Not My Photo

I am plagiarizing with the photo of a friend who I hope doesn’t mind. ;)

Crazy amount of fresh snow and the powder hounds were on the loose. I’m a bit apprehensive skiing in tight spaces but gave my friends full reign to lead me wherever the liked. We made a strategic error and had to traverse a bit of the mountain through the woods below an easy green slope. Except in our location it was anything but easy. Fun good adventure.

Silly me. Even with the knapsack to carry the heavy camera kit, I didn’t take a single picture. Too tired and bewildered to bother. That would be me sitting in the snow of this picture after falling at an easy spot. The snow was so deep and light nearly impossible to right yourself and get the skis on top. At one point I had taken off both my skis to get it out from under the snow. I then couldn’t get a footing. Both my legs went straight down in the snow without touching bottom and riding cowboy over the ski. A strange muscular struggle and balancing act to get back on top and get the bindings clicked in.

I have just read about the avalanche in Val Veny yesterday. Very sad but all too easy. It happens. Even worse is when it happens across a ski slope. Backcountry skiers need to respect Mother Nature and even so sometimes it’s not enough. I had woke during the night and heard the wind howling. Any experienced backcountry skier knows what dangers it brings. Strange though, I didn’t hear any cannons Saturday or Sunday morning to bring down the loose snowpack. I did hear them Sunday afternoon but too late.