This was supposed to be a rock climbing trip.  It wasn’t supposed to flood in Moab, or be 40 and snowing in Salt Lake City, but sometimes you make the best of what you are given.  Jordan and I got a few pitches in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Sunday afternoon, but weather Sunday night and Monday left the granite of Little Cottonwood a cold, wet mess, and our host Thomas steered us back into town for a long session at RockReation, a great little gym behind the Black Diamond Equipment headquarters. Today we woke up to snow on the ground here at the house in downtown Salt Lake, and the ski report said there was a foot of fresh and more on the way.  Jordan flew out this morning and I figured if there was a good time to get some of Utah’s finest, today was it.

The departure of an awesome partner...

After my airport run, I headed up Big Cottonwood in a full snowstorm.  Suddenly, I was quite glad I brought my chains (I had seriously debated leaving them home!).  My left foot still hurts doing most things, but I had tried on my ski boots before I left the house, and it seemed like I had a chance.  I geared up, met an older guy parked next to me named “Little Jeff”, and we skinned up the Brighton resort terrain.  One foot of fresh might have been an understatement.  My foot didn’t start hurting until we neared the top of the resort, and it doesn’t really hurt to lunge in my tele setup anymore- so I have high hopes for more ski touring and mountaineering this spring!  Jeff and I changed over and took off downhill.  About halfway to the car he decided to head back up, but the terrain was safe and my foot was done, so I got a few solo turns in and called it a day.  Stoked to get in as much as I did, but I’ll be taking it easy this afternoon.  Skander: 1, Foot surgery: 1.

Not a bad day to ski for the first time since February.