That point was probably the furthest from skiing, both literally, and metaphorically, Ive ever been.
I wanted to ski so badly, and there was just nothing I could do to make that happen.
But that begs the question, how long of a drive to ski is too long?
Or would I quit and find something else to fill my winters with?
How many hours do you drive to ski?
How many hours would you drive if you had to?
There was very, very little skiing on this trip, but it was still great.
Of course distance isnt the only thing that determines accessibility.
Once I owned my own car, I used to budget out my season.
If I could get five days on the hill it was worth it to buy a season pass.
Anything less and I was better off buying day tickets.
Now day ticket rates are soaring to unbelievable heights at many resorts.
How much would you pay per day of lift-accessed skiing?
Would you still head to the mountains if skiing didnt exist and you had to snowboard?
Or if you were stuck on straight skis?
How much does what youre riding affect how much you want to be out there?
Or maybe more realistically, what about terrain?
Would you ride at a resort without a terrain park, or any interesting natural terrain?
Would you still ski if all that was available were groomers?
Or maybe, the most dire option of all, how much natural snow do you need?
Apparently, for many folks, the answer is none, dry slopes and indoor snow domes are popular.
Or would you quit this sport and find something else that brings you joy?
How long of a lift line is too long?
How crowded would a resort need to get for you to lose interest?
For all you backcountry skiers out there, how much avalanche danger is too much?
How many local fatalities per year would it take to scare you off of the skin track?
At what level would the risks outweigh any desire to earn your turns?
Or for the huckers, are there injuries so big that youd quit the sport?
How long would you have to be on crutches to never want to get back on skis?
I used to think that the answers to those questions came down to how much someone loved skiing.
Now Im not so convinced that its love that keeps me here.
For me personally, it might not be how much do I love skiing?
as much as its how much do Ineedskiing?
How much do I need this silly sport to keep me motivated and grounded all winter?
How much do I need some sort of motivation to get out into the mountains when its snowing?
How much does it contribute to my sanity, my mental health?
And what could happen to kill that need?
Thats sort of the magic right?
