First Ski Day in Ages

Lift ticket at Mt Washington on 1/2 price day... $29
Gas... $15
Ferry tickets... free
Blowing off a day at work and spending it ripping up fresh snow on a sunny day... priceless!

Every so often the Hornby Island Resident and Ratepayers Association (HIRRA) springs for a ski day to promote fitness, fun, and community togetherness. This year everyone got scared off by the HUGE snowfall over the last few days and bailed on the poor organizer. I was flabbergasted when I heard that news and had no intention of backing out, especially when the ski hill was advertising "The biggest snow base in the WORLD!"

I took 3 friends, caught the first ferry off the island and what a day it turned out to be. There was about 10 cm of new snow on a really soft base, and the sun shone brightly all day.

The fresh snow lasted well into the day until the sun heated it up and turned it to spring conditions. At that point the moguls turned into mushy heaps of snow cone material that you can punch through to scrub speed and send slush scattering for yards. So much fun!

I didn't get out at all last season due to my broken hand so it was my first day on skis in quite a while. It all came flooding back, tho... the wind burnt cheeks... the vibrating legs... the smile that you can't wipe off your face... the satisfaction of skipping on the tops of small moguls at high speed... the adrenaline surge of dropping off of a cornice into a steep alpine descent...

From the top of the mountain you can see Hornby Island in the Gulf of Georgia. I've labeled it in the photo to the left. If you click the picture you'll see Denman Island in front of Hornby and the Sunshine Coast on the top right of the photo.