Have you ever been on a “ski date”?
Growing up in Wyoming this is a perfectly normal thing to do. I had one…once.
Cody, Wyoming Cira 1984
Picture small town Cody, Wyoming and their local ski area – Sleeping Giant. On this particular day it was about 10 degrees, overcast with a wind chill factor of negative 40 degrees, – and me, wanting to look good for my date donned the cutest of jeans (sprayed with a coat of Scotch guard) ski coat, headband and sunglasses – the epitome of 80’s ski fashion.
With the wind whipping wildly around me I set out to meet my “date” and surprise, an additional five of his best buddies. Yikes.
The T Bar Ski Lift
In Cody back then, the main lift was something called a T-Bar. Long story short, you don’t actually sit on anything to get you up the mountain. You simply lean your backside against the “T” to get chugged slowly up the mountain and hope your skis remain in the narrow tracks all the way to the top where you are launched off the lift at high speed down a steep grade.
At the top of the lift my “date” and his buddies have already started down the mountain Mach 20 and wildly out of control. All I hear are whoops and shouts as they launch off of steep jumps and zing through the trees leaving me in the proverbial dust.
Frosbite Sets In
By now I’m shaking uncontrollably with fear and frostbite and my sunglasses are entirely embedded with snow causing near complete lack of visibility. With my confidence completely shot, I somehow skied/snowplowed/fell down the mountain and was greeted at the bottom by my “gang” raring to hop on the lift and do it all again.
The rest of the day was a blur. I must have blocked it out. I don’t even remember my “dates” name. (He must have not remembered mine either, as I never heard from him again.)
To the Rescue – New BLUE Ski Runs In Jackson Hole
Fast forward 30 years and I now live in Jackson Hole. I must admit, I was a bit intimidated to ski at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort known for it’s steep terrain and deep powder, but older and wiser I now own stylish yes practical ski garb including goggles a helmet and ski coat developed for arctic conditions.
This year, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort opened its new intermediate mountain – Casper Mountain.
Ahhhh… I am greeted with a cushy 4-person high-speed chairlift that zings you to the top in mere minutes. Getting off the lift is a breeze as the lift slows down perfectly for your easy dismount. From there you can ski a series of perfectly groomed (or not) ski runs such as Sleeping Indian, Wide Open, Easy Does It, or Sundog.
What can I say? I’m spoiled now skiing on warm sunny days, appropriately dressed for the conditions, on some of the best ski terrain in the rocky mountain west. Thank you Jackson Hole!
Next winter, however, I’m taking a trip to Cody to ski at Sleeping Giant. Somehow I bet it won’t be quite as intimidating as I remember… could it be I just older and wiser?