Respectfully, on the joy of not TAYing

A full confession: much as I like perusing the occasional summer ski reports, I'm not a true Turns-All-Yearer.  Hats off to the efforts of those who keep it up through the lean months - it's a cool obsession and I'm in awe of those with the really long streaks.  Seems like there is so much in life that can easily derail something like that, and to keep it going shows true perseverance.  But for me, at some point, usually June or maybe July if it's been a robust year, the hikes get too long and the skis too short for me to justify it.  And much as I like skiing, I also really like Summer.  This summer I hung the boards up in June and moved on to t-shirts and shorts , barbecuing on the deck, biking around town, backpacking and hiking, river kayaking, even making a fool of myself trying to learn to surf.  Once in a while, I'd get in the mountains and feel that familiar itch, but for the most part, skiing was completely off the radar.

As October rolls around, though, like the leaves on the trees, my perspective starts to change.  The first cold snap and mountain snowfall gets the internal fire burning.  Not too long now.  Last week, reading the weather report for what looked like some possibly good spring-like (albeit bony) skiing, I giddily started pulling the gear together.  Saturday was blocked off with nothing to do, and in the morning I rolled out of a fog-socked valley towards Mt. Hood, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning.  As I commenced the drive up the final stretch, the clouds obligingly parted and there was the mountain gleaming through my windshield, like a big white target.  I pulled up to the lodge with what could probably only be described as a shit-eating grin.  At this point, I couldn't wait to get my pass - luckily there was no line and I had my picture taken (shit-eating grin captured for time immemorial) and was strolling towards the lift within minutes.  Sure, it is only skiing on Palmer, but man it felt good to being making turns again and the snow was smooth and fast.  And the people who are up there skiing in October are by and large, stoked, and it makes it all the more fun.
 
For me, something about the time off serves as a renewal, and skiing becomes like an eternal first kiss that you get to enjoy over and over, every first day of each season.  After a couple hours of laps on the snowfield, I pulled out my skins and started heading up the mountain.  Perfect blue skies and no wind, would be a primo day in May, and getting it in late October feels like just maybe I caught a secret ticket to the Southern Hemisphere.  I plugged right on up to the crater, and to my surprise, on what is supposedly the most climbed mountain in North America, I didn't see a single person around.  Admittedly, not great climbing conditions this time of year, but on a perfect Saturday, seems like someone would be here.  The thought crossed my mind: am I the highest person in Oregon right now?  (not counting those taking good safety breaks, of course).  Only way to tell would be to keep on going to the summit, but not in the cards for me.

Peeling skins (such a great feeling when you haven't done it a while) and then slashing turns below Crater Rock, down onto the ZigZag glacier, where lower, I swear the slushy snow is better and more spring-like than anything I skied all of last Spring.  Solo skiing down  the open glacier, and then riding the walls of  a sweet snow-covered gully, with just enough snow to take me right down to the staring tourists off-loading at the top of the Magic Mile.
 
Something about that first day of the season after a long break is really fun.  Skiing always seems to make me feel like a kid, but it's most amplified on that first day.  On the way home, thinking if that was that good, maybe I should take a longer break next year to really build it up - maybe only ski six months of the year?  Nah, that would be crazy.

TAYed for a few years, modulo injury, 'till it started running my life. Made a deliberate call last year to climb instead of scratch downhill in September. I'm certain that I'll TAY again when it feels joyful instead of laborious, perhaps this coming season. There's so much goodness in the mountains.

So stoked on winter right now.

There's so much goodness in the mountains...

...So stoked on winter right now.

Couldn't agree more.

If not for the slight sunburn remaining I'd be wondering if it was a dream. I've been up to Palmer 3 weeks in a row. This past Saturday was the sweetest sugary snow.
I've never made a true TAY but I'm working in that direction. Every day I ski I think I can't believe I forgot how much fun it was. The more I ski and the shorter the breaks the harder it is to forget. Spread the word, it's only Palmer. It's even better when there isn't a crowd.

Totally agree.
I had a pretty good TAY streak going but in the end I realized that I was going for the wrong reasons...the skiing was shit and it was more like a stunt and a numbers game .  In fact, for me it became a parody of skiing and somehow diminished the joy I found in skiing and the sport. It felt like an insult to ski shitty snow just so I could say I had.

During my fist non-TAY year I had pangs of guilt when I felt I should be up there flogging bad snow instead of mountain biking.
By my second non-TAY year I was reveling in the release from the  monthly tyranny that TAY demands.
Now in my 3rd non- TAY year.... I am completely cured.

But to each his own and I understand those that have long streaks and why they do it and the work and suffering it entails.

But to each his own and I understand those that have long streaks and why they do it and the work and suffering it entails.

Nice words I would only change it slightly

But to each his own and I understand those that have long streaks and why they do it and the work , suffering and the Joy it entails.

This is good thread and hits home. Ive a bum knee and I 'm trying to save it for only the best powder or corn and limit the down hiking. Meanwhile Ive found kayaking and returned to me roots in motorcycling. Just the same this site still plays a big role in my life.