Monday, March 10, 2008

Weekend Ski Adventure

Last year, at the end of winter, we went skiing out in real mountains with big fluffy piles of snow everywhere and had a blast. Afterwards, ski season was almost over so we vowed to go a bunch of times this year. Unfortunately I've been sick almost all winter this year so haven't had a chance to ski until this past weekend.

While the flowers are blooming here in Seattle and we've had beautiful weather in the '50s and '60s, the ski season is still booming out in the mountains where it's a perfect 20-30F all the time. All we had to do was drive a few hours out of the city first. We decided to go to a ski resort near Vancouver (BC) because we have some friends that moved there recently that wanted to go with us and they don't both have Visas to come to the US yet (they're originally from Brazil). Vancouver is about 2.5 hrs from Seattle and the ski resort we went to was only about 30 minutes from Vancouver - out of town and straight up a mountain. We went to Mount Seymour, a 'locals' ski resort (as compared with Whistler or Mt Baker, which is higher profile).


It was a foggy, warm day so the snow on the mountain was slushy and I was at first worried this would make for bad skiing but it turned out to be great - not as many people were there because of it and we don't know how to ski so it didn't matter to us anyway. We taught our friends what little we knew and then spent the day on the rope tow slope (which is as hard as anything I've ever done). Once we mastered that, we attempted the easiest route to the bottom of the chair lift a couple of times before we were too tired to move, at which point we drove back to their apartment and collapsed on their floor (they still haven't bought any furniture).

Skiing out here is so fantastic. On our way home on Sunday we had each other convinced we should buy ourselves some skiis and go again before the ski season is over, but I changed my mind at the end of the car ride when I tried to get out of the car and couldn't because I was so stiff and sore (and bruised and cut). We are, however, beginning to plan a big group trip to Whistler next year - which I should probably get out and practice for.

2 comments:

Peggy said...

Skiing is great fun! I haven't been skiing since just before I got married. We went to Sundown just outside of Dubuque. I hope you get out to ski more before the snow is all gone!

Anonymous said...

We are green with envy of your Western skiing. But if you visit us in Pittsburgh in the winter, we will be happy to take you to Seven Springs or Hidden Valley. Your aunt Nancy will show you some nice moves.

Time to take a break

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