Winter Camp: To Ski a Mountain

Gem State had a first-ever "Winter Week" at Camp Ida Haven! Monday afternoon, after a shortened school day, a caravan of vehicles (including the school bus, the Bumblebee, and suburban + trailer), with snow gear and excitement, made its 3-hour way up the winding pass toward awaiting winter wonderland. Blustery snow did not deter us. The lake and lodge at Ida Haven were visions of winter! The frosty woods were silent, and new snowflakes sprinkled softly on our heads as we unloaded in the parking lot. (Singing the Frozen soundtrack 24/7 was highly appropriate!!!)  Inside became lively: after dinner, we sang songs and played games, drank tea and coffee, and chatted with everyone. Outside, an optional snowball war waged at the basketball court... Happy and cozy, we all finally went to sleep in separate congregations by gender-- boys in the cabins, and girls upstairs above the dining hall.

Gathering for departure at Gem State.

For the rest of Winter Camp, each day entertained different activities related to snow and ice: staff teamed up to teach rotating classes like "Make Your Own Snow Icecream" in the cafeteria, and "The Art of Building Snow Caves" outside, and "Reading Icy Literature," in which I got to read Jack London's frigid and frightening short story "To Build a Fire" with student groups five times. (I can now analyze that thing inside out! So blunt and depressing though...)

Tuesday-- for those who did not stay at camp to ice skate or snow-shoe on the lake-- was a full SKI DAY at Brundage Mountain! I wasn't going to miss it. I hadn't skied for two full winters, but luckily "it came right back" to me again, and we explored nearly the whole mountain by the end of the day. (The only other times I've been that exhausted after a day of physical activity are the hours following Bloomsday runs!) Allie and I skied the morning with some parents and teachers-- six of us, evenly matched-- and it was very, very fun! Dr. Jansen, a parent and our volunteer physician, toured us around all the best runs. We had a blast!!!

Allie, Yvonne, and surprisingly one of the better views down the hill!

Unfortunately, the visibility all day was LESS than desirable, especially at the top, but if you could push through the slight vertigo and get down below the thickest fog, the snow was fantastic. The students took lessons before lunch, but after sandwiches and hot chocolate in the lodge, we were all set free again to ski and board wherever we wanted.

Lunchtime, revived! +handwarmers!

Feeling warm again and recharged, Allie and I finished lunch and decided to tackle the powdery black diamond area called "Hidden Valley" that the kids were all bragging about. We figured we had skied confidently and skillfully with the adults all morning-- we felt empowered to venture alone. We were all warmed up, used to the fog now, and used to our skis... How bad could it be? Famous last words:)

At the top of the ski lift, Allie and I turned left to follow the Hidden Valley route. First, we bypassed all the familiar blue runs, like "North" and "Main Street," waving to some of the snowboarding students, and braving our own way. Very soon, the trail had us skiing over new, hilly and un-groomed terrain. We suddenly dipped and turned along a narrow bank that made its way around the edge of the mountain-- I assumed it would take us to the real black runs of Hidden Valley that we were looking for. But the trail only seemed to get more rough and confusing. Trying to ski over warped patches of powder and snowbank, I was yelping and squealing, trying to keep my skis from crossing and trying to keep up with Allie, who was making similar noises and hurdling down the trail ahead. The fog wasn't as bad because we were in some thicker foliage, but the low visibility still made it tricky to predict the upcoming mogul-like speed bumps in our midst. We had not gone very far at all, but realizing we were still on the beginning "connector" of this excursion-- and it was not getting any easier-- we stopped to have a pow-wow: Allie slid up onto a ridge by a tree, and I lurched to a stop in a thick bank about 15 feet behind her.

We were laughing and astonished, shouting possibilities to each other. Straight ahead looked much of the same: treacherous and narrow (and semi-uphill??). It was enough to make us doubt our earlier convictions. Was this even a run? Had we strayed? How could that be possible-- we were simply following the trail. The KIDS were doing it, for crying out loud!! Could we hike back up a ways to try a different direction? No way: we all know how that goes, on skis. Well then, there remained two options; the first, to continue straight as we were; the second option (more favorable, at the moment), to abort the mission and take off down the mountain to the left, through tons of trees and definitely not on any marked terrain, but in pursuit of possibly merging onto one of those glorious blue runs that we had left behind, which represented flat and space and fun and control.

Our good-decision-making was on a roll, afterall, so off we went down Option Two. It was immediately a mistake! The best I can describe to you about the journey downward is short bursts of acceleration, punctuated by shrieking, and brief interludes of evaluating your life's importance at the top of a minor ledge, then plunging on for a few more blood-curdling seconds before coming to a stop by a friendly tree. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Panting and trying not to pee my pants, I would watch Allie bravely sail down the next patch-between-trees ahead of me, and then I would decide if hers was a good idea or if I could choose a less rapid, even less graceful way to catch up.

We needed to capture our faces after we FINALLY came out of the trees!!

Remarkably, we made it. We laughed mostly the whole way down, too, which is good; I'm sure if it had actually been as life-threatening as it felt at times, we would not have been laughing. This was merely a case of bad predictions and over-confidence. However, I WILL say that our "Hidden Valley Fail" was the most legit skiing I have ever done in my life!!! I am SO proud of us. I believe we can ski anything now. And I must add that nothing else the entire remainder of the Brundage ski day even phased us, in terms of challenge. It is probably one of my favorite memories with Allie all year.  :)

Alive, and lived to tell Nicole about it!

Sorting out luggage back at the school, Wednesday evening.
All our snow melted while we were away! :(