Cascade Concrete

Stevens Pass Web Cam

A couple of years ago, I started downhill skiing again. I had skied in high school (Midwest-style, in southern Wisconsin) and then went to college in Colorado where of course there was lots of great skiing.

But then, I after college, I didn't go downhill skiing for 26 years. Drake doesn't downhill ski (though we did some Nordic skiing) and skiing just fell by the wayside.

In 2006 I had a great first season "back" but then last year, I tore my calf muscle on the second day of the season. That knocked me out for basically the whole season, mainly because I had chronic swelling and I couldn't comfortably get my leg into a ski boot.

Stevens, where I normally ski, just opened on Thursday but only a few runs are open and conditions are marginal. The snow in the Northwest tends to be wet and heavy ("cascade concrete") which is much harder to ski through then the light, fluffy stuff more typical of Colorado. But, still, I love getting out--perhaps I'm reliving my youth!

But for now, I'm patiently watching the ski reports, waiting for conditions to get just a bit better.