Mountain Report, And Another Pizza
When the mountains don't care about your plans...
Since the last pizza I wrote about was such a hit, another follows at the end of this report!
It’s early February, and we’ve seen 40 and, gasp, 50 degree days here in the mountains. Sure, not uncommon in the Front Range, Arkansas Valley or other parts of the state, but unheard of here in the upper reaches of the Mosquito Range.
I took the opportunity to enjoy the nice weather by upping a few days on my Arapahoe Basin pass and hitting the slopes this past Wednesday.
As 9am approached, I rolled into the Basin to a nearly empty Early Risers lot. Had my pick of parking along the infamous “Beach,” prepped for the day and locked into my skis - skiing right from the my truck to the base of the Pallavicini double chair.
Glad I arrived early, because the unseasonably warm weather turned seasonable real quick. I baffled at the reports on the radio of a mix of rain and snow on the drive up. To my surprise, here it was.
Fluffy snow? Nope. The conditions reminded me of skiing out east - crunchy, slick and lots of sliding.
Nothing I can’t handle though and I managed to hit most of my favorite runs nonetheless. From the upper traverses and the treed glades of Montezuma Bowl to the steeps below Lenawee Peak.
After some time though, the winds started whipping and the cloud cover wouldn’t recede, leaving visibility less than ideal.
I threw in the towel and tried to continue with the rest of my plans. Flying my drone above Loveland Pass? Nope! Virtually a whiteout.
Days like this always bring me back to a favorite quote of unknown attribution:
“The mountain doesn’t care about your plans.”
Today was a case in point.
Fortunately, my favorite little pizza shop and hangout in Breckenridge - Windy City Pizza - never disappoints. I grabbed a seat at the bar just as the clock struck Happy Hour. After a few beers, several lively conversations and a deep-dish pie to go, all was right with the world again.
Back to 40 degrees and sunny the very next day.
Seems perfect Alan!
Sounds like an invigorating day with a delish dish at the end of the run!