Ski Bummin’
Breaths of wintery-cool air
And I am antsy for a powder year
As snowflakes float
In hesitant freefall
Laying thruway
For backcountry or black diamond
This season’s pass
Greets high elevation recreation
Brimming of youthful adventure
With new towns to delve into
And friends who’ll hearten my soul
Time finds me amongst
Brewery and open-mic
Resting hearthside amidst
Lodges of steaming tubs
Familiar faces at lodge and lift
While carried by chairs toward heaven
Disembarking into silent
Snow-logged forests
And riding white surf all day
Amidst masked trails
Of wind-shaped trees
Conquering territory
With speed and fundamentals
Bombing chutes, hopping moguls
And carving a mundane crust
Welcoming ice
Jumps and fall lines
My muscles hard from work
Exploring alpines
Of statuesque peaks
And the changing weather
Then renews the experience
As my skis become bodily extensions
The present is focal
Preserving juvenescence
Another season
Another mountain
Each year to be discovered.
Amy Pinney is a long-time Juneau resident who has skied and snowboarded at Eaglecrest Ski Resort since age 5 and Mighty Mites. Winter is a prized season in her family with her young kids now attending Wee Ski programs.
