Goals

Every autumn I like to put together a rough list of ski season goals.

Thats what I was doing when our ski seasons started to fall apart actually.

The dog was stoked when the resorts closed and she started getting to come every time we went skiing.

For the first few days I was content.

My boots hurt, my skis needed a wax, I was a little burnt out.

So instead of aching to go skiing again, I revisited that pre-season list of goals.

Most of them felt pretty accomplished.

Snowblade traverse across the Tetons?

Ski with a rope more?

But by the end of the week, I was feeling a longing for something else, something impossible.

I love closing days.

I love the costumes and the camp and the culture and just the overall vibe.

We turn blue and goosebumped in our Hawaiian shirts as the clouds threaten to unload on us.

And this year there was nothing to make the most of.

And the dates of traditional closing days came and went.

Finally, we had a day so warm that I toured up in just shorts and my pack.

At the top, we shared a beer and reminisced on closing days past.

We joked about the Chinese downhill and the wiggle and friends ridiculous costumes.

Its not the same when youre not in the middle of a whooping group of similarly undressed skiers.

I might miss this the most

Now Im making my little list of ski goals for the coming season.

I want to ski one of the 50 Classic Lines.

I want to ski with ropes even more.

I want to spin off natural hits.

So Ill be bringing that energy to every day riding chairs.

Bring your costumes, rock your ski blades, whip out that monoski.

Im skiing every day like its closing day.

Meet at the top, lets rip this one like its our last run of the year.

It might well be.