Powder Day Rules

Powder days are something that skiers spend a lot more time talking about than actually enjoying, at least here in the east. We dream of them, we buy gear that is designed for just those days; we have what we call "powder day rules." We do a lot to prepare.

However, most of us also have jobs and/or other responsibilities that can make it difficult on a powder day to get out and enjoy the fruits of a great storm. I ran into such a dilemma just the other day when Mother Nature decided to drop 25 plus inches of snow on our region here in the mountains. I had planned to get up early and do a bit of skinning followed by skiing, but a late night power outage curtailed my alarm from waking me at the appropriate hour. Upon waking up I looked outside and couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. We had gotten slammed and I knew that shoveling was the first order of business for the day.

At this point I had resigned myself to the fact that getting out and skiing wasn't going to happen unless I snuck out in the evening for some runs under the lights over at Shawnee Peak. But that was before I had stepped off the steps into snow well over my knees. As I waded to the driveway I began to realize that this was a big storm, maybe one of the biggest in a long time. I spent the next thirty minutes shoveling, and felt myself begin to salivate. The issue was there wasn't any school and I had to work- so I had issues on two fronts. Then my wife called and told me a friend of ours could watch the kids for the day. Hmmmm, I thought. But work, I had a good amount to get done and I had meetings in the afternoon.

I chose responsibility and went in and got dressed for work. Sitting in my office I got myself dialed in for the day, checking email, working on my week plan, prepping for meetings. Then snow hit my window. There was a snow blower outside clearing the walkway around the building, a big tractor type snow blower- it was bogging down due to so much snow. Focus I told myself.

Then the emails started coming in with conditions updates, worlds like "epic", "storm of the century", "don't miss this powder day" filled my inbox. I tried to get my mind back on work. But I was losing the battle. I made a decision, it was 9:30 a.m., I could get to the mountain in 10 minutes, ski for an hour, hour and a half, and be back in the office by 11 or 11:30 a.m. and just buckle down for the rest of the day. It seemed like a reasonable plan- so out the door I went. I was out of the shirt and tie and into my ski gear in minutes, and was on the road only moments later. I realized the truck had an empty tank- no problem I'll get gas on the way- it will only take a minute. But when I pulled into the gas station they were closed as they had no power! I had to make the call- could I make it to the mountain AND back with what I had. Well, I knew I could make it there- that was enough- so off I went.

I got to the mountain, it was buried. People had crazy grins and you could hear the hooting and hollering. I ran from the truck to the lift and jumped into my skis. Riding up the lift I could feel my heart pounding and my mind trying to come up with a plan of attack. As soon as I got off I was poling for the pitch, the snow up over my waist. Three turns in and I was feeling like I was in another world. Amazing snow, amazing turns, amazing to be able to enjoy. I was finding myself choking on snow at times as it billowed up into my chest and into my face.

I hurried into the lift-line and the attendant said- "you look like you're on a mission." I laughed, the only line I could come back with was from The Blues Brothers, "yes, a mission from God." Up the mountain I went.

I connected with a few people and we spun some spectacular runs, laughing and hollering the entire time. But I knew I had to call it a day, I had to get back to work. So I did, it was hard but it was the right thing. My only hope was the truck wouldn't start as it would be out of gas, no luck (I even made it to the gas station). When I got back my boss asked me how it was, when I told him he looked at me and said- "so why did you leave- a day like this, don't you know the powder day rules?" Next time I won't, as I think I've found a new rule for the book.