Learning to ski: year two wrap-up

This past week in Colorado, we got dumped with a lot of heavy spring snow - much needed everywhere that it fell.  The plains were dry and dusty and the mountains were bare.  I was keeping my fingers crossed that we could get one more good snow so that I could get one more good skiing day in before spring hit for real and my second season would be over until next winter.  I'm so thirsty for time on skis, so eager to keep learning and trying.  I lament letting opportunities go by where I could have taken a ski day.  Time on skis = experience = growth = new goals.

One purpose of my blog is to also record some favorite older memories too.  This post is reflecting on my journey in learning to ski from the last two years.

Growing up in Iowa, ski hills are not abundant and it's not a popular sport to grow up doing.  There are a few around - Lacrosse, WI and Galena, IL... or if your family took a vacation to Colorado, that's all the experience you'd get.  I was a normal midwestern kid that did gymnastics, swimming, and horseback riding.  I figured hey, I was athletic, this might be hard to pick up new as an adult but I should be able to pick it up pretty easily.  Bring it on!  Well, little did I know this would be one of the most defeating learning experiences I've ever had.

This photo is from my very first time on skis in Colorado.  Look how long it took me to fall down (...not that long at all)!  For anyone that knows where this is right outside of Vail and Minturn, this was on meadow mountain.  Having my feet go fast out from under me and not knowing at all how to control myself was so scary - it felt like I was a car with no breaks.  After this experience, Jon realized that learning without having taken a formal lesson and not being in a learning setting on skis fitted for me and on groomed terrain was not a good first experience to give me.  All of my confidence quickly disappeared and I was embarrassed and insecure.  Yes I was excited to try something new, but I knew that skiing was a huge part of Jon's life and I wanted to be able to enjoy that with him.  After that heartbreaking first experience, I refused to ski with him again until I was "good enough" for him to see me.  I put a ton of pressure on myself and was too insecure to let him see me fail again.  Plus, I realized how difficult it is to have the person you're involved with be your teacher.

Shortly after, I got to go home to my parents' house for Christmas, and tried one more time to give skiing a chance.  Shout out to my old school acquaintance Mitchell Fink for being so supportive and encouraging to me - even if his words of support weren't true!  I have video evidence of that night, and I have shown a few people but that's not for the public to see :)  Picture this: you know how a toddler looks when they're first learning how to walk?  With arms out, stiff and wide stance and choppy balance?  Now, picture that on skis, and that was me.  For the rest of the 2013-2014 winter I kept trying as much as I could, but I don't think I made any ground.  I was scared to go too fast, because I figured that I could be slow and cautious, as long as I didn't fall down.  I was open and receptive to all the advice I was being given, and I understood what techniques I needed to do, but knowing it and making my body follow what it was supposed to were two very different things.

The most fun thing about this journey is that I can still pause and enjoy the beauty and glory of the mountains, and they don't care if I stink at skiing or not.

Flash forward to this season.  The memories of being disappointed in myself and all the embarrassment were still fresh, but I was approaching this learning curve with more determination than I have with anything else in my life.  My passion for the mountains, the mountain lifestyle, and being able to enjoy their many facets during any season was the drive behind it.  I couldn't let this season be anything like the last, I didn't want to be bad at it anymore!  I skied a couple of times with my good friends Tiffiny and Meredith, and finally this year there was a feeling that finally clicked.  My body listened to my head and did what I wanted it to; I felt comfortable with what was happening on the groomers and even dared to go faster than what I was comfortable with.  But of course, then a good deep snow powder day knocked me right back down to where I was.

Meredith has been such a great mentor for me.  She is so sweet, yet so adventurous.  I always find myself in challenging situations that I wouldn't normally put myself into, and asking, "why on earth am I here?!"  Cliffs, trees, moguls, black diamonds... Definitely a good push to force me into growth.  Thanks friend :)

I still have so far to go, I know this.  But I am always so excited each time I reach a new milestone in my skiing.  My first black run.  My first jump.  My first big mountain back country ski.  In two years, I have accomplished all of this!  It's hard to say if I will ever be as good as all the people I look up to, and I don't know how many pros started when they were 24 years old, but I am thinking that it's totally possible!  Here are some favorite captures and favorite moments from this past skiing season:

Shocked I landed that jump.  It was sure fun!

My first 14er ski on Antero with Jon and Anna!  It was unseasonably warm.  By next season, I'll hopefully have AT gear and can skin up instead of carrying them on my back.

This picture actually makes it look like I'm good at this.  It was great timing.  I'm still struggling!

This past weekend might have been my last ski of this year, but maybe not!  It was a great spring snow and was a great way to close winter out, but there's a chance I might get to use my pass one more time.  If not, I'll welcome summer with open arms!

Keep the faith and try new things!  It's always rewarding.

This is a good place to start...

I created my blog months ago, but am now just getting started with my first entry.  It seems fitting, and I have a wonderful past weekend of adventures to start sharing!

This past week was my spring break, so for the last three days my good friend Anna and I took off for a long weekend on the road, living out of my Subaru, and climbing a couple of mountains.  I really needed this last couple of days - the day before my spring break started, I was given the news that I was losing my teaching job at the end of this school year.  The field of politics education is all about pleasing the right people, and for some reason, ones I don't think I know all of and others I probably will never agree with, I won't be returning for my 5th year of teaching this fall.  I am now obviously entering a season of life that will be a huge question mark for the next couple of months.  How will I pay my bills?  Do I want to fight for another teaching job and start over?  Do I want to go back to school?  Am I going to have to find a job that I won't get my summers off to enjoy the way I have, but that I don't have to always take home with me at the end of the day?

Two years ago I was in a very similar situation, having to suddenly find another job and all the uncertainty that comes with that.  Everyone kept asking me, "will you move back to Iowa?"  Even though that's where I grew up and where my family is, when faced with the scary unknown now both times, the thought of leaving Colorado and going back home never crossed my mind.  This is my home!  I DO feel confident that I am where I need to be, and I am always trusting God with what to do with my time and talents.  This past week was good for me;  I had two great friends that went out on peaks with me to help me process and (tried to) take my mind off things.  It was good to spend time away from the situation and let it simmer.  One thing I know for sure is that I plan on finishing my year strong and with dignity, and although I didn't choose this turn of events to happen, I am confidently trusting God with this next chapter with my life.  I know what my strengths and talents are:  I am a hard worker and enthusiastic learner.  I'm a very organized person.  I am great with people, even though by nature I am an introvert.  I'm faithful.  I have a big heart, and most importantly, I have a strong heart.

I titled this post, this is a good place to start.  I've been asked more than once, "could you make a career out of what you obviously love, climbing mountains?"  Trust me, if I knew how to make that happen so easily, I would.  It is my heart and soul, that's for sure.  Can I make my living doing what I love?  I don't know the answer to that.  I know so many people that do, and are trying, and if that door opened, I pray it could happen.  But for now, I know that this is an amazing lifestyle and hobby, and I don't want that part of it to change.

I climbed an "oldie but a goodie" last Saturday, Quandary Peak, outside of Breckenridge.  It's a very short mountain, only about 3 miles up to the top.  It's typically a windy little mountain, but the views at the top are always breath-taking.  This is a lot of people's first big mountain, because of it's short length and straightforwardness.  There were a lot of skiers on the peak that day; Tiffiny and I were among 4 of the only non skiers on the summit.  We made sure to enjoy the low wind and sunny weather and all-around fantastic time up on the top.

In the words of Tiff, "There's so much more you can do on a mountain than climb it!"  So here we are, goofing off and having a great time.

Summit panorama on Quandary - just across the basin from Democrat, Lincoln, Bross, and Cameron.

Later in the week, Anna and I packed for a 3 day trip to Salida, where we climbed Shavano, Tabeguache, and then the next day got up super early to trek down to the Sangre de Cristo range to climb Humboldt.  I was excited to do the twofer of Shav and Tab because I didn't get to Tabeguache last summer; a stormed rolled in and we weren't efficient enough to get over to it.  It was surprisingly a very "easy" traverse over to it.  It usually takes another hour to climb down and back up to neighboring peaks, and we had already been climbing for so many hours - I was anticipating being wiped out.  We got there in barely an hour, and were surprised how fast the time went!

Anna en route to Tabeguache's summit

Pano view from summit of Tabeguache looking over at Shavano

Last on my week of climbing ventures, Humboldt Peak down in the Sangre range.  This is my favorite range so far in Colorado.  The conglomerate rock is such an interesting feature, and makes for great handholds on the more technical climbs like the Crestones.

One thing about mountains and climbing them that just thrills me are the indescribable views.  I always feel safe on them too, so (sorry mom!) overlooking drop off cliffs is one of my favorite parts.  The mountains make me feel so small.  But they also make me feel so strong at the same time.  It's my own two legs that carry me up them.  It takes hours.  I breathe so hard.  I hardly get any sleep the night before because we start early.  But it's worth it, every time.

Summit ridge on Humboldt

Overlooking a drop off on the way up Humboldt

Summit pano on Humboldt.  Crestones in the center, and Kit Carson on the right

Until my next adventures, be well!