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| No hiking at all for me today |
It was like Christmas Eve last night and I was the six year old child trying to keep my eyes squeezed shut long enough for the early signs of dawn when I could jump out of bed and race to my... computer. Yes, this is what I have been reduced to- a spectator of the ski season beginning. All the wonderfulness of winter begins today in Utah with my beloved Big Cottonwood Canyon resorts in the lead. My own dear Solitude resort opened with three lifts. Three! Yet, here I dejectedly sit, about as far as you can get from participating from this yearly celebration. As I write this, I stare out on a vista of palms and a slow, winding river filled with gators. I'm in Florida, kids. Feel my pain.
Usually I love being home. I grab the old canoe, paddle around the herons, egrets and manatees and explore the channels cut through the swamp by the Army Corps of Engineers to control the swarms of mosquitos that once plagued the area. I can be at the beach within 7 minutes and practicing my sand castle building skills. But to be here on the one day that marks the beginning of the best time of year? That's torture.I've already pored over photos from last winter, stalked the Solitude Facebook page, and dug deep into the Twitter feeds from both resorts. Now all I can do is sit, and wait, for Utah to wake up, get their freshly tuned skis and boards loaded into their Subarus and hit the snow so I can live vicariously through my fellow (but much more luckily situated) snow enthusiasts.
Good readers, won't you please have some pity? This troubled heart needs compassion and it can only come in the form of you telling me details of your day. Photos, tweets, updates on Facebook- whatever. Yes, I actually want to hear how much fun you are having. Chalk it up as doing your good deed for the day- you'll be lifting the spirits of one who lives for snow but is stuck with sand.
All my thanks in advance. Now go make some turns.
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| photos included in this post are from my blissful days last season at Solitude. Ah. Pass a tissue, please. |
I spent the weekend in Big Cottonwood for my birthday last week. We went to Brighton and did a few runs that we hiked up to, and then busted out the sleds.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a great year.
Happy birthday, Colt! That sounds like the best way possible to spend a birthday. Did you get any photos? Are you skiing/riding today?
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, I really do. Growing up in Maine, I've been a skier pretty much all my life. What now seems like just a short 5 years ago, I was introduced to skiing out west with a trip to Big Sky, Montana. That was it, I was forever spoiled and skiing on the east no longer held the appeal it once did. Upon my return I immediately started looking for jobs in Montana, but the engineering job market would prove far too dry so I gave up and stayed in Maine for another year.
ReplyDeleteWhen winter of 2009 rolled around, my best friend and I decided to forgo Montana and give Utah a try. That was probably one of the best ski related decisions of my life. Questions formed in my mind; How had I never been here before? Why had I never been told about what an absolute skiing mecca this place was?
I still remember our 4th day there as if it was yesterday. I read on skiutah.com that morning that Snowbasin had received 36+ inches over the previous 24 hours. Needless to say, we went to Snowbasin that day. Never in my life had I seen that much fresh snow, so I went straight to the rental counter and took out some demo powder skis and proceeded to have one of my most memorable days of skiing. I believe it was that day, where Montana became a distant memory and a life in Utah emerged the new aspiration.
Unfortunately, within a couple months of my return to Maine, my employer started suffering the seemingly inevitable effects of the down economy. I found myself scrambling with what to do so that I wouldn't end up like so many others who were laid off. I ended up reconnecting with a former employer and soon I was off to live and work about 45 minutes north of New York City.
Friends and family in Maine would tell me that I would, at least, still be within driving distance to some good ski mountains. People I would meet here in NY, once they found out I loved to ski, would excitedly ask me if I've been to this mountain or that mountain. In typical NY fashion, they would exclaim to me how great they are, how big they are, and how challenging they are. You see, to a New Yorker, 800 vertical feet is a huge mountain, where to people like you and I, its really just a molehill. So most of the time I just don't have the heart to tell them that they have no clue what they are talking about, so I just smile and nod.
Since 2009 I have made 5 trips to Utah and have skied Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, The Canyons, Deer Valley, Snowbird, Alta, and Brighton. Every single trip has been outstanding, and every time I'm there I'm blessed with endless dumpings of the greatest snow I've ever seen.
Since 2009 I have also applied to and endless number jobs in Utah, and have been lucky enough to have had a multitude of interviews. Most were over the phone, but some were actually in person. It seems that this wretched economy is to blame though, as every failed interview is because companies don't want to take a risk by hiring someone from clear across the country, and instead hire someone that was local. I cant blame them really, but it still leaves me here in NY, everyday dreaming of living the good life in Utah.
Wow, Shane- you probably have more pain then I do as I can return to Utah to live full-time.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about just taking the plunge into the unknown, saving up money and moving out to Utah with no job? That's what I did and also what a few friends of mine have done. They have landed jobs within the first month that way. I know it's scary, but... maybe it's the way to go.
I have family in Maine. Where did you ski? And I'm going to do the east coast thing and ask if you have skied Jay Peak. I have heard it's the best in the east.
But nothing compares to my lovely Utah. :)
Haha, well I thought long and hard about that for a while, but with bills and all, I really couldn't have afforded to move out without a job. I also left out quite a bit of the story in favor of not writing a complete novel/biography on your blog. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe last year has brought a lot of surprises and the latest is that my fiance and I are expecting our first little skier. With that said, moving without a job is completely off the table at this point. I think for at least the next several years we're going to just settle down and do the best we can. I'm just thankful that she fully understands my obsession and enjoys it too, so until the day comes, we'll just be enjoying our skiing one week and one plane flight at a time.
I'm picking up some snowshoes this weekend. For some weird reason, I've NEVER been snowshoeing. Trail running - check. Skiing - check. Snowboarding - check. Mountain biking, climbing, etc - check. But never snowshoeing. I know it's not skiing, but don't worry, I'll be doing plenty of that too. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Shane! That's awesome. And that makes sense. Family is first, even before skiing.
ReplyDeleteSo... Jay Peak?
Thanks! I'm pretty excited about the addition of our little skier. I know I shouldn't wish away the early years, but I cant wait until I can start teaching the wee baby how to ski and play other sports like hockey.
ReplyDeleteAs for mountains that I've skied out east, its been Gore and Whiteface in NY, Jiminy Peak in Mass, Sunday River in Maine, and Okemo in Vermont. So yeah, never had the opportunity to ski Jay, although I do hear its nice.
Haha, on a side note, I just looked up how far that is from me. It would take roughly 6-7 hours drive time. I could drive to JFK, and fly to Utah in less time...
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ReplyDeleteKiley- where are you skiing this year? Let's make some turns!
ReplyDeleteAnd congratulations on the snowshoes! Break 'em in... Solitude has a snowshoe race they did last season. I might make you join this year's with me. :)
And Shayne, that is far. I guess that would mean you're making the trip to Utah!
I didn't get a pass this year, so I'll be a roamer. I've got my pass to The Canyons from the Warren Miller movie, so I'll go there at least once. Otherwise, I'll probably just roam. How about you? Solitude? I heard about the snowshoe race(s). That is actually what finally tipped the scale for me and made me decide it was time to give it a try. Do you know when the Solitude race is this year?
ReplyDeleteLook, even some of us in Utah are unable to get out on the mountain, and those that have managed to return with mixed reviews; on the one hand, the were skiing/snowboarding, on the other hand, they did a lot of dirt riding too, and many came away with core shots.
ReplyDeleteBide your time, lady, and keep your chin up. The season isn't going anywhere. In fact, it hasn't even fully arrived.