From Whistler to Snowbird — we've worked our way from the Canadian Freeskiing Championships in the Coast Range of British Columbia to the US Freeskiing Nationals here in the Rockies. Lungs, wake up! After a few days of being here, I've stopped craving oxygen and started craving a good, robust beer instead of the standard Utah 3.2. I guess it's all about give and take, because sometimes you have to sacrifice in order to gain.

But secretly I'm actually thankful for the 3.2 beer. In Utah's Wasatch Mountains, with a base at around 8,000 feet, 10 sips of a regular, full-strength microbrew would kick my butt. I'll go so far as to admit it, in spite of the heckling that will surely follow, I love 3.2.

I've read there's 25 percent less oxygen over 8000 feet, but after you get used to it, and drink TONS of water, it feels great to be high.

The shot you see here is looking across Little Cottonwood Canyon at the ski trails on Snowbird across the canyon from Mt. Superior. In the foreground you can see the ridge flanking Mt. Superior. Before the freeskiing competition started, we were fortunate enough to hook up with the "Dawn Patrol," and lucky enough not to oversleep as we had a 5am start from Our Lady of the Snow church for a sunrise hike up the ridge (stay tuned for upcoming video in the Thin White Lines column).

There is so much happening here this week at Snowbird. The US Freeskiing Nationals start Wednesday, Jan. 24 after two-day qualifiers on Sunday and Monday. Finals should happen Thursday, Jan 25. If a weather day is needed, organizers will use Friday, Jan 26. as an extra competition day. Our coverage will continue with the Red Bull Huckfest on Sunday, Jan. 28th.

— Michelle Quigley Pearson, MountainZone.com Staff