Pow

I am told that if I was a local 12 year old, I would describe this weekend as "sicky gnar gnar pow." That means the snow has been unbelievable. We have managed to get well over 6" of snow before each weekend lately, translating to fantastic conditions. Even as I weeble along as a new snowboarder, I am getting to be a snow snob. This past weekend, we tried harder to get to the resorts by 9:00 to enjoy the fresh powder and it was worth nixing a leisurely breakfast! Saturday at Targhee was like snowboarding in a dream. Visibility was a challenge, but the softness of the snow was intoxicating. I do believe we got a little slap happy and kept giggling as we made our way down the slopes, barely able to tell up from down and tree from slope.
Luckily, we go pretty slow in the powder, so we had minimal meetings with trees. It was truly dreamlike and I occasionally actually enjoyed somersaulting head over tea kettle in the pillowy snow.

I will say, the less fun part is when you get stuck in the snow, as I have managed to do a few times. I lose momentum, fall or stop, and the snow is so deep, I can barely scramble to my feet. When I do get upright, I am out of breath, and my snowboard simply sinks deeper into the snow and I continue to move nowhere. Even though I know I am fine, I feel a little panicky when this happens, and very, very frustrated. Maybe there is some technique I am lacking for this situation, but I felt mildly better yesterday when I saw it happen to several others and heard their expletive-filled cries.

Yesterday's conditions were great again, and we headed to Jackson Hole. It was mostly sunny and still powdery, which is a fabulous combination. Joy- we were neither cold nor blind! I am happy to say I both made it down a black run without falling (albeit slowly) and did a couple of tiny jumps (on purpose.) I am also sad to admit that at the end of the day, I was so proud of myself for zooming down one last traverse and passing several people, that I missed a big moose on the side of the run. Perhaps I will have to keep remembering to enjoy the outdoors besides just try to go faster and somersault less.

Truly sicky gnar powder.

PS, this morning, I saw a road sign warning of large migrating animals crossing the road, and looked over to see a moose trotting across a field.