I think that maybe the whole point of skiing is the fact that its ephemeral, its short-lived.
I spent exponentially more time driving to go ski than I did making powder turns this season.
I spent many orders of magnitude more time sitting on chair lifts than I did in the air.
For most of us in North America, its been about a week since the lifts stopped spinning.
Inbounds skiing is over.
But its so abrupt.
I feel like Im grasping, trying to wave down my Uber as it speeds off.
I had plans man!
Ive barely used any of my Mountain Collective days.
I never got that 540, I never really stomped a clean frontflip this year!
Spring skiing is my favorite!
Inbounds skiings gone, my season is lost to me.
What does that actually add up to though?
Whats their grand total?
8 hours of magic?
Probably less if Im really honest with myself.
I lost eight hours of the good stuff.
Maybe you lost a little more, or a little less.
When you zoom out a little though, none of it is that much.
In the next few months, a whole bunch more are going to do the same.
And thats just employment.
Plenty of others are going to lose a family member or close friend.
I lost eight hours.
The whole point of skiing is that it doesnt last.
But no matter how you slice it, theres no cheat code to limitless pleasure.
If there was it would be too easy, there wouldnt be any point to it.
Resort season 2019/20 is over.
But sometime next fall, well wake up to a little frost on the ground.
The hills will flame in orange and gold and then slowly fade to white.
Not many, but theyll be twice as sweet when they come.
Until then, stay safe, wash your hands, and dont hug Boomers.
Note: This is it for me this season.
As advertising budgets everywhere get cut, now is the time to support media and creators we love.
I love writing about skiing, but I love reading about it more.
