dawn patrol is a good thing
April 8, 2008
A very long time ago, I attended the graduation from BYU of my brother. Actually, I’m guessing it was my brother. I guess I have no idea who was graduating, but really, why else would I pack myself into the Provo Tabernacle for 2 hours in August if it wasn’t my brother, me, or Kim?
Anyway, I remember (and I really don’t know WHY I remember this–my head is like an ill-kept closet, full of flotsam and jetsam, almost none of it useful) that during this graduation ceremony, one of the faculty members, a very large balding man, robustly sang an a cappella version of some song that must have been titled “I Love Life.” I’m guessing that’s the title, because that’s all I can remember about the song, that he sang that over and over again.
However comical that seemed at the time, and continues to seem in my memory, I was singing it in my head this morning. Rick and I got up at 5am, met at Little Cottonwood Canyon at 5:30, and were hiking from the White Pine trailhead with headlamps by 6:00, straight up the gut of Scottie’s Bowl. Rick set a pace that made me consider Bill Murray’s trick for messing with Judge Smails’ backswing.
Anyway. 18 inches of fresh. April 8th. About 2500 feet of north facing vertical, beginning with a steep tight chute at the top. The new snow was sluffing freely, and the first 500 feet or so were more like surfing than skiing. Rick and I both got knocked off our feet by the deep, fast moving sluffs. He simply disappeared for a second. I, on the other hand, encountered a tree when the sluff broke. No harm done.
We were back to the car by 8:00, to work before 9:00.
I. Love. Life.
There, I said it.
We met up with Dustin Butcher of Voile, the splitboard company, at the parking lot, and decided to hike together. Dustin had a camera. We’re going to ask Dustin to come next time too.
Photos:
This is me, hoping to catch Rick and then kill him.
Rick, almost at the top, taking it easy.
Rick went first, and the snow was good. Very good.
But the sluff was bigger.
You can just see my ski sticking out from the tree. The sluff is long gone.
But it’s all good.
Fighting a new sluff to get to the ridge.
To infinity and beyond:
April 8, 2008 at 2:07 pm
It should have been a call in sick day
April 8, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Thanks again for having me along. This morning certainly was a good thing.
April 8, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Why do I live in California again? Sweet pics!!
April 8, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I need to learn how to ski. Those are some great pics!
April 9, 2008 at 4:41 pm
“Tree”–dug
JRA: WTF did you do to the walt works? You murderer.
You know when you see an ad for a bike on craigslist and it says, “rode 4 times” or, “like new”? Well, you know that’s not true when you buy a bike from Kenny or Brad.
The Crying Game: Why exactly is Kim so disturbed by seeing a penis? She’s never seen one before?
Western: Tombstone
Comedy: Dan in real life. If only for the line, “You murderer of love.”
Jasmine Bidet: I have often wondered what you’re longitudinal review of the bidet seat would be. Is it still working, or is it just a really expensive uh, manual(?) toilet seat now?
April 10, 2008 at 7:47 am
If I only liked snow and cold and darkness i could totally get into the backcountry thing.
April 10, 2008 at 2:17 pm
That looks amazing. jealous.