SkiSickness

I got back from my last visit to New Mexico beginning of March. I pretty much spent every day (incl. weekends) and night working on my thesis except for two days of skiing. The working part is not so bad. I'm actually enjoying writing my thesis most of the time and only have sporadic moments of stress from feeling overwhelmed. The first time out I went skiing was with Andy. We slogged all the way up to the bottom of Birkenstock couloir just to turn around due to unfavourable conditions. It was a 9 hour touring day + 1 hour detour nonetheless and the exercise and sunshine prepared me for the next trip two weeks later.

The second time I went out with Hannah and had a much greater success. I wanted to ski Shuksan and a steep line, so I was ecstatic when Hannah agreed to ski the Northwest Couloir with me. It was a great day for many reasons (with increasing stoke down the list):
1) Weather was amazing
2) Snow conditions were stable
3) I got to ski Shuksan (FINALLY)
4) I got to ski with a chick (always makes me happy)
5) I GOT TO SKI THE NWC IN POW!!!
Hannah also finally got to ski the mountain that almost ate her a few year ago. This time there were no broken bones and just pure stoke and excitement from her.

Here is the story in pics. (I know you've seen them all already this year, but I do have a new camera and tried my best to take good pictures.)

Da NWC!


On our way up.


THE summit and Mt. Baker.


Ski time! Hanny coming down the entrance of the NWC. It was steep soft and lovely. 11 people had skied it before us in the previous couple days, but the snow was so soft it didn't matter. Shuksan is definitely not the place to go to if you seek solitude in nature on a sunny weekend. It was PACKED and pretty much all lines were skied.


The choke. More fun. (Hannah)


Something I want to ski, but get in trouble with Sky for even thinking it.


Looking back up. Such a cool mountain. I'd come back anytime conditions and time permit!


We heard a serac fall and saw this avalanche at the end of the day when we were on our way back.


THANKS HANNAH! I've got the fever for steeps back, but for now I'll be content that I finally got to ski something gnarly and will get my head back into thesis mode - or at least I'm going to try on a sunny weekend. Next week I get to have fun time with Sky, which is motivation enough to power through work now. I arrive after Eric is done with man-loving him this week. Enjoy the dumpling Eric!

More pictures are found here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1166681895 ... ksan240313#

I want to ski that line post-apocalypse.

Mmmmmm dumplings.

Awesome Hannah and Naomi. Such a great line.

Great pictures Naomi

Strong work, ladies. Yay!