Ski Day #10

Before I start, I need to praise God and thank Him for this life I am presently leading. I am learning more about my relationship with God and I am a better, happier person for it. Thank you Father for all the blessings in my life.

As Rob and I pulled out of the driveway this morning, I told him the goal was 13 runs. That would get me to an even 100 runs for the year so far and a $4.00 cost per run.

(I should note that my cost per run calculations do not include the $39.00 fee I paid for insurance on my season pass or the cost of gas, food and beer purchased on the mountain.)

We met the goal but it was an effort towards the end there. I'm going to try and reconstruct each of the runs we took today.

Run #1: We got on the #5 chair and transferred to the #2 chair to take us to the top. We skied a run called Allison's Way. The snow was great, The sun was out and I was enjoying life. We took the cat track over to Chair #1.

Run 2: We skied the #1 Face and enjoyed it immensely. I was already feeling the effects of skiing on Monday and I stopped several times.

Run #3: At the top of Chair #1 we ran into a group of friends. We shall call them Bob, Sue and Cindy, because that is their names. We skied down the number one face but slid over to the Hour Glass. It was a little tough getting there but it was worth it. The bottom half of the run was awesome.

Run #4: At the top of Chair #1 we went to the new backside area accessible on Chair #6. We skied a run called Secret Squirrel but Bob told me they had renamed it for a friend Dave, who died a couple of years ago and Tom, Cindy's Husband who died from cancer quite a while ago.

So we skied Dave & Tom's Run , which I had not skied before. I had been going one more run over to Gary's Glory. Dave & Tom's is an awesome run and very enjoyable with today's conditions.

Run #5: We ran into another guy we know, Bud, at the top of six and he skied with us. Dave and Tom's Run, although Rob went over to Gary's Glory and did a run there.

Run #6: Dave & Tom's.

Run #7: Dave & Tom's.

Run #8: Bob, Sue and Cindy had decided they were done for the day and headed back to the Northwest Passage and the Lodge. Rob and I wanted to try the Chair 6 Face. Bud was going to join us but we all got separated. The Six Face was tough. It was ungroomed and a little mogully, but nothing I couldn't handle. But it did wear me out.

Run #9: Time for lunch. We skied the cat track over to Chair 2 and skied Allison's Way again. That took us to the Lodge for a well deserved break and a Burger and a Brew. 

The lodge was pretty crowded but we managed to find a table. It was such a nice day that we decided to gobble up our burgers and finish our beers out on the deck. 

We got talking to a guy out there who has been retired for a couple of years and coming up regularly to ski. He told us that last season, he skied 87 days. Holy Shit! Here I am all happy with my ten days. What a dope!

Run #10: The snow was getting soft. The temperature was close to 40° so Rob and I applied a little wax. Then we headed up Chair 3 and skied toward LaMonga Pass, which takes us to the backside and Chair #4. At the top of LaMonga Pass, we stopped for a Stan Break. That allows me to catch my breath. 

While standing there, another couple skied up and stopped. We said "Hi" and commented on the fabulous day. The guy said this was his first time skiing Mt. Spokane since 1972. We skied down to Chair #4 together and then Rob and I met them on top of four.

Run #11: Their names were Reilly and Brenda and they came over from Seattle. We took them down the Ridge Run which takes you back to the bottom of Four. The snow on the Ridge was shaded and not sticky. Really great skiing. We stopped a few times and the four of us chatted. At the end of the cat track which takes you to Four, there is a brown patch starting to appear and the snow returned to stickiness.

Run #12: We left our new friends behind and skied the Ridge again. We managed to kill the small flask of Peppermint Schnapps I brought up.

Run #13: We took the cat track back to the front of the mountain, skied the Northwest Passage and ended in the parking lot. 

Man, what a day!