I was originally planning to snow camp Saturday night, but after our somewhat arduous day hiking Green Mountain, I drove up to Breckenridge for dinner at the brewery with my dad and brother. I did drag along my -20F sleeping bag and spent the night sleeping out on the deck. After a cup of coffee and slice of bread, I gathered my layers and skis and walked to the base of the ski resort’s Peak 9 for the start of a 2,000 foot skinning session.
Sunrise caught me partway up the mountain.
I wasn’t feeling as strong as normal (maybe yesterday had something to do with that) so it took me about one hour, fifteen minutes to reach the top of the Mercury lift. I hadn’t skied since last winter/spring, so my first turns were pretty sad – thankfully no one was out to see me but a lift operator or two. My technique settled down and improved by the time I reached the base and then I went in search of a more substantial breakfast.
Afterwards I wandered over to the Riverwalk center to check out this year’s snow sculptures (they were completed last weekend, and several had fallen or seen the effects of the sun).
