Phenomenal powder skiing and great times at Schweitzer Mountain

What a fantastic week and weekend it was at Schweitzer Mountain! First of all, the snow all of last week was absolutely epic. From Monday on it got better every day. This was really a great week to be a local. My brother and I managed to get up the hill for at least a couple hours each morning, as I stayed up late every night working to avoid feeling guilty.

Thursday was one of those all-time powder days that I will carry with me forever. There was one particular run that was so pure that it literally left me with chills of excitement. This was the second or third run of the day, dropping in somewhere between Big Timber and Puccis chutes, off Schweitzer's North Bowl. This is probably the longest of the steep runs at Schweitzer, with a fall line that stays consistent and just goes forever. I dropped in and found a fairly open slot between the trees that I skied all the way, airing out over a 20 footer at the bottom. There was enough room to make big, fast turns, with the absolutely perfect consistency of powder spraying me in the face all the way. After the primary fall line flattens out I dropped into some trees at the bottom half and just flew over every snow covered mound and natural terrain feature, laughing all the way.

For the 120 seconds or so of this run, there was nothing else in the world but me and the mountain. There is no time in my life (other than laughing with my baby boy) where time just stands still like it does during the perfect powder run. Not every powder run feels quite like this, but for those that have experienced this euphoria, skiing will always have a primary place in your life.

Friday was a fantastic day as well, in which the first runs off Lakeside Chutes, then Puccis, then T-bar were still largely untracked. I spent a couple hours in the afternoon teaching my wife to ski powder, and she skied probably better than she ever has, charging the trees like never before.

Saturday afternoon was my backcountry day with Travis Harmon and some other long time locals that really know their stuff. It was an absolute blue bird day with 2 feet of snow piled up and waiting. We worked hard, skinning for hours to reach 'Yoleda' and then 'Solar Ecstacy'. Words can't describe how incredible these runs were, and worth every breath it took to get there.

Saturday night we went to the Yokes Big Air Event at Schweitzer Village. This ski jump competition features some of the best skiers in the world doing ridiculous tricks off of the largest jump I've ever seen. Everything is lit up, with music pumping, people cheering, and fireworks on display. The festivities started with a torch light ski parade. Of course I then had to hang around for the 'Redneck costume party' at Taps, in which I found it all too easy to dress myself.

Of course Sunday became a 10 hour work day, but that's the price for living the dream here in Sandpoint!