First ski trip of 2009

A year ago, I’d just met Heather, who over the last year has become my treasured newest real friend.  We are very different but she cracks me up and I occasionally scandalize her, so it works out! 

She and hubby Brad were heading to Park City and had others bag on a joint trip, and I had an unused ticket…so, voila, I had the pleasure of a brief adult ski trip last week. 

Upon my arrival, I was thrilled to see snow everywhere from the foothills upward.   The last two times I was in the area for skiing, there was little snow EXCEPT on the mountains, due to the lateness of the season.  Now, arriving Jan. 31, there was ample snow (although the locals eschew skiing on days other than powder days)—HA!  More for me.

I’d reminded these serious skiers (Heather from many years living in Utah and Colorado, Brad from growing up in Colorado) that I was a week-a-year intermediate skier, albeit one who likes to go fast.   Despite this, we ascended the mountain together and I trusted them to navigate.  Right after lunch on day 1, we were on a steep mogul hill where the bumps were “soft” not too icy, and I got down about 1/2 way before losing my balance and sitting down.  Due to the slope, I merely put out my arm and got back up.  Sadly, at the 2/3rds down area, I got my weight well behind my boots on an icy left turn around a bump and couldn’t recover—I had a spectacular, cartwheeling, head over heels, skis and poles flying FALL.   Sadly, nobody caught it on tape.  My breath was knocked out for a bit, just long enough for mountain goat-footed Brad to RUN up the hill to retrieve an errant ski—I was very grateful, because it would have taken me another 30 minutes!  I was ok, but all pride was gone…. once I found my footing, I was able to ski away just fine, and I had to hold the line more carefully for the rest of the trip–blue groomers, please!!!! 

Still, I somehow got off a green trail, on which I was flying, hit a jump I didn’t see, and took another, but less interesting fall the third day.  I got up fine, but was sweaty and out of breath, especially when I saw the cliff looming below.  Somehow we lost the actual trail and were skiing over bushes, trees, moderate sized bumps, and grass, with me in a panicky third, sure I could not, would not, should not take that jump.   I yelled down to my more skilled companions to find me a path, and they did–a tiny, narrow crevasse-crossing bridge of snow that would require impeccable turning.  I had to hike up to get the right line, but in the end, I did it, and I think Brad captured it on video, upload to follow soon I hope! 

You can see photos of the trip on the Flickr photostream on the side of the page.  Big fun was had, including the skiing (2 days at Park City, 1 at the Canyons) and nights out at the Deer Valley Seafood extravaganza–you can’t really call this gourmet level food a buffet–stops at several bars, and breakfast my last morning at the best diner in town, featuring a harrassed waitress whom we treated well.  Oh, and a fantastic “Spanish” (more like mexican) omelette for me….

I got back too late to make any evening plans then have jumped into a couple straight days of serious work.   All in time for one more week of work before your intrepid adventure girl lights out on her second ski trip–accompanied by two young men.  More to come, certainly!