Another Best Day
Off to Sundance!
I love to ski places that are new to me. I also love to ski in places I am very familiar with. This month I will get to do both. For the last several years I have skied primarily in Utah. I have a place there and I had fallen in love with the snow and the town of Park City. Enough to commute weekly.
When I was living in Park City I skied at all the usual resorts. Everything withing a few hours (7-8 resorts) except Sundance. I went to Sundance Resort plenty in the summer, but never to ski. Always to eat. Next week that will change. I am going to a ski conference and will finally get to spend time on the mountain.
Before making the move to Utah, I skied mainly at Sugar Bowl. It was an easy drive. I liked the mountain. I liked the vibe. I liked the lack of crowds. Drive up, park at Judah, ski all day, go home.
Last week I skied at Sugar Bowl in a way that I had not before. Bob Haig and I all went up together. Haig wanted to do it the way he has several times so we followed his lead. We took the Gondola to the old Lodge. We spent the night there. We enjoyed ski in- ski out lodging and had some powder sprinkled on top just for fun!
What a great trip. Comradery and attitude go a long way! Deer Valley was my “home resort” for years. What a great ski resort. Ranked #1 by Ski Magazine 5 years in a row while I was there. Lots of good times.
But Sugar Bowl feels more like home. I have almost always skied with fellow staff members at Sugar Bowl. People like Bob and Haig share a special kind of ski bond with me that “regular people” don’t.
Our runs at Sugar Bowl were not Gnarly or Radical. We just cruised around looking for good snow. And we found it. And we reveled in it. And I realized that a ski day for me is always cherished. A ski day with my people is even more special.
Sugar Bowl Lodge gets some credit too. The customer service was amazing. As good as it gets. The staff was that rare combination of well trained and friendly.
It was simply an amazing trip.
Fun with friends. Nothing better. It leaves me in exultation.
Exulting in the gratitude that I have a roof over my head. That I have people that I care about and that care about me. Exultant I live a life where I can slide down hills on sticks for fun.
I love Rossignol’s tag line “another best day”. That’s what this was. I hope you have a lot days like this too.
I’m thinking I have some coming up at Sundance!