September Skiing on Mt. Timpanogos
September 25th, 2005
12 months of skiing: Finale on Mt. Timpanogos.
The idea has been in the back of my head
for years. A handful of summers I even gave a it a half assed
attempt, yet failed miserably. But this year, I finally pulled it together
and skied 12 months in a row.
Foothill breaks for a minute of fall leaf therapy.
Kulio wondering why she didn't sleep in.
Since we hit the trail at 11:15 am it made for a brutal early morning.
Oh, blessed snow patch! We weren't planning on
seeing snow here. But when we did it meant that we'd be cutting our
massive planned dry land approach and descent in half. It's between
Wooly Hole and the Giant Staircase drainage, but since it saved us over
3 hrs. of hiking, I think it should be called "Cheater Patch Basin".
Kulio on the stair master, American Fork drainage
in the background. Strange to be skiing with so many fall colors out,
summer conditions, and a breeze cold enough to feel like a winters day...
To someone used to wearing shorts, anyway...
Powder Porpoise leads Foothill up the super smooth,
dirt & rock free corn snow.
Kulio leads Powder Porpoise down the super smooth,
dirt & rock free corn snow.
Kulio and Foothill bask in the post September
skiing glory.
We skied 3 runs on the rock studded snow patch, favoring
a partly white section that provided about 400 vertical feet of land
mine hopping action. At the end of the third run I
took my skis off for the last time of "the year". I was tired.
Switching back to running shoes and stowing my boots was difficult. The
energy dropped, but the euphoria rose. 12 months. Hundreds of different
lines. Dozens of quality accomplices. A handful of different mountain
ranges. And countless people wondering why I was hiking with skis on
my back in the middle of the summer.
But I felt justified. Each experience was self powered,
self plotted, and unique. I had never really thought beyond the sillyness
of the task, but upon it's completion, I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment.
The hike from 9,000 ft. back to the trailhead seemed
effortless, as if the whole year was one huge hike, one 100,000 vertical
trek, and now I had just one last mile to go. I floated down, hands in
pockets, soaring over the rocky switchbacks and open meadows, my pack
incredibly light, my stride long. It was a questionable journey that
I had first dreamed of over a decade ago, and I'd finally finished it.
I was satisified. Righteous. Ready to gloat.
At home, I walked into the kitchen like an olympian, arms reaching for
the ceiling, shredded, dirt caked skis in one hand, filthy,
tattered backpack in the other. I might have said something like "I
am a year round skiing stud" or some other mantra to that effect.
My roomate was obviously impressed, though I don't think his eyes left
the computer.
I checked my voice mail. First message was from Powder
Princess, eagerly requesting a full report on the trip. It was sad that
she couldn't have been there, but excellent to hear her support and excitement.
Second message was The Swindler. He had called at 11:00 AM saying, "well,
I figured that you'd given up on your totally lame ski adventure by now
and would probably be up for a bike ride. Call me. "
I fell asleep laughing.
Interested in skiing every month of the year?
It's easy and it's hard. I'd say that the crux month is probably june
or july. That's when it's easiest to loose your momentum and get caught
up in summer diversions. Kayaking, biking, running, motorcycling, long
games of chess at the coffee shop: compared to skiing, these pursuits
are dangerous and downright distracting.
But, if you can manage to break the spell of
summer, as well as ignore your jeering friends, you'll find
skiing in June and July to be one of
the most summery things you can do. Then in August and September you'll
find that your previous months investments of effort and ego can easily
carry you the rest of the way through the year, to complete stardom,
and beyond.
For more info, check out this freaky year round forum
based out of the PNW:
Turns-All-Year
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© 2008 foothillfreak : : Go with da fro : :