Friday, December 13, 2013

Dawn Patrol To Major Tom


Like most of you, I live a pretty busy life.  The only thing longer than my ‘have-to-do’ list is my ‘want-to-do’ list.   It’s hard to keep up with the demands of the real world and still have time to do the things that I love.   There is not enough time in the day. 

The world is full of solutions to buy us more time:  2 in 1 Shampoos, mopping slippers, highlighter pen combos, New Shimmer Floor Wax, slip on shoes, Daylight Savings Time, the list goes on and on.  Everybody wants to have their cake and eat it too.

A couple of years ago I found my solution to fit in the want-to-do’s without sacrificing the have-to-do’s: Dawn patrol skiing.   Dawn patrol, backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, alpine touring (AT), randonee, skinning-- There are many terms to describe what I do.  Essentially it entails going up the mountain on your own power and skiing down.  I prefer the term Dawn Patrol as I like to go when it’s dark.   I wake up at 5 am, head up to the mountains, start skiing up by 545, ski up until sunrise, ski down, go to work, get to the office by 830.  It’s perfect for me as it allows me to ski without sacrificing anything but a little sleep.  In addition to the time savings, here are some of the other perks.

·         I get to see the sunrise every morning from the top of a mountain—there is no more inspiring sight.
·         I get an insane workout and don’t have to worry about hitting the gym
·         In order to enjoy 15 minutes of untracked powder and steep lines, I have to invest 90 minutes of trekking the 2 plus miles and 3000 feet up the mountain.  This sense of perspective that carries over to other aspects of life.  Learning to enjoy that investment has helped me in writing, work, family and so many other areas.

 
Skiing by the light of the full moon above Alta ski resort

No comments:

Post a Comment