Waiting

The wait for snow goes on. This year is dry, even by recent standards, as the below graph illustrates.

Things are lagging, badly, and there isn't much hope on the horizon.

The thing with being a skier during times like these is it tests your resolve, your creativity, and also your endless ability to believe and be optimistic. Tomorrow we're planning to get a little creative on our day off – morning skill work at the local hill while the snow is well groomed, and an evening skin up at a resort that does allow uphill travel. It's unconventional but desperate times require it. More than anything, I'm looking forward to the cold burn in the lungs after a long skin at 13,000 feet. Elaine and I live for things like that.

You have to stay optimistic. After all, it is only November. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scanning lists like these and thinking if this trend keeps up, a shift to one of these places might a requirement.

It's supposed to snow tonight, 0.7 inches. It's torture, I know, but this is what we were doing exactly one year ago at our backyard ski hill.

Then again, last year was a dud of a year too after a promising start.
Maybe this year is like Heinz ketchup – good things will come to those
who wait.