IN THE DEEP

Since last I wrote, and despite the all-clear from Dr Sisk, Craig's foot turned a multitude of black and blues while in Myrtle Beach for the holidays, and he finally got the doc to take a second look today... the toe is broken. Unfortunately that meant he had to miss today's foot of freshies, while I made a few turns, broke my toe strap (what's it with TOES?) and tossed myself upside down on 1230's entrance roller. Other than that, it was a glorious day. Although Craig was sincerely missed, I took his favorite turns in his honor with fellow snowboarder Joey Rind. Craig DID get the go-ahead to ski tomorrow despite the toe... yessss!

I met Joey in the Christy line, the Gondy line was around the maze and out to ski school so it was a no brainer to take the lifts up, despite being stopped thrice on Christy. At the top of T-head we made our way to Four Points and started out with fresh tracks down Sunset and into the trees above Moonlight. Easily knee deep in those trees, and glorious on Sunset as well. We made our way up Sundown and did Keith's Ridge to High Noon to One Oclock, all of which virtually untracked. Literally there were 3 tracks on 1:00, so the howling ensued. Despite the line in the Gondy, those 200 peeps spread out far and wide and I saw two people on High Noon and maybe 50 in the Sundown line. EMPTY. That was one of those runs that sparks a "that was so nice, we have to do it twice!"

At the top of Sundown I went to strap in and noticed I'd be missing one... the back toe strap was just simply GONE. Granted, I'd ducktaped it first day this season, but it looked like a good hold. Must have been that tumbler I took off 1:00 to get into those trees... I'm still feeling some vertebrae compression going on, and will prescribe myself a much needed soak later today.

So onward to the repeat run... and beyond that a lap down Storm Peak (FYI, severely windblown) to what Joey calls MiddleBurns and what we call Storm Meadow, into the trees and again up to our knees in untracked goodness. Without a strap and some tired 2-weeks-off legs I made a run for it down Rainbow and got some last tasty pow left side of Rainbow, seemingly up to my thighs but surely I'm mistaken.

A wonderful first day back on the hill in the new year, oh, and it's STILL SNOWING!