are mighty comfortable on a 2000-pound bull but not so much on two skinny sticks. While they’re

busy navigating obstacles and roping fake cattle on their downhill course you get to eat barbeque, listen to country music, and put a few runs in yourself. www.skigd.com

sunday, March 9: lone Mountain ranch hosts the glide and gorge. Skate, classic or snowshoe your way through a bevy of gourmet appetizers, entrees, and des-serts all made from scratch in its well-known and respected kitchen. This event is a great way to explore the ranch’s spec-tacular cross-country trail system, which boasts more than 85k of groomed skiing. www.lonemountainranch.com

March is the perfect month to book a backcountry ski adventure into the grand Canyon of the yellowstone with yellowstone Expeditions. Book your trip before the second Sunday of March, when the camp shuts down for the season. With a 1:4 guide to guest ratio your sure to get the most out of your yellowstone experience. Each guest or family lodges in individual mini-yurts. There’s also a shower yurt and ‘spa yurt’ (sauna), while all meals and get-togethers take place in the main dining yurt. lots of wildlife viewing, moonlight ski adventures on the rim of the grand Canyon, and a chance to experience the beauty and solitude of yellowstone in the winter. not to be missed. www.www.yellowstoneexpedi-tions.com

arctic aprilThe last couple of the weeks of the season leave many

searching high and higher to eke out the last of winter’s magical moments. if you haven’t been to Fawn Pass or Bighorn Pass this winter now is definitely the time to do so. Crust cruising is a stand-a-lone experience and one that should be added to any snow-sport schedule. Don’t ask, just do. now that you’re ready, what are you waiting for? grab the gear and go—winter won’t be passing you by. t

kaT grEEn/PhOTO

T.j. CraWFOrD

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an unfortunately large segment of the skiing com-munity can relate quite well to the following story. Cruising down a run toward the end of the day you spot a small riser, the kind you have been hitting all sea-son. a quick check to make sure the zone is clear, then hit it, nice hop. nothing flashy but then the landing, flat. POP. One knee doesn’t feel quite right but not horrible, Skis put back on, time to cruise down, meet up with the family. First turn to the left, Ok. next turn to the right, wipeout. next try, same result. 15 minutes later, an evaluation, followed by a toboggan ride down by ski patrol. By the time you are in the first aid room, that knee looks remarkably like the basketball you saw on TV the night before and you are struggling to walk. not good, you have just popped your aCl.

across the u.S., thousands of skiers and a lesser number of boarders tear their aCls (anterior cruciate ligament) on the slopes. it is such a common occurrence that on a recent work trip to Beaver Creek, i heard the patrollers refer to it as aFk (another F knee). The classic story is a missed jump or turn, a crash and a pop. Typically the skier is unable to continue and has significant swelling inside the knee joint with the first 24 hours. These injuries often occur later in the day when legs are tired and muscles are no longer in a good position to pick up the slack. The question is, what hap-pens next?

The first step in treatment is diagnosis. Sometimes the knee will hurt enough that care is sought in the emergency department of a hospital or in one of the area urgent cares. in such settings more significant inju-ries (fractures, multiple ligament injuries) can be ruled out and the diagnosis of an aCl injury may be made. Often evaluation is deferred until an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon can be made. in clinic, the diagnosis of an aCl injury is usually pretty straight forward and can be made based on history, negative radiographs (x-rays) and a careful exam. an Mri can be helpful for difficult exams or in the case of multiple liga-ments being injured.

Once the diagnosis is made, treatment can begin. For all comers, initial treatment is ice, rest and to regain mo-tion. neither operative nor non-operative treatments are likely to be successful until motion is symmetric with the other knee, a process that often takes 1-2 weeks. This process can often be facilitated by working with an experienced physical therapist. When symmet-ric motion has been obtained, the patient is then faced with the first big question, operative or non-operative management.

aCl reconstructions have not been shown to pre-vent arthritis, so the best argument for surgery is that with a good result, a patient will be more likely to get back to their previous level of activity. With non-opera-tive care, a patient tries to strengthen their leg muscles to compensate for the missing aCl, sometimes in con-junction with an aCl brace. Successful non-operative patients often restrict their activities and avoid high-risk

sports (football, soccer, basketball and aggressive skiing). The advantage of non-operative care is an earlier return to some ac-tivities, avoiding potential surgical complica-tions and the cost of surgery. although there is certainly a meaningful up front cost to aCl reconstruction, a recent analysis showed the lifetime cost of aCl reconstruction of $38,121 versus $88,538 for lifetime costs associated with non-operative treatment. Often, an orthopedic surgeon can help determine if operative or non-operative treatment is best for you. One of my favorite patients was a man in his late 30s who popped his aCl ski-ing for the very first time. his stated goal was

to be able to sit on a bar stool, drink beer and watch golf on TV. Despite the long odds, we were able to get him back without surgical intervention.

if a surgical option is chosen, the next decision point is timing. Once symmetric motion has been achieved, surgery is more of an elective issue. although pro-longed non-operative care may result in further dam-age to the knee (typically cartilage and meniscal inju-ries), there is no medical rush to proceed with surgery. The typical return to all activities after aCl reconstruc-tion is 6-9 months so rarely does a week or three delay make a large difference. in general, it is reasonable to wait until a convenient time (school breaks, slow work times, after the honeymoon) to proceed with surgery.

unfortunately, it is typically not possible to repair the native aCl and thus a reconstruction is the treatment of choice. This involves using some other tissue to recon-struct the aCl. although in Europe an artificial ligament (larS) may be used, it is not currently approved for use in the uS. Similarly while quad tendon grafts are often used in Europe, they are decidedly uncommon in the uS for primary reconstructions. in the u.S., reconstruc-tions are done using autograft (patient’s own tissue) or allograft (cadaver or donor tissue)

The gold standard for aCl reconstructions in the uS has long been the patella tendon autograft. This involves harvesting the central 1/3 of the patella tendon along with bone plugs from the patella (knee cap) and tibia (shin bone) and using this tissue to make a new aCl. This technique has the lowest failure rate

By dr. alex legrand

Feeling weak in the kneeTreatment options abound for skiers, snowboarders who suffer knee injuries

but is accompanied by a higher rate of anterior knee pain with kneeling. in addition, this technique is more technically demanding and the post-operative therapy is even more essential than usual to reduce long-term complications. if the decision is made to use a patella tendon autograft, using an experienced surgeon and therapy team is important.

hamstring autograft has become one of the most com-mon ways to reconstruct the aCl in the u.S. it involves harvesting two of the hamstring tendons and using them to make a new aCl. although historically this has shown a higher failure rate than patella tendon grafts, more current studies suggest the failure rate may be about the same. Drawbacks of this graft type include permanent hamstring weakness (3-33 percent depending on the study) and in-consistency on graft size (tendon size varies and may be too small for a good aCl result).

The final way to reconstruct the aCl in the uS is with allograft. This option can be quite attractive in that there is no harm to the patient from taking tissue. There are several studies however that suggest a higher failure rate in allograft reconstructions in patients younger than 30 or 40. For that reason, in uncomplicated cases, allograft is probably best suited to older patients desiring aCl reconstruction.

This article is meant to provide an overview of aCl treat-ment and should in no way take the place of a meaningful discussion between the patient with an aCl tear and their orthopedic surgeon. Treatment is typically individualized to the situation and your surgeon can best guide you through the decision making of operative versus non-operative treat-ment, timing of possible surgery and graft choice. t

Dr. LeGrand is a board certified fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine. He is Assistant Director of the Montana State University Athletic Department and is a US Ski Team Physician.

CARVEyo u r g u i d e to s o u t h w e s t m o n ta n a s k i i n g a n d s n ow B oa r d i n g

Carve is published monthly from December to March by Big Sky Publishing.

For advertising inFormation contact the Bozeman Daily Chronicle at 587-4491.

editorial submissions can be submitted to Chris kerr

at 582-2643 or carve@dailychronicle.com

editor/design Chris kerr

Contributing writers Doug Chabot, Terry Cunningham, Sean Forbes, kim ibes, karin kirk,

Dr. alex legrand

10 Big Sky PuBliShing, january 17, 2014 CARVE

ClassiC line

s

Buck’s RunBridger Bowl’s Alpine AreA

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upper portion of Buck’s.

a young skier takes the forested trail to Buck’s run.

Eventually all good things, powder days included,

must come to an end. For Bridger Bowl skiers and snowboarders, there’s no better way to finish off a great day then with a trip off the beaten path down Buck’s run.

This last-call classic is named after Buck ander-son, the former owner of the Bridger Canyon Stal-lion Station, said Doug Wales, Bridger Bowl’s director of marketing. anderson, who passed away about two years ago, was a long-time sup-porter of Bridger Bowl and the Bridger Ski Club.

riders of all ages looking for one last hurrah won’t be disap-pointed after hitting the varied terrain on Buck’s. The run begins in an open meadow — at the future site of the alpine Cabin — then quickly traverses through forested hills before topping out on a nicely pitched open slope. From here, riders can snag 15-20 more turns before officially calling it a powder day. t

a skier blasts through the fresh snow on Buck’s run at Bridger Bowl on jan. 9.

length: ABout 15-20 powdery turnsTExT anD PhoToS By chris kerr

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