Skiing at Blue!

The very first time I squeezed my little feet into snug ski boots and attempted to glide my way down a barely-there hill on a pair of skis, I was in grade five.  I chose to spend several weeks in the Outdoor Education elective course rather than stay indoors to learn how to make bead necklaces or the other activities that were offered since I’d never been snowshoeing or skiing before.  I really enjoyed the course despite it being one of the priciest electives back then.

Snow-covered slopes

Fast forward 14 years later and here I was on another ski trip with my friend at Blue Mountain.  Over the years after that first ski adventure, I’ve gone on annual class ski trips in grades 6-8 and then later with friends in university.  The last time I was on the ski slopes was actually when I was vacationing in Korea in December 2011.  I was lucky enough to be skiing on the same slopes that the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics will be — Pyeongchang, South Korea!

Holly as the snow bunny and me as the snow patrol (with eyes behind my head)

Holly and I travelled to Blue Mountain this past Friday as part of the Ryerson Students’ Union.  It was a great deal for a full day of skiing with bus, rentals, and lift included in the ticket.  Thanks for inviting me, Holly!

It was an exceptionally warm winter day with some drifting flurries on the mountain when we arrived.  I had forgotten how tight it felt to squeeze my feet into ski boots.  The boots weighed a ton and I felt like I was lifting a mini elephant with every step I took.

It was Holly’s first time skiing and I had the great privilege to teach her the ins and outs of skiing.  I’m not an expert at skiing but I’ve skied for several years now that I think I can show her how to stop, slow down, and go.  It was difficult for her to get control of the stopping part, but as with all things, it just takes practice.

It was my first time skiing at night. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be on the chairlifts at night

The top

My favourite part of the day was gliding down one of the “green” hills.  I’ve forgotten how it felt like to rush down the mountain with just skis on my feet and feeling the wind rush past my ears.  This part of the mountain was particularly high and I underestimated how steep it was at the bottom; a large chunk of it jutted out of the mountain with no gradual slope.  Since it was so steep, I went extremely fast that I had to fall back in order not to crash into anyone.  It was a little scary.  Before we left for the day, I make sure to tackle it a couple more times.  I didn’t want to leave not having conquered this monster of a mountain.  This time, I skiied down more cautiously and paused several times on my way down.  It was better, but that mountain is still the steepest I’ve ever skied on.  It was exhilarating.  Taking off my ski boots that day, I am reminded of how much I enjoy skiing and how much I’ve missed it.  Until next time! 🙂

Lastly, what is a food blog if there are no food pictures? Haha, cheesy poutine and hearty chili served as sustenance for skiing ^_^