Getting out there

This week I got out twice to try the snowpack which lingers ever heavily in the surrounding mountains. Once with someone who wanted to practice Ski to Sea, which just looks like pure torture, running up a ski hill that should really only be done the other way. Saturday, the nicest day of this holiday weekend, went to Chinook Pass, which is just past Crystal ski area. The road had only opened a few days earlier. It was really fun out there. It could even be its own ski area, so many cool runs. The hiking wasn't too bad. I didn't use the split board because the skins had been wet from the Baker climb... and I guess they don't stick well when wet. Or I've just been storing them wrong.

Sunday was the Ski to Sea race here in Bellingham, over 400 teams compete on an 82.5 mile 8-leg relay, of which none of the legs I'm positive would not actually kill me. Instead of competing I went to Fairhaven, where the race ends, watched the first few kayakers plow into shore and ring the bell. Hung out in the beer cage and drank some wine, thinking I might actually see some people I knew. Besides a couple co workers, I didn't see any competitors. I think logistically unless they're doing the kayak portion, it's hard for them to get anywhere near Fairhaven until the whole thing is over. What sucked most was to be in this crowd and not knowing anyone, and going home to my cats. Today I cleaned the car and am doing some more painting of the 70s kitchen cabinets, this time on the inside. Yech. Kind of a rotten way to end the weekend.

It's not over til...

Mt. Baker still has plenty of snow. Saw an avalanche on Mt. Hermann - sounded like thunder - and a bear cub on hwy 542. On a previous trip I saw a bobcat. Check out the pix on flickr.

Mt. Baker Last Day

I pulled my early 90s-era neon jacket out of the closet to close out lift service at Mt. Baker ski area. It wasn't warm but it wasn't too cold, and I was a little worried when it was snowing in the parking lot at 11:30 am. This old baby wasn't waterproof any more, probably never was, but dang if it didn't brighten up the place like an easter egg. I wore all my Mardi Gras beads I could find and managed to donate a couple to the bead and panty tree off of Chair Six. They'll be there til the next major windstorm.

I had lunch and a beer/water with some ski club members and hit the slopes with Sid, a skier, around 1:30. He kept losing a ski in the thick, wet slushy snow, which is one of my favorite conditions, although my knees did hurt the next day. I got ten runs in 2.5 hours, two in the canyon. There was a band playing bluegrass at the base area but they were playing inside, and everyone was outside.

There were some fun custumes. Tigger and Eyeore showed up, as did characters from the Matrix. One snowboarder wore bright cone-orange unisuit from head to toe, and he was a good snowboarder, though it was hard on the eyes.

When I got home I took a bath, wrapped in a robe and towel and crawled in bed at 7:30pm. And didn't move for 12 hours.

My days up there are not over. I plan to take my split board up to Artist's Point. Probably won't descend anything steep, just stay on the track, but I do want practice on that big burly board before attempting a hut trip over Memorial Day.