June 30, 2010, Stevens Pass

Wow, I just barely made it this month.  Monday, I was on the beach in Florida, and today I was making turns at Steven€™s Pass.  Yesterday, I went to the Steven€™s Pass website and saw that there were many large areas of snow, so I decided I still had a chance to make my June turns.  Mia, my little dog, and I set and out early this morning for the pass.  The construction crew, working on the new pedestrian over pass, gave us weird looks. I€™m sure that the skies strapped to my pack and Mia with her coat set them wondering if they should phone the men in white coats to assist me or to take me away.  Needless to say, I escaped and headed up Hogsback and then up to the top of Skyline--for you old timers, like me, that would be Barrier. I arrived at the top with wet feet, it is very wet in weird places, but I had a towel, for the dog, and luckily, she was willing to share.  Once I had on my boots, and skies, I decided to go just a little further up this shoot.  Next thing I knew, I was heading to the top of the shoot.  Poor Mia, I was punching steps while she was leaping and slipping, but we finally made it to the top. Basically, a black diamond run€”steep, narrow, and mostly ice. Because of the steepness, I was afraid that Mia would start tumbling as she raced to the bottom, so I put her in my small pack on my chest and started down; I can tell she liked it because she didn€™t squirm once.  Or, she was petrified. Either way, we made it down that section and then continued to ski together.  Below Skyline, the snow was great and by then I had figured out how to adjust to Mia€™s weight.  Next time I take her, I€™m not using poles on the way down.  My only regret is that my husband wasn€™t there.