Winter Break from Summer Temps

At last! An early winter break from the weeks-long summer-like temps in California. And just in time. Too much sun, too much warmth and not enough spring-like clothing packed into my duffel bags. I'm sorry, but it was starting to border on depressing. Seriously. Winter is for winter stuff. Cold, snow, rain, fog, ice, coats, mittens, boots.

(courtesy of sfist.com)

So a quick flight on Southwest dropped me into Salt Lake City, into the embrace of my loving Mom and four incredible, hard-charging days at Alta - the last one a gift: bluebird skies, temps in the 20's and 16" of powie spread out across the mountains. Of course Little Cottonwood Canyon was closed for avalanche control putting me on the mountain 2 hours after it opened and some bazillion tracks behind the folks staying slopeside but hey, it was snow, it was new, and it was Alta.

(My ongoing finds of ski-related plates. Dare I get my own?)

What is this attitude you wonder? This is my new, tentative hold on patience. And acceptance. And the fact that I had almost 7 hours of the sweetest ongoing windblown the day before; snow that filled my tracks each time I lapped the High Traverse.

Skied my 3rd and some of the 4th day with 2 stellar telemarkers leaving me with a huge dose of knee-dropping envy. Not that I know the first thing about tele-skiing. One of them was ski patrol - living the younger, more ambitious ski bum version of me (I made it as far as line cook in my heyday) - and the fluidity and athleticism of her turns left me spellbound. It was incredible to watch. I committed her skis to memory - Rossignol S6 Cabaleros - so I could live vicariously, spending a morning back at work tracking down an older model at a discounted price and contemplating the logic of springing for a used set up. Yes, I was clearly still in post-vacation transition from fantasy to reality. But such is the beauty of daydreaming. And a friend who says I can't buy skis until I get an apartment.

Spent a non-skiing day in Park City with my Mom. Caught the aerial competition at Deer Valley and the last skiers in the halfpipe competition at Park City. Wondered again if perhaps my dream of nailing a 360 on my skis might be dead at 44. Walked around in Sorels, in big scarves, in gloves, in winter gear! Saw a moose. Snapped a pic. Little white lights dotted the resorts, lighting up the runs for night skiing, and all the shops along Main Street. It was as if Christmas hadn't quite left Park City. It was winter again! Halle-freaking-llujah.

But all that being said, back in SF a weekend later I was almost equally happy to be out on the trails in shorts and a tee, running around Mt. Tam with my Endurables group. Of course, I was prepared to jet out to Tahoe if there was any new snow. I'm just asking for a little balance, that's all. Maybe some winter stuff every other week. Since I can only knit scarves I have about 30 of them I need to cycle through in order to justify buying the yarn. And I have this giant bag of snow gear that needs some love. And my future tele-mark skis.

(The Endurables post run high)

NOTE: This was composed BEFORE the winds and rains descended this week. And while I'm grateful for the change and the psycho-frenzied weather reports of 2', 4', 5' of snow in the mountains, I'm also praying to the gods of Canadian hockey that my flight for Whistler leaves on time.