Category Archives: Skiing

The End Of An Era

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Let it Ride

Talking about this post for weeks (after thinking about it for months) didn’t make it any easier to start. The ski community is qute possibly the raddest clique. #squadgoals. The Greatest Friends on Earth.

The ski culture is unlike any community I’ve ever experienced. It was easy to embrace, but hard to infiltrate. I had a different blog written – all about me, about my four years, about my goodbye. But you are The Greatest Fans on Earth of The Greatest Snow on Earth. So this is all about you, not me. Thank you for following my journey. Thank you for letting me becoming part of the clique.

What I realized, mainly, is I’m not saying goodbye. It will never end. I love skiing. My passion won’t be shared like it used to be, here, but I still will find a way. And we’ve had some slow seasons. So this one isn’t ending for me. I consciously decided to not attend a single closing day. So it doesn’t count. I’m gonna let it ride. 🙂

Looking back – the first year I worked with Ski Utah (2010) every day was a powder day. It never stopped. And to be honest I was a newbie powderhound. I’d JUST fallen in love. I went over 100 days. I learned how to ski that year.

Your Takeaway: What makes you better? Laps down the hill. Time on the snow. One more run.

Little did I know when writing the script for my Ski Utah video that I (and Matt) would land the most coveted gigs in Utah. We were similar, hailing from the East Coast, choosing Park City as home because of the skiing. We were different because he had that life going already. I got accepted into it. By him and his friends. By skiers I’d meet on chairlifts. By everyone that saw the Ski Utah coat.

Your Takeaway: Everyone is accepted in the Ski Utah clique.

Our approach differed, but we had the same end goal. We both got after it in different ways. Matt crafts better and better videos each season. I chose to experience every single event, opportunity, spa day, dinner on the hills. Both of us simply trying to show you what Utah really is like, how incredible it is. Most of Utah doesn’t ski and most of the US doesn’t know it is the absolute best.

Your Takeaway: Tell the secret to your dearest friends.

You can go from bunny hill to big lines in 4 years. Green to black. I’m proof. In even less if you push it. No matter where you start. Find someone better, make them take you. Thank you Matt, Jeff, Christina, Mike, Missy, Steve, Tricia, Annie, Jared, Emily, oh there’s too many to name. I love you all. You helped me find myself. To John. Not a day goes by I don’t miss you. RIP.

Your Takeaway: This ski family is your family and will become your whole life. It’s more than a sport. The culture becomes the lifestyle becomes the family.

Utah has hidden gems across its regions of skiing and none can afford to be missed. I wrote passionately from day one about how Park City was grand but down south was unique and Ogden was blissful. I tried to convey through words and photos that just because you’ve seen one doesn’t mean you’ve seen them all.

Your Takeaway: Even if you think you know Utah, try something new. Never stop exploring.

Well, I learned more than that. This is the cliff notes version on my incredible and exciting experience. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever written, but like I started out – it isn’t goodbye. Continue to send me your questions and comments. My entire life will revolve around ways to get back to Utah in the winter. I’m not saying goodbye. I’m looking forward to the next season. And the next. Thanks to YOU – I anxiously await our shared memories.

No matter how you found Ski Utah, or what point in your journey you’re on, I hope you can relate to my content over the years. I hope we drew you in and painted a decent picture. I hope you could envision yourself in the powder, flying down the run, high fiving and celebrating a sport/hobby/life you love. I know I will be showing future fans Ski Utah as a resource and raving about the state no matter where I end up. That’s MY Takeaway.

*Let it snow*

Powderhound Cat

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The Long Road Back

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Your injury stories are boring.
Your rehabilitation stories are boring.

So are mine. It’s not interesting to people that do what we do because we all test our limits. Everyone goes hard. Everyone breaks something. We all push and then we all suffer setbacks. Then we push again.

All I know is today I ran for the first time in years.

It hurt my pride maybe more than my body. I was self conscious. I was slow. I was in the middle of a city I don’t know.

But I did a few things. I woke up and I put clothes in a bag. I reached out for support and was supported. I turned loud music up, laced up my damn shoes, and suffered. I ran out of breath. I over thought the whole ordeal. And then, I did it. The doing was done. The high set in. The weak knees hurt, but they survived. I survived.

And maybe even that is boring. Most of us survive. Most of us break through the mental barrier. Most of us get back on the horse that kicked us off.

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I’m happiest that no matter how long it took I attempted what I feared would be impossible, and I overcame odds and overcame myself. The physical pain I feared was nothing compared to what happened on the inside. That isn’t boring. That’s transformative.

 

 

Snow Memes

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Just a few of my favorites while I’ve got snow on the brain. Storm Brutus showed up this morning and it hasn’t stopped snowing yet! Good news for resorts that are planning to open in the coming weeks.

                                  

         

 

             

                          

    

    

                

You have any other good ones?

Celebrity Ski Fest at Canyons

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This was basically my first time on the spot, live interviewing. It was wild and fun. I could do this more…I’m sure with experience you get more comfortable. The great part with someone like me, who does totally get a little star-struck, was just how nice everyone was. Super patient, kind, expecting the interview, and happy to say hi for the camera. I guess that is the job…

Fortunately for me, PCTV thinks I’m ok and I get to do some more filming this weekend! Looking forward to new adventures as the ski season comes to an end.

Canyons Pond Skimming

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Another fun event that I was super grateful to be a part of:

The Canyons resort is really stepping it up to be a major player in the ski resort world. I get to attend an incredible event this coming Saturday also, a celebrity ski fundraiser for Operation Smile.

Every year I’ve been here in Utah, the events get bigger, better, and more successful.

I’ve had friends in town from Colorado that repeatedly note, “We didn’t know this fun party atmosphere was an option here.”

I have to respond, “Go back and tell everyone you know!”

14 Resorts – One Day – Ski Utah

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In case you missed it, watch the video about one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.

I tried to recap it for Ski Utah here, but it was hard to put the day into words. It was crazy fun. I can’t believe, no matter how much I ski, that I could go from a beginner to accomplishing feats like this in such a short span of time. And, of course, that I ever ended up in Utah and with the best gig in town in the first place! It’s still like a dream.

Yoga For Skiing

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I spent most of the summer (and every day during month of September) doing yoga. Nothing but yoga.

I have read over and over this works, yoga can be all you need. And I have seen people that do nothing but yoga. They have perfect, strong bodies.

I went to the gym and ran. I hated it.

I did huge weight lifting sessions. I hated it.

I walked through countless sets of lunges. I almost opened wine it sucked so bad.

So I went back to yoga.

The ski resorts are opening. I have skied three days. I already know I am at a whole new level of strength, comfort, and light-footed-ness. The yoga worked. It has transformed my body, to respond and react to the snow. It has changed my mind, the totally let go and trust that I can do whatever I try.

I’m not going to end up breaking any world records, but yoga helped. No question. It wasn’t the miserable workouts. No question.

The poses I have learned have so much to do with balance, like skiing. I feel like I’m skiing a new way, that yoga found for me. My core is stronger and my mind and body are centered.

I gained a little bit of grace, and it’s going a long way.

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Skiing today also reminded me of my happy place. I love being on my mat, but I ADORE being on the mountain. Nothing makes me happier. I’m calm. My mind is quiet. Everything is right with the world.

I came home and did some stretchy restorative yoga, and I’m hooked. I want to make everyone I know that is a skier a yoga junkie. And my yoga buddies skiers.

I feel better, stronger, and ready to take on the challenges of a new season, and hope it will be my best yet!