Slow Down and Take It All In

The air is warm, the snow is soft, and the sun is coming out. I suppose I could stop there and let you fill in your own adventure on the mountain today, but that just wouldn't be very bloggy. So here's how it skied for me this morning so far:

For my first run on Upper Valley View to See Me (both groomed overnight) the snow had a slightly tacky grip, as when a NASCAR driver's tires have warmed and grab the track just right. It slowed my top-end speed a bit but gave me incredible control for waterski-style turns where I'd lay my skis over and trust my edges. Same on Tornado a few runs later.

[Photo: laying arcs on Tornado]

Next I visited Norther where the sharp, tightly spaced moguls seemed to have been shaped by shorter skis than my old-school throwbacks. But the snow was already soft by 8:30 AM and the run was pretty well covered with very few thin spots. On Triangle 3, under the top of Storm Peak Express I found bumps sized more to my liking and a nice steep pitch so gravity would do the work for me.

[Triangle 3 heading toward the Bar UE double chair]

Next I made a couple laps in Morningside just because the clouds were starting to part and the views were magnificent. Part of skiing Morningside bowl for me is that change of pace: a slower-moving chair, birds everywhere, and breathtaking vistas that force you to slow down and take it all in.

The morning light started a bit flat (one of those days where you want to wear your best eyeballs), but the gauze of clouds seems to be lifting as I write this. Join the sun today and come shine on the mountain.

Cheers,

Greg I. Hamilton, skier, straight talker

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