Super-Secret WNY Backcountry Ski Mission
Posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010
I love telemark skiing. Love the deep powder turns, being surrounded by a 360-degree mountain view, the solitude hiking in the backcountry, and leg burn that focuses me on the present moment. I have planned a week trip in February to backcountry ski and stay in the 10th Mountain Division huts near Aspen, Colo.
I live in Western New York (WNY) and while I am passionate about skiing, there is often little snow cover to allow me to hike in a secluded spot and earn my turns. Total snowfall for the 2009-10 winter so far is 28 inches. In preparing for my trip out West I desired to get used to hiking up and skiing an ungroomed slope. This year was my first super-secret backcountry telemark mission in WNY where I earned first tracks.
I have my own backcountry ski spot in Western New York. The summit elevation is 790 feet, while the base elevation is 650 feet. That makes a whopping 140 vertical feet to ski. I brought some Viagra just in case I encountered elevation sickness. The longest run is 850 feet in length, which is equivalent to 2.36 football fields or 113.33 Yao Mings put head to toe (that sounds more impressive).
I kitted up in my Serendipity shell, Troller gloves, and a dose of humility. I lifted my skis onto my back and put my T1’s in walk mode. On every turn I sliced my Mantras through the powder snow, scraping the frozen ground. When I reached the bottom of the slope near an expertly placed snow fence, the snow was deeper and I was bouncing up and down in the powder, aware I had huge smile on my face.
I threw the heel release on my bindings, lifted my skis onto my back, put my T1s in walk mode, and as I walked up the hill I admired my ski tracks, replaying my turns in my head as if they were a great song. Sometimes our best turns are in our own backyard. And I’m still dreaming about my upcoming trip out West.
Andy Fleming is a Cloudveil Inspired Mountain Ambassador.
“I brought some Viagra just in case I encountered elevation sickness.”
Is it a joke or it really helps ?
Where is your hill in WNY? I’m from Cuba NY and now am living the dream in Oregon!
The hill located in Le Roy famously known for being the birthplace of JELL-O.
Viagra is not approved by Pfizer as an altitude sickness medication but some studies have found evidence that Viagra may help severe altitude sickness.
A clip from WebMD “The erectile dysfunction drug may help protect against lung problems resulting from high altitudes, say French researchers.” Joie de vive.