I Heart Spring Skiing

Here in Portland, spring has arrived in a big way.  Flowers are emerging from the ground in colorful bursts, birds are singing, frogs croaking, trees exploding in blossoms everywhere.  Rain continues to fall (but it's much warmer).  And I'm still skiing.


Size matters!  Click on any photo to enjoy a larger version.

Yep, it's definitely spring in Portland

It's a weird feeling to be packing up to go skiing when the air outside is balmy.  To hear singing birds and see blooming trees as you're loading up the skis.  To be leaving your house in daylight.  To go from this colorful scene in my backyard......

Not spring

To this.  All white all the time.

I'm lovin' this endless winter

Despite the lure of warm weather at home, I love spring skiing.  The snow is plentiful, the crowds are nil, and the weather usually sunny.  No need to bundle up against blowing snow and cold.  And skiing snow that has been thawed by the sun is the best (after fresh powder of course!)

Looks more like January, doesn't it?

Katie (one of the tele-ladies) and I have spent the last two Fridays up on the mountain, enjoying some turns in the springlike conditions.

Mt. Jefferson is easy to spot

It's great to able to see the adjacent mountains and forests from high up on Mt Hood Meadows' slopes.

Katie and I enjoying the fabulous view

To see clearly the snow-capped top of Hood against a brilliant blue sky. 

Hooray for spring skiing!

And to make turns through buttery, sun-softened, corn snow.

No shortage of snow here

While other parts of the US have been suffering from low snow this year, the Cascades have enjoyed a banner spring.  This photo was taken last Friday.  Yes, there's still huge mounds of snow on the ground, and piled up around the lodge.  Meadows reported a 170-inch base that day.

Perfect turns on hero snow (Photo by Grant Myrdal)

I've had bad luck with my cameras.  The first Friday Katie and I skied, my little pocket camera broke.  The following Friday, I dug out my old back-up camera.  I managed to get off one shot before the battery died! 

Gettin' closer (Photo by Grant Myrdal)

So I had to rely on my buddy, photographer Grant for some photos from the day.  As you can see, he came through!

Catch me if you can!  (Photo by Grant Myrdal)

I love seeing photos of myself making tele-turns.  And I think I've improved over the season.  Just in time to fully reap the benefits of spring skiing.