Home > Trip Reports > April 21-23, 2012, Summit West

April 21-23, 2012, Summit West

4/21/12
WA Snoqualmie Pass
5382
13
Posted by Zap on 4/25/12 5:41am
This may not seem like your typical backcountry ski report, but to us it€™s a big deal.  It means that Zap is back, starting with short tours building up his strength and endurance€¦

On Saturday, April 21, we did two laps at Summit West totaling 270 vertical feet in 1 ½ hours.  Yeah!  It was great to see Zap skiing even though (or maybe because) he was being very cautious and careful with his turns.  By the second time down his right leg was getting pretty fatigued and didn€™t want to turn, but he made it down safely.  Note that he€™s wearing a helmet now (not when climbing, but definitely when skiing €“ one brain injury is enough!).

Zap was so excited about skiing we went back up to Summit West on Monday, April 23.  We decided that instead of two short climbs, we€™d do one longer climb with frequent rest stops.  We ended up climbing about 430 VF in 1 ½ hours, up to the trees near the Inter-Summit 90 signs.  Zap could have kept going, but we decided not to push our luck.  After a nice break in the sun, we pulled the skins and headed downhill.  His skiing wasn€™t completely back to normal because his right side is still weaker than before his stroke, but it looked and felt pretty good, especially on the steeper part of the slope.  This was exhilarating for him, and his smiles of pleasure and satisfaction were a delight to see.  The challenge of getting over the stroke is pretty awesome, but he€™s working on it and doing amazingly well.  And his skiing is getting better and better; his muscle memory for skiing has not been diminished, only weakened temporarily!  His rehab doc didn€™t think he€™d be able to/ should ski at all until next season!  Zap explained that that was not a choice, nor was waiting for another month.  He needs to be out there now! 

Zap wants to thank everyone who€™s shared his craziness and his passion for skiing over the years, especially his Number One ski buddy €“ ME.

Zap (by Jill) 


Woohoo!  Congrats Zap and Jill!

YEAH!  Awesome -- so glad you guys got up this weekend in the sun.  It was great to see you at Snowball too.

Awesome; wonderful news :)! Happy safe turns!

10%/week could yield some fine compounded returns at Timberline.

Looking good !

Great job Zap, and great work Jill being a wonderful spouse. 
"From the little seedling grows the mighty oak."
Good to see you in your summer whites again!!!

You're right - not your typical Summit West day indeed! The "Zap getting ready to ski.." smile made my week, month...year!  Back in the saddle, Zap.

Welcome back to the game! ;D

Excellent Zap and Jill! You look great in a helmet Zap. Good to see you as SnowBall.

Rock on, Zapman!!

Way to stay ahead of the doctor forecast. You are our inspiration!

Zap so great to see you got back after it ! WOW, WOHO you go guy !!!!!!!!!!!

There is nothing like a sunny day in the mountains for inspiration and motivation.  Way to go Zap & Jill.

Very awesome. It is moments like these that make me wish we had one of those silly "band playing" emoticons here  :D.

CW used to be that after a stroke, you were pretty much hosed on whatever you'd lost w/in a few days. It is great to see that science is discovering the reality of neuroplasticity, meaning that if you work really really hard you can build new neural pathways and re-learn many of those lost abilities. And science also says that aerobic exercise increases the "brain growth factors" that enable this neuroplasticity, so it appears to me that Zap has chosen an admirably scientifically supportable course of therapy!

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april-21-23-2012-summit-west
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2012-04-25 12:41:21