So a big thank you goes out to Jason, Chad, Steve, Leigh, Kathryn, Ian and Andy, and well, me. It was good to get out and enjoy life for so long a period.
Thursday
Jason and I head up to Loveland for some skiing. The forecast had called for a few inches in the mountains and being eager for some powder, I packed my backcountry skis which have better float and better control in the fluffy goodness. Boy was I wrong.
No snow fell, making skiing on the 4-day-old base a little bouncy and rough. Took one spill that caught me by surprise. Apparently got bounced, caught an edge and got a half-blurred look down to see my skis not completely parallel before I instinctively bit it. I apparently was going at a good clip cuz I slid farther and more out of control - skis wound up facing uphill - than I thought.
Jason hitting a drop with reckless abandon
Made a mistake and took us down an icy chute on one run; we needed ice skates more so than skis at a constriction. Needed to edge down one section which was too narrow for me to feel comfortable with jump turns and way too icy to point the tips down. After that, it was better than I thought. Apologized for my mistake to Jason - he likes big wide open spaces.
Kathryn, the PR and Marketing manager at Loveland joined us for some turns after lunch. As would be expected, she put us to shame. My skiing was off and I really couldn't hold an edge. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to be the guy making excuses, but things definitely felt off compared to before lunch.
When we got done with our final run and it was time for me to head into work, I took the skis off at the base, and went to switch my boots into walk mode. Ah-ha!! I don't suck after all. I skied the entire second session without my boots locked, meaning my ankle was loose and I could flex forward. That would explain the difficulties and why I skied conservatively.
Friday
The mistake of heading down the icy Sunburst Chute didn't scare Jason away. That's always a good sign. Same bat time, same bat channel, we headed up to Arapahoe Basin. I've been wanting to return and sample Monezuma Bowl ever since I went and shot it for a story. My two runs down in on a very frigid day - read minus-15 - wasn't really skiing as much as, don't fall and break the expensive video camera in your backpack.
It was awesome. Beautiful bowl runs, trees, rocks to avoid, wide open spaces, you name it, it had it all. A wonderful day of hitting black runs in the sun and with great views.
On our final run on the backside of the ski area, I saw a sign pointing to another black through some trees. Knowing Jason's aversion to tight spaces, I checked it out first. Traversed over and dropped in, I spied it didn't look that bad. Jason followed. I went halfway down and waited, and waited some more. Uh-oh, Jason isn't having a good time.
I believe the first words to me when he got to me was, "I hate you. I hate this sh**. I don't want to be one of those people on the news that dies from hitting a tree."
Not good. I looked for the easiest way down through the bumps and trees for him to follow, hitting bumps, jump turning when needed and wishing the run was longer. Jason probably wished the run was non-existent.
On the way back down to the base, I spotted another sign for a black down a gully with a warning sign about rocks and possible dangerous conditions, etc. Sounds like fun to me. Looking back up at Jason though, I didn't want to push my luck. Everybody has their own type of skiing they like. Jason likes open and wide and going fast down that. I enjoy features and having to turn RIGHT THERE RIGHT NOW or it's gonna get ugly.
Saturday
After running some errands and giving the truck a much-needed shower, went out to Table Mtn and met the guys for some rock climbing. Had miscommunication with Chad and missed out on a good 1 1/2 hours of crimping and cussing.
Ian playing switcheroo between a 5.10b and a 5.11a variation of an arete
It had been since the second week of September since I last tied into a rope and really the first climbing of any kind I had done since the beginning of December. And it felt so bloody wonderful and natural! It was great being able to think about nothing more than how am I going to get from here to there. None of the irrational fears that had plagued me during my marriage. It was climbing freedom and I want more!!
Steve ambling past the crowds on a beautiful Saturday afternoon
A ride up Lookout Mountain, an uphill ride from his house to the trailhead, a hike uphill to the base of the cliffs and several more climbs, Steve is what I refer to with much admiration, a freak. Downhill leads to burgers and beer
The crew: Ian, Andy, Steve (check out the coffee cup holder on the handlebars) and Chad
Sunday or Where's my boulder?
Body is tired. That was the realization I had waking up a little after 8 am. Too late for ski tour. My original intent was to make a backcountry ski tour up the St Mary's Glacier, maybe glide over to one of the puny peaks on the flats and then get some runs in on the slope back to the lake.
Those plans went up in smoke because I woke up too late to beat the traffic and wouldn't have enough time to beat the ski traffic as it returns down I-70.
So bouldering it was. Headed over to O'Fallon Park to my little cliff circuit. On the drive I remembered a hidden gem of a boulder that would offer some really fun climbs. Psyched about getting thrown off some new problems, I got to the area quickly to find, I can't find the rock. I looked this way, I looked over there, I looked off the ridge crest, I looked on it. I spent an hour looking before settling on some problems I've climbed in the past.
But it didn't satiate me. An analogy I made to one of the many hikers I saw who asked about the big rectangular crash pad strapped to my back, was it's like going to a nice restaurant and seeing it has salmon on the menu. You think that sounds perfect and you order the salmon. A little while later the waiter comes back to say a rogue band of alley cats broke through the back door of the kitchen and ran off with all of the salmon. It doesn't matter what you order after that, it's not going to taste so good because you had your heart on salmon.
So after a short uninspiring bouldering session I decided to take the crashpad for a hike. The good news is I hiked farther than the backcountry hut I plan on backpacking to in Costa Rica is. Hiked for three hours actually with stopping for a sole water break.
Somewhere up there is my missing boulder. If found please return to where I think it is so I can climb on it my next trip out
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