backcountry skiing with the foothill freak

 

Toledo Bowl Solo

May 14th, 2005

The one and only May tour

Well, this time of year it always get's harder and harder to find folks to ski with, so today I headed out with only me, myself and the freak.

But I wasn't alone. I saw this marvelous moth on the way up. It had died, and as the sun heated up it's carcass it melted itself into a deep snow pocket. It seemed so spectacular and unique that I took a picture. Then I started to notice them all over the place and it didn't seem so special anymore...

I wasn't alone on the way down either. There were tons of chimpmunks that would pop out of the snow like ground hogs and scurry about when they saw me coming. I couldn't help myself so I decided to chase a few, though their short legs were hardly a match for me + gravity + fast corn. I chased one for about 5 turns until I had to choose between making tighter turns, running him over, or going a different direction entirely. Of course, making tighter turns really wasn't an option...

I was chasing another critter and when I was about 3 feet away, he dove into a hole, completely vanishing. I hope he was having as much fun as I was. I suppose this was my way to get back at nature for the grouse attacks I suffered through last year...


Moth in his snow grave. Natures open casket.