So Erin and I took a trip to Utah for my spring break last week, and I was able to get in a couple of days of skiing at Snowbird. Monday, 3/31/08, will go down in my personal history as one of the most amazing ski days of my entire life. Let me tell you about it...
That morning, I woke up and checked the ski report: the 'Bird had gotten over 12" overnight. At one point, it was snowing 4" an hour...in other words, HEAVY. Erin wasn't feeling well and my bros had to work, so I headed up by myself. I headed up to the canyon and parked in the first entrance. I jumped out of the car and headed straight to the top of Little Cloud, getting to the top around 9:30 or so. Just then, I saw a couple of ski patrollers dropping the ropes on Mineral Basin. I thought I was dreaming: there I stood, at the top of Mineral Basin, with not a single track in front of me. I dropped right off the top. After getting the easy first tracks at the top of Mineral, I worked the lines off of Powder Paradise at the far end.
Just as I was headed over to get another run in at Powder Paradise, the patrol dropped the ropes on Bookends, at the extreme far end of Mineral. I couldn't believe it. I was about the 4th or 5th person in there; it gets really deep over there because of how it faces and because of how the mountain is shaped. You really have to work for those turns--the traverse is pretty long and so it keeps the faint of heart out. The snow was amazing.
After a few runs in the Bookends I was getting sick of the long traverse and Mineral was pretty much tracked out, and figured I'd go check out the Cirque. Just as I got to the top of Mineral, though, the patrol dropped the ropes on Little Cloud bowl. I knew then I HAD to be dreaming...it was too perfect. I made a bee line for the traverse and dropped in right off the top--first tracks AGAIN.
After that first run, I got in a few more laps in the bowl underneath the Sisters and didn't cross another track--all I had to do was go a few more feet on the traverse and I'd have fresh pow in front of me.
My legs finally gave out around 2:30. I knew it was time to go when I was cruising down Big Emma after grabbing a quick, late lunch and my right leg cramped up and wouldn't move. Living in the Midwest has made me soft, I guess.
About the pics: I just happened to be in a few of the same areas that the Snowbird Action Powder Shots photo people were working in, and I pulled these off their website. They can't expect me to pay $19.95 for a 5x7 when I can take these low-quality jpegs off the website for free...
Yes Erin is preggers. As of today, she is 12 weeks. The baby is due Oct 16th. So exciting! We're still going to London this summer. We just can't go to any cow farms.
