Technique in the Toes at Tahoe
It was another amazing Bould getaway trip to Tahoe, one that was this time blessed with a snow storm that left highways closed and ski slopes unmanageable. Our first day in Tahoe began just after midnight, when we all arrived from a 7-11 hour drive (depending on who left when), tired and exhilarated. This amount of snow made you happy to survive the car ride, no matter how much time went into the effort. Teddy drove up with us, and we were thankful to have him help battle the storm. There were times when he would be out the passenger window, snapping the windshield wipers to break up the ice around them, as I draped over the windshield from the sunroof trying to do their job in the meantime. There were other times that he attempted to beat me at putting chains on the tires, however, I hold the record still. And yet through all our struggles, we were enchanted by the amount of snow that lined the roads, held heavy onto the tree limbs, and squandered traffic road signs. When we arrived at the cottage, there was a fireplace and warm blankets to sink into.
Several hours later, before the rest of the cottage began to stir, Boo woke me up to use the restroom. I, of course, took her out the backdoor into an un-plowed landscape of snow. She took a few steps out, and not being able to walk on anything but to sink in the snow, she paddled her way back leaving a trail of yellow snow behind her. But I was up now, and Boo loved the snow. Waking Jamie up was easy - she grabbed her camera and before we knew it we were running up and down the street in the morning sun. Snow was coming down thick, and once we had our snow gear on, there was no hill we did not want to run up or roll down on. Boo is absolutely a snow dog. She bounded into snow piles, and bit and licked at the surrounding snow as if the world turned into a snow cone.
The first day was spent at Alpine Resort, since Squaw closed its higher trails. Teddy became a slave to our instruction, and tried to teach us beyond the basics. It was no longer our time to leaf down the mountainside, or practice turning on our snowboard. It was how to go down, nose first, and control your speed. There were many frustrating falls, and by the time we thought we had it, the cold cut deep and we lost heart to keep going. That was when the afternoon came with high winds and howling gusts of snow. Through our frosted goggles, we were surrounded by a world of white. When wind and snow combine with this much excitement, it seems as though the air is spirited, as forms move from where they slumbered in the trees. There were moments where we couldn’t see anyone or anything around us, and it felt like a true peace that connected you to the mountain.
The next day was better, as we started in the afternoon. This was when we went to Squaw, and began on the steeper slopes. Anything less than a blue trail was unfeasible - as the amount of snow was so powdery and sticky, that if you did not have a slope to give you speed, you ended up clipping and un-clipping your board to walk. Jamie and I ended up doing slopes we would’ve never done had there been less snow, and it was completely what we needed. It was a challenge that solidified technique in our toes, and there were times where I did an entire slope without fault. And there were the terrible falls where I bounced in the air and landed in a fluff of clouds. Jamie zipped passed me several times, and I could see her concentration on shifting weight from heels to toes. Her falls gave me strength to keep going, as she would just get right back up with flaming determination. All in all, By George, I think we got it.
See you next weekend, Tahoe!
