Heading South

It's been a while since my Washington birthday week adventures. The time has gone fast this February. I continue to wade through my online classes, though I think I am over the hump and the end is in sight. Many long drives from the north to south took me from the Canadian border to the northern tip of the Sierras. The frozen Eastern Oregon countryside made for an incredibly scenic drive, and the $1200 Suby is performing fine. I arrived in Tahoe just in time, with only partly nasty roads – that evening a regular winter storm hit and dropped a foot and a half of Utah quality snow.

The biggest event recently was the long-awaited President's Weekend Camp Highland Outdoor Science School Reunion. Thanks to the master planning by Ms. Dooley, and the hook-ups by Clay and J. Rose the gathering in Tahoe couldn't have been better. Two days of backcountry skiing started off the weekend. Each night was hot tubs, card games, and cocktails. It was amazing to see everyone back together and I caught up on so many stories.

Monday, Northstar-at-Tahoe was the first in area skiing I've done since Targhee – Clay and I rocked it from open til close, the rest of the CHOSS folks had to make flights Monday evening. Becca's big green vegi-powered truck offered support in the NorthStar parking lot and beyond. Tuesday, of course, I could barely move as my body recovered from the big vertical day. So I settled into Clay's living room to do homework and watch Olympic curling – I know what I'm gonna do when I get old. Which feels like its coming pretty fast sometimes – especially after a weekend of big ski days and late nights.

Today, got one more day of backcountry in. Clay, being the knuckle dragger he is, opted against the traversing and sent Becca and I off to climb from Incline Village by ourselves. The snow was soggy and thick but the views made up for it. Tahoe is truely a playground and I thank Clay Harvey for pointing me in the right direction and putting me in touch with folks that always have the adventure beta.