Skiing Through Life

I learned how to downhill ski in Elementary school in Calgary.  In those days, our school had a "learn to ski" program for those in Grade 5 and Grade 6.  If you were interested in skiing, you could take the program.  I took the program and immediately was smitten.  I was so smitten, that I went and got myself my first job - a newspaper route - so I could purchase some skis and a ski pass at the local ski hill..  This was also inspired by my parents, because when I told them that I loved skiing and wanted to buy some skis they said, "Well, you'd better get a Job".  They split the cost with my 50/50 or at least, that's how I remember it.  The next  year after I learned how to ski, I did just that. I purchased my first pair of skis - a pair of yellow K2 Stingers and a Season Pass to the Paskapoo ski hill.  My parents would drop me off at the ski hill and leave me for the day where I would ski from when the lift opened to when the lift closed.

In Junior High, our school was part of some experimental programming called "Life Time Activities".  This was a "one-of-a-kind" activity program that offered up a huge selection of different activity choices for students to try.  There were also some indoor activity choices, like bowling, but I gravitated towards all of the outdoor activities.  Essentially, every Friday afternoon, there were no classes and we got to go outside and do something really cool.  Naturally, I picked "downhill skiing" as my winter activity selection.  I also remember taking Canoeing, Hiking and Biking as some of my warmer season options.  Of interest - there was also a Computer Course available.  It was the early '80's and this was considered a "leisure activity" - and was not part of any curriculum.  To me, going skiing on Friday afternoons, was a BIG deal. The big yellow school bus would pull up in front of the school and take us all away - to the paradise of our little ski hill.  I was in heaven.  I was skiing instead of going to school!  Yeah! 

My parents eventually got in to skiing, because both my brother and I had taken to it.  Fortress Mountain was my first "real mountain ski experience" and I was captivated by this wonderful sport and the scope, size and beauty of the mountains.  I have no memories of being cold - but lots of memories of eating "french fries" in the day lodge.  Fries were a treat, not something I ever ate at home and a "integral" part of my ski experience.  Soon, we were taking ski holidays and making trips to Montana to ski at The Big Mountain.  I had never seen so much snow in my life - Montana was a Wonderland of Powder and snow banks that were much, much larger than me.

After High School, when we were away from the Cliques of Teenager-dom - my brother and I decided we were cool enough to hang out together.  As soon as he got a car, he was taking trips to the ski hill and eventually, thought it took a few years, I was included in the plans.  It was an exciting time to be skiing, ski culture was taking off - and I met a lot of great people on the slopes.  In 1988, after being excluded from a ride to the ski hill - I hitch hiked to the slopes for the first time.  I had to be extra sneaky to do it, but NOTHING was going to stop me from getting to the ski hill for one of the last days of Spring Skiing.  I HAD to ski, it had become the Most Important Thing of All-est.  So, I took a public bus and then I hiked out to the city limits and I put out my sign:  Sunshine.  I looked like I was 13.  I've been skiing at Sunshine Village every since.

Skiing has taught me many things and changed my life - too many things to mention in this simple post.  Eventually, I met my husband on the slopes, moved to a ski town and thus began a Great Adventure. The fun and joy of skiing, skiing with friends and making fresh turns in powder, is still is a big part of my life.  As the adventure continues, I'm so glad that skiing is still a part of my world.  True, it's a smaller part of my world than it's ever been - but this doesn't mean I love it any less.  I'm thankful for this silly sport and all of the good things it's brought me and hopefully, I'll be skiing through life for a long time.

Yesterday's turns at Sunshine Meadows

Christmas in the Rockies

Lara and Leslie, Christmas Day - Tunnel Mountain Lookout, Banff National Park

This year, Christmas came and went with the speed of a Kenworth cruising the Trans Canada Highway. It was a high speed blur, with time spent with the family, friends and mostly in the Great Outdoors. The day before Christmas, Keith and I had an enjoyable day in the city spent with my family. The late evening drive brought us back to our home in Banff for a good night's sleep.

On Christmas day, we got up early and headed out to Sunshine Village for a ski tour. Stu, Anna, Keith and myself enjoyed a clear morning, a dramatic sky and some good company. The tour itself turned out to be brief: Stu broke his binding on the first and only run of the day. It was all good and we consoled ourselves with a thermos full of Irish Coffee.

We returned to town just in time for the arrival of our friend Lara from Ottawa. We lounged in the sunny spot in the kitchen for a visit and headed out for an afternoon walk up Tunnel Mountain. It was a warm Christmas Day, probably the warmest day we've had in the last 6 weeks - and it was great to see lots of people on the trail. Lara was jumping with joy despite her long day of travelling!

Yay for Banff!!

Stu and Anna hosted us for dinner this year, that boy sure can eat. I blame it on his ex-British-Military background and time spent in the presence of lots of manly men. Eat lots, while you have the opportunity!


The day after Christmas brought us flatulence and another day at Sunshine Meadows. Again, the sky was extra dramatic with black clouds, beams of sunshine, shadows and snow. It was a beautiful day to be outside.

The Monarch Reigns Supreme!

Sunshine Meadows and The Monarch


Light Meets Dark

...and that wraps up Christmas weekend. I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and leisurely weekend of quality time with family, friends and the great outdoors!