The Last Huurahhh

Yesterday was closing day for Alta. It was a perfect day to end the 2009 season, beautiful blue sky, fresh mountain air, and good friends. We set up camp in the parking lot with our friends Julie and Tom and we were quickly surrounded by fellow Altafarians ready to celebrate the end of another great ski season.  Gary captured two funny videos of kids and adults alike having a good time as the band “Lake Effect” practiced some grassroots marketing and provided the “lot rats” excellent tunes. The day ended in classic Alta style with a road closure due to a wet slide that crossed the road in the White Pine area. Therefore we were trapped for a few hours with no choice but to listen to the music, chill out, and watch the debauchery play out.  We were even lucky enough to find Aunt Laurel at the end of the day. It was good to catch up with her and see her enjoying the day as well.

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Needless to say the Wee One was spent by the end of the day. It was a long one for her and we would have left ealier on her behalf but some times Alta just wont let you go… Thanks for hangin in there little one.

Wonderful Reunion

Last Saturday Gary and I met up with my friends Sara, Brigitte, and Max from College and beyond. We went to Beaver Mountain to ski. This mountain is where my ski roots began from adventures in middle school and high school with friends to a ski class with Sara for 1 college credit. It is still what I remember a rootsy little resort that serves the community well. I was reminded what a special place it is and how lucky I am to have grown up with it. It was so great to ski at a small little hamlet with no crowds and great stashes of snow everywhere. Although Alta is very near and dear to my heart rediscovering the Beav was very refreshing.

I’m so glad I got to spend the day with my friends and catch up. After every run I was excited to get back on the ski lift with the girls and talk more. After the ski day we all got together for pizza with all the kids and husbands. Sara and Brigitte have such cute kids and it was so fun to meet them and see how much they look like their parents. Ellie was bright eyed all night watching them play. I loved it. Thank you Sara, Jeff, Brigitte, and Max for making my weekend so great. Lets do it again soon!!!!

Check out Sara’s blog for her take on the day and a great picture.

Here are some more pictures complements of Brigitte. Thanks Bridgy!

Alta at Last

We packed up the supplies and spent the weekend in Alta. Ellie got the first taste of how our weekends are going to be spent for the next few months. I think she enjoyed it. She adjusted to the lodge life pretty well even was able to take a nap amongst all the click and clangs of ski boots clambering across the floor and energetic voices of happy skiers. It was good, there was still plenty of soft snow to carve up. Saturday was a little troubling when we pulled into the Goldminer’s Daughter parking lot only to find there was no parking spot what so ever, but we persevered and Gary found a place to stash the Toyota. The crowd cleared out after lunch anyway. Gary and I skied in shifts scheduled around when Ellie would be hungry. It worked out well. We skied with our good friends Johnny B and Jesse. On Sunday we got the pleasure of skiing with Watson and the company of his lovely girl Lisa in the lodge. I definitely did not have my legs. I could only do about two runs and then my body would be crying out. So it was good we had shifts so I could have time to recover. I’m looking forward to the day Gary and I can ski together again I did miss having my partner there skiing with me, but Johnny, Jesse, and Watson took good care of me. Yep, me and the boys or me solo typical of my Alta always never enough chicks around what’s up with that (Ahem, Jodi, JJ, Julie, any of you ladies out there listening). Only in Alta could I sit for a seven minute ride and appreciate the beauty of untracked snow covering the “Backside” with two dudes or have a heart to heart about life with a dear friend on the Collins lift. It is definitely a commitment to drive about an hour over the Wasatch for Alta. Some of you may ask why not stay on the backside of the Wasatch and ski Park City or the Canyons? I can’t really explain our ridiculous devotion to Alta. It’s more than just the awesome ski terrain and snow accumulation. It’s where we met, where it all began, where we found ourselves, sowed some wild oats, where our friends are, and where we were married. There is so much emotion for me in that Little Cottonwood Canyon it’s a small piece of “heaven on earth”. I don’t go there just to ski I go there for therapy as well. It comes in the form of visiting with friends, listening to the silence in a snow storm, challenging my self through exercise and movement, or hearing the mountains ring. Hopefully we can pass this on to Ellie and she will understand and get it like we do.