July 18, 2017, Elk Mountains, Colorado
7/18/17
US elsewhere
2433
2
July 18, 2017
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Day 64
I stood on the top of the steep 40 degree snow slope after a half hour walk uphill from our camp, and a very short bushwack to reach the base of the snowfield. Emerald waited at the bottom, taking pictures and taking in the scene around Snowmass Lake (10,980') from our high position which was now just at treeline. It was a magical place, and everyone we met - and we met quite a few as Snowmass Lake turned out to be quite the destination for day hikers, backpackers and pack animal tours of all kinds - was simply overjoyed to be there and alive, and everyone was curious as to what I planned to ski. Most shook their heads at the tomfoolery of hiking 7.5 miles in and 2,600 vf up for a few short ski runs, but I only laughed and usually replied that it was better than watching TV!
Oh, but heavens be, this was glorious living. The snow was a few inches deep of soft corn, with yard-wide well formed melt channels poking through, just wide enough for smooth turns and no drama. Our afternoon jaunt was early enough to enjoy the last of the sun before the ubiquitous storms rolled through, and the slope long enough to call it a good run, and close enough to camp to leave all the heavy stuff out of the pack.
I lifted my hands to the sky and thanked Jah for this day, this time with my daughter, this wonderful life. I dropped in and jumped turned to my hearts content, giving a few shouts of joy as I descended in case anyone around the lake had missed the idiot on the snowboard doing his thing.
I pulled up at the rocks where E was sitting.
"Dad, I think I messed up the pictures, do you think you could do it again?"
Why yes, yes I could, and in fact did it two more times, just to be sure she got what she wanted.
***
"You see how great this is?", I reflected with Emerald while I put my board back on my pack, "I only had to bring my mountaineering boots on this trip, no extra boots, no wasted weight - so two birds with one stone."
She looked at me pretty non-plussed, but I could see her wheels turning. She was quite the good skier, but hadn't ridden a board since she was three. I could tell she also wanted to be carrying a board around in the middle of summer, irreverent to the norms of backcountry skiing, and she certainly could see I was having the time of my life.
"Do you think you could teach me to snowboard next winter?" She asked.
"You bet." I said, glowing anew.
Music to any fathers ears, but pure symphony to mine.
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Day 64
I stood on the top of the steep 40 degree snow slope after a half hour walk uphill from our camp, and a very short bushwack to reach the base of the snowfield. Emerald waited at the bottom, taking pictures and taking in the scene around Snowmass Lake (10,980') from our high position which was now just at treeline. It was a magical place, and everyone we met - and we met quite a few as Snowmass Lake turned out to be quite the destination for day hikers, backpackers and pack animal tours of all kinds - was simply overjoyed to be there and alive, and everyone was curious as to what I planned to ski. Most shook their heads at the tomfoolery of hiking 7.5 miles in and 2,600 vf up for a few short ski runs, but I only laughed and usually replied that it was better than watching TV!
Oh, but heavens be, this was glorious living. The snow was a few inches deep of soft corn, with yard-wide well formed melt channels poking through, just wide enough for smooth turns and no drama. Our afternoon jaunt was early enough to enjoy the last of the sun before the ubiquitous storms rolled through, and the slope long enough to call it a good run, and close enough to camp to leave all the heavy stuff out of the pack.
I lifted my hands to the sky and thanked Jah for this day, this time with my daughter, this wonderful life. I dropped in and jumped turned to my hearts content, giving a few shouts of joy as I descended in case anyone around the lake had missed the idiot on the snowboard doing his thing.
I pulled up at the rocks where E was sitting.
"Dad, I think I messed up the pictures, do you think you could do it again?"
Why yes, yes I could, and in fact did it two more times, just to be sure she got what she wanted.
***
"You see how great this is?", I reflected with Emerald while I put my board back on my pack, "I only had to bring my mountaineering boots on this trip, no extra boots, no wasted weight - so two birds with one stone."
She looked at me pretty non-plussed, but I could see her wheels turning. She was quite the good skier, but hadn't ridden a board since she was three. I could tell she also wanted to be carrying a board around in the middle of summer, irreverent to the norms of backcountry skiing, and she certainly could see I was having the time of my life.
"Do you think you could teach me to snowboard next winter?" She asked.
"You bet." I said, glowing anew.
Music to any fathers ears, but pure symphony to mine.
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