Storm Skiing

When March rolls around, it's time to start thinking about spring, flowers, hiking, and warmer weather activities, right? 

Nahhhh!!!!

My friends and I battling the blizzard

A recent snowstorm had my friends and I skipping work and heading for the mountain.  Fresh powder in mid March?  Yes please!

Chairlift view

Although I enjoy skiing on sunny spring days, I love powder turns in raging blizzards even more.  Storm skiing days are the best.  First tracks every time!  And here in the PNW, our weather changes so quickly, it can be snowing one day and raining the next.  If you wanna ski the freshies, you gotta act quick.

What we really think about the lift stopping!

Of course storm skiing does have it's challenges.  Visibility can be limited (skiing by Braille anyone?)  And gale-force gusts tend to stop lifts.  It's no fun to sit for several minutes on a motionless chair in the wind.

Fluffy pow covers my skis

But the reward?  Ankle deep fluff that covers your boards!  Such a dream to cruise through.

Winter wonderland

And Christmas-postcard scenes like these can't be beat!

Young enjoys a brief sunbreak

Although the skies continuously dumped the white stuff most of the day, at the bottom of the lowest elevation lift we were treated to a rare brief sunbreak.

Deep pow on Gemini

The day's best run was on Gemini.  It's a trail most folks tend to overlook.  Hidden in a valley, the deep snow tends to collect here.  And boy was it a sweet ride!  So good, we rode the lift back up and did it again.

While other folks are busy tending to gardens, hiking, or enjoying the spring blooms, I'm still in winter mode.  With spring marching forward, powder days like these are becoming fewer and farther between.  But as long as the storms continue to roll over the mountains, I'll be there - skis strapped on.