Our ski year came to an abrupt halt this year. I don’t think anyone was ready to be done. I know I felt like the better half of the season was yet to come. In the PNW, the season can be amazing thru late April; sometimes longer. We didn’t get any of those late light spring days, didn’t get to have our end of year rituals. It was just done.
But.
We had some great days, some great snows, some great turns. I’m trying to focus on these, rather than the loss. I’m trying to put a limit on my pity party. So in that spirit here are my gratitudes for the season:
I’m grateful we had our health and could ski. Hubs had been pending a new hip for awhile. We postponed once due to some other health issues he had, but it was clear at the end of last season that it had to happen. He was barely making 1/2 dozens runs in increasing agony. We’d already given up on hiking, or even walking really. Old hip traded in for new model last June. Couple days prior, I managed to slip while crossing a creek hiking and broke my wrist. Jeez. So we went from being the dynamic duo to the disable duo. And we managed to have a great year despite all that. Hubs got 45 days or so as an employee at the Pass, and we had some excellent days, skiing strong and happy!
I’m grateful I got out on my fatty skis at least 3 times and had a blast in the snow! We got off to a slow snow start, then rain, then too much snow. Like 7ft in that many days. When the road re-opened after a protracted closure, it was awesome!! I’ve come to love my atomic century skis that I bought on CL. The girl I bought them from had set them up for AT, w/skins and backcountry bindings. I HATED those bindings- way too high, just all wrong. Traded the bindings for a resort set up and gave the skins to my niece to use on her kiddos skis on Mt Rainier. And now I love them. Like a hot knife thru butter. SO fun!
I’m grateful I had an inkling it might all end prematurely. I’m a nurse and could feel this coming. Additionally since hubs works on the mtn, I’d heard rumblings. I skied that last day like it might be my last day. I did more runs, felt things more deeply, and did my last run multi-pause lookie loo look around. It was my favorite kind of day too: snowy, blowy, stormy, cold. Hubs had to go in for an extra layer, and I just kept going. Did not wanna stop. SO good.
I’m grateful I even got to use my bday splurge new mittens. I’d seen the Astis mittens on this site and was captivated. I happened to run into a woman wearing them this year in the lift line, and quizzed her while admiring them. Hubs was not impressed, but I went ahead and got a pair and Oh.My.God. those things are insanely warm and SO beautiful and fun. I got about a zillion compliments and questions that day. I won’t be able to wear them when it’s 25F or warmer, but I’m so excited to have warm hands and such unique mittens!!! Since my bday is early March, I was just able to wear them that one last day, and how lucky is that?
I’m grateful we did shut down the areas to protect the employees and skiers. Some of those lift line photos were insane! It had to happen. And while we are all missing our turns, the mountains remain. We’ll have more turns. And it’ll be great!
Anybody else?
But.
We had some great days, some great snows, some great turns. I’m trying to focus on these, rather than the loss. I’m trying to put a limit on my pity party. So in that spirit here are my gratitudes for the season:
I’m grateful we had our health and could ski. Hubs had been pending a new hip for awhile. We postponed once due to some other health issues he had, but it was clear at the end of last season that it had to happen. He was barely making 1/2 dozens runs in increasing agony. We’d already given up on hiking, or even walking really. Old hip traded in for new model last June. Couple days prior, I managed to slip while crossing a creek hiking and broke my wrist. Jeez. So we went from being the dynamic duo to the disable duo. And we managed to have a great year despite all that. Hubs got 45 days or so as an employee at the Pass, and we had some excellent days, skiing strong and happy!
I’m grateful I got out on my fatty skis at least 3 times and had a blast in the snow! We got off to a slow snow start, then rain, then too much snow. Like 7ft in that many days. When the road re-opened after a protracted closure, it was awesome!! I’ve come to love my atomic century skis that I bought on CL. The girl I bought them from had set them up for AT, w/skins and backcountry bindings. I HATED those bindings- way too high, just all wrong. Traded the bindings for a resort set up and gave the skins to my niece to use on her kiddos skis on Mt Rainier. And now I love them. Like a hot knife thru butter. SO fun!
I’m grateful I had an inkling it might all end prematurely. I’m a nurse and could feel this coming. Additionally since hubs works on the mtn, I’d heard rumblings. I skied that last day like it might be my last day. I did more runs, felt things more deeply, and did my last run multi-pause lookie loo look around. It was my favorite kind of day too: snowy, blowy, stormy, cold. Hubs had to go in for an extra layer, and I just kept going. Did not wanna stop. SO good.
I’m grateful I even got to use my bday splurge new mittens. I’d seen the Astis mittens on this site and was captivated. I happened to run into a woman wearing them this year in the lift line, and quizzed her while admiring them. Hubs was not impressed, but I went ahead and got a pair and Oh.My.God. those things are insanely warm and SO beautiful and fun. I got about a zillion compliments and questions that day. I won’t be able to wear them when it’s 25F or warmer, but I’m so excited to have warm hands and such unique mittens!!! Since my bday is early March, I was just able to wear them that one last day, and how lucky is that?
I’m grateful we did shut down the areas to protect the employees and skiers. Some of those lift line photos were insane! It had to happen. And while we are all missing our turns, the mountains remain. We’ll have more turns. And it’ll be great!
Anybody else?