Skiing On My Mind

Just recalling my first snow storm in Alta. This was a storm I will never forget.
It was early November. My friend Nick and I headed out to the Peruvian Lodge, for my first season out West, as soon as they would take us. There was not much work to do yet at the lodge, but we were anxious for the season.
1 week passed. Then 2 weeks…..then 3. NO SNOW. Nothing. By this time most of the employees had arrived at the lodge for the season, but there was no real work to do as the mountain had not opened yet.
By this time we were going a bit stir crazy. We were about out of money, and our friends back East kept calling to tell us how good the skiing was at Killington. I was really getting nervous that Utah was not going to get any snow that Winter.
Turned out there was no reason for me to be worried. I still remember the morning that I woke up and looked out the window, only to see car antenna’s. This was because all of the cars were buried in snow. Deep, White, Fluffy, Goodness!! This storm, my first Utah snowstorm dumped 100 inches in 100 hours!!!! Unbelievable. From that day on, I never doubted the snowfall in Alta again. Alta delivers.
What a start to one of the most memorable ski seasons of my life. It doesn’t get much better then that. Needles to say our friends back East, skiing Killington got a call that night. They moved to Alta the following Winter.

What is it about the first snow of the season that gets me so pumped up. It is such a big day. It officially means that Winter is knocking. It is like the first significant milestone of the season.
For many years I made it tradition to always put my ski rack back on at the first site of snow (even if it was September). The old Mercury Topaz always did look a lot better with a ski rack on her.  :)

I have a truck now, so I didn’t have to put the ski rack on today after I saw the first snow of the season.  I was on the annual fall foliage mountain bike ride up to the top of Killington with a good crew of friends and acquaintances. We knew it was going to be questionable weather, but frankly did not expect snow. This crew of riders was also a bunch of skiers, so even though our extremities may have been numb, it was hard not to crack a smile and a little shout as the first white stuff of the season came down.

Time to put the ice scraper back in the car, pre-cut your kindling, and book your trip to Utah, because it’s gonna be a BIG Winter!!!