My last final was last Thursday. I'm finally done with the semester, a day that many of us look forward to, and I'm back home for winter break just in time for opening day at Holiday Valley.
It's Sunday morning, I've only gotten 4 hours of sleep but I've never felt more awake at 7am. I jump out of bed and put on my fresh Level 1 hoodie and old Armada pants with one too many holes ripped in them. I load up my car with everything I need for the day and finally head out to Holiday Valley. Only 45 more minutes and I will be back at it!
I walk into the lodge to find all my homies sitting around that same table in the corner. Shoes, bags, boots and cords form a pile that looks oddly familiar. I haven't seen a lot of these guys in months and I can't help but shout out to them from the stairs. Not much has changed here; it's time to ski again.
My ski boots feel like they don't fit anymore but it is the most comforting feeling to be walking heel toe, heel toe around the lodge. Just hearing that sound of your boots hitting metal stairs and knocking on wood floor; it's like music in and of itself.
We set out the back door to the lift. It's the group of us together again heading out for the chair like old times. There's only one lift serving the hundreds, probably even close to a thousand eager skiers. Needless to say, the line was longer than I've ever seen it.
So we get on the lift and take a slow ride up the Yodeler lift. Beneath us is grass and dirt but no way was that stopping us from skiing today. We hop off the lift, well, at least I do because I'm too short to touch the ground.
We head over to Yodeler and standing at the top you could just see ALL the people skiing down. I don't think I've ever seen a trail so crowded in my life. My buddies and I don't worry about it too much, though; we can just go around them, right? Well mid way I can't tell if we all forgot how to carve or if it was straight ice. So we did what any rational person without edges would do and straight lined the rest of the hill. It turned out pretty good, only one casualty... Not bad.
Another 20 minute wait and 7 minute lift ride later and we decide to head to the second of two open trails which happens to be the narrowest trail on the mountain. Solid idea, Holiday. "Yes, let's open the narrowest trail when we expect thousands to attend opening day. What could go wrong!!?" Might I add, this also is where all the first time skiers decided to spend their day.
Human Slalom commenced down the trail. A relatively flat area combined with skiers working on their S turns from tree to shining tree made it especially difficult. Timing each pass just right so you don't hit anyone without losing too much speed to make it through the flat, it was... interesting to say the least.
An open section further down the trail revealed a fairly flat powder field. We ripped through, buttering and jibbing around the 8 inches of pow and grass before merging back onto the jammed, icy trail. It was so awesome.
Mardi Gras was LIT AF
We spent the next few hours waiting in that god-awful line, riding up that terribly slow lift and shredding some super sick ice us East Coast kids all know and love!!! It was awesome. However, after colliding with two small children, I figured it had gotten a little too busy/icy and it was time to head out before I inflicted pain on anyone else. (I'm REALLY sorry.)
I will admit, I haven't had the most positive attitude coming into this season but after a few laps with the homies all of that went away. Holiday Valley has since closed due to some more warm/ rainy weather. It's real easy to get frustrated right now but it doesn't need to be like that. I got two days of skiing, we had a blast and made the best of the time we had. At the end of the day, that's all you can really do!
Fellow East Coasters, I feel you. This sucks. The west is getting dumped on and we have been left jaded from years past. BUT! That doesn't mean your season has to be lame! This snow situation is not what is going to hold us back this season! It's us. We just have to find ways to make the best of this winter.
I'm sure most of you have realized that freeskiing is a hell of a lot more than just the act of skiing and it's not reliant on the amount of snow that falls. It's the good vibes, the homies, the laughs, the good times, the community. It's up to us to stay stoked and to keep it alive! And you know what? Maybe we can't ski every day this winter, but those days that we can are the days we gotta make count! Don't lose hope on this season guys, it's just getting started
It's Sunday morning, I've only gotten 4 hours of sleep but I've never felt more awake at 7am. I jump out of bed and put on my fresh Level 1 hoodie and old Armada pants with one too many holes ripped in them. I load up my car with everything I need for the day and finally head out to Holiday Valley. Only 45 more minutes and I will be back at it!
I walk into the lodge to find all my homies sitting around that same table in the corner. Shoes, bags, boots and cords form a pile that looks oddly familiar. I haven't seen a lot of these guys in months and I can't help but shout out to them from the stairs. Not much has changed here; it's time to ski again.
Begin Stoked Dance
My ski boots feel like they don't fit anymore but it is the most comforting feeling to be walking heel toe, heel toe around the lodge. Just hearing that sound of your boots hitting metal stairs and knocking on wood floor; it's like music in and of itself.
We set out the back door to the lift. It's the group of us together again heading out for the chair like old times. There's only one lift serving the hundreds, probably even close to a thousand eager skiers. Needless to say, the line was longer than I've ever seen it.
So we get on the lift and take a slow ride up the Yodeler lift. Beneath us is grass and dirt but no way was that stopping us from skiing today. We hop off the lift, well, at least I do because I'm too short to touch the ground.
We head over to Yodeler and standing at the top you could just see ALL the people skiing down. I don't think I've ever seen a trail so crowded in my life. My buddies and I don't worry about it too much, though; we can just go around them, right? Well mid way I can't tell if we all forgot how to carve or if it was straight ice. So we did what any rational person without edges would do and straight lined the rest of the hill. It turned out pretty good, only one casualty... Not bad.
Another 20 minute wait and 7 minute lift ride later and we decide to head to the second of two open trails which happens to be the narrowest trail on the mountain. Solid idea, Holiday. "Yes, let's open the narrowest trail when we expect thousands to attend opening day. What could go wrong!!?" Might I add, this also is where all the first time skiers decided to spend their day.
Human Slalom commenced down the trail. A relatively flat area combined with skiers working on their S turns from tree to shining tree made it especially difficult. Timing each pass just right so you don't hit anyone without losing too much speed to make it through the flat, it was... interesting to say the least.
An open section further down the trail revealed a fairly flat powder field. We ripped through, buttering and jibbing around the 8 inches of pow and grass before merging back onto the jammed, icy trail. It was so awesome.
Mardi Gras was LIT AF
We spent the next few hours waiting in that god-awful line, riding up that terribly slow lift and shredding some super sick ice us East Coast kids all know and love!!! It was awesome. However, after colliding with two small children, I figured it had gotten a little too busy/icy and it was time to head out before I inflicted pain on anyone else. (I'm REALLY sorry.)
I will admit, I haven't had the most positive attitude coming into this season but after a few laps with the homies all of that went away. Holiday Valley has since closed due to some more warm/ rainy weather. It's real easy to get frustrated right now but it doesn't need to be like that. I got two days of skiing, we had a blast and made the best of the time we had. At the end of the day, that's all you can really do!
Fellow East Coasters, I feel you. This sucks. The west is getting dumped on and we have been left jaded from years past. BUT! That doesn't mean your season has to be lame! This snow situation is not what is going to hold us back this season! It's us. We just have to find ways to make the best of this winter.
I'm sure most of you have realized that freeskiing is a hell of a lot more than just the act of skiing and it's not reliant on the amount of snow that falls. It's the good vibes, the homies, the laughs, the good times, the community. It's up to us to stay stoked and to keep it alive! And you know what? Maybe we can't ski every day this winter, but those days that we can are the days we gotta make count! Don't lose hope on this season guys, it's just getting started
