POWDER Skiing

It's 10pm and while I'm preparing for MAST class, Rich is pacing around the room. Continually looking out the window. And he keeps going outside. What the hell is he doing? I sneak a peak and have to laugh - he's filming the snow fall... taking pictures of it piling up on my car, fence and patio... walking in the snow with a child-like awe. While I'm stoked for him, I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself, but what can I do? I'll just have to ski the afternoon.

Rich is up at a ridiculous hour and having tried unsuccessfully to sleep until 7, I get up and work as he putters around. He heads to the hill (first in line at 8am, he ended up shoveling with the lifties) around the same time Brian, program coordinator of the MAST Program at the College calls to suggest I cancel class. "No one is going to show up..." That's all it takes and within minutes I'm in line at the chair with other keeners (including Brian).

Then it's the line at the Bear Chair, for an hour. It's all worth it though, we slide into Cedar Ridge with the deepest freshies I've had this season. After a few laps, we head to the Timber Chair. Mitchy's delivers, and we arrive at White Pass just as it starts to load. Pretty sweet! We cut the traverse below Knot Chutes to Surprise Trees, then go back for a few laps of Diamond Back into Bootleg Glades. Can't get better than that, so I pack it in and head to work.

8pm and once again it's puking. This time Rich has to work and I get to ski... but he's still more excited than I am! Got to love that. I'm flying solo with just two hours so stick to the comfort of the Old Side and head to the Triple as the Bear isn't loading. Cedar Ridge then PS I Love You, it's pretty good but I know it could be better as the cold temperatures have surely produced Hero Powder.

I'm about to head to the New Side when I see the Bear Chair running and people skiing out of Cascade... Lizard? Next thing you know I'm cutting in the traverse from mid-Sunny Side to Tower 6 and across to Easter! I put in three laps, each line right next to the last and not a person in sight, and yes - the effortless turns and faceshot after faceshot have me feeling like a hero. On my last run I feel like the luckiest hero in the world as a bunch of Fernie peeps are continuing the traverse up and over to the Big Three. En route I pass huge blocks of untouched powder but know euphoria awaits. The perfect way to end the day, thanks Jay Fray and crew!

The snow continues to fall with more terrain opening each day - this is indeed the perfect week leading up to Griz Days!