After the first snow fall

This is the time of the year that all of the countdowns begin. First: the countdown of the first day trip to the mountains. Then, the countdown to the first vacation to the mountains. Shortly after, the countdown to the first trick landed of the year.... and in a perfect world... this would all happen within a couple of days.

The first trip to the mountains is usually to my favorite mountain in Alberta: Marmot Basin in Jasper. I know what you are thinking..... 'Jasper?? Really?' but here it is:

Jasper is where I learnt to snow surf. Spending countless hours pushing myself up and quickly letting gravity take it's course, that abnormally large mound of rock, ice, snow and trees has treated me well. A quick 3.5 hour drive down the Yellowhead, a stop or two at the same Tim Horton's stops every trip, and maybe a breakfast at the truck stop in Hinton, it always has been my favorite winter road trip.


A recently added favorite destination for the adrenaline of 180's and pseudo cliff drops is the POWDER-FULL Revelstoke Mountain Resort. A music-packed 3 hours in a car with 3 other Panorama employees will teach you to venture out to new resorts every now and then. From the foot of powder that lie on the mountain-top to the cotton candy trees that line the ski-area boundary, this place is like heaven! However, waiting 15 years to see the reality of their future vision? 4 peaks tells me that the impatient person that I am will have to learn to appreciate the suspense and still pay the low $56 per visit to check out their progress.

Another new venture this year was to the ever popular Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. 2 songs, and a death-defying jaunt up the mountain from the town of Golden will get you to this spectacular set up. One gondola ride will take you to the peak of the mountain where you have your choice of 3 bowls to reach the bottom again. If you so desire, a hike along one of the ridges, and you can ride a little more challenging terrain, but I definately DO NOT suggest this if it is snowing, blowing, and a white out at the summit. For the beginner riders, a 13km green run will safely direct you to the chalet. But be careful for the skiiers, they tend to stick to the green run........ and poles flailing about could be a safety hazard if you are too busy looking at the gorgeous scenery!

Next, the one of the most popular countdowns seems to always creep up on me.......

Welcome!

Hello everyone, and welcome!

Since the big bosses so nicely decided to block facebook, I have decided to go a different route to cure my ADHD during normal business hours!

To begin, My name is Sarah. I have lived in the Edmonton area my whole life, and would never move east of here..... why?......

Mountains Mountains Mountains!

If you know me at all, you know my few passions!

Today, we start with winter. Here you all go gagging and rolling your eyes. Is it really necessary to slide, stick and sweat during a long day in the office? You then proceed to fall into a sweltering car and inch through the daily cram of cars only to arrive home an hour later to make dinner, watch the long awaited hour of Big Brother and then climb into bed to do it all again the next day. I'm well aware of the downsides of the cold blowy months, but there are simply more advantages to this hated season than people are lead to believe.

Lets see..... First we start with a beautiful season which changes the color of our world. The yellows, reds, oranges and who can forget the browns. I once had a friend tell me that her favorite color is brown because she felt bad that it is so un-loved.

Then comes Halloween. If it wasn't frowned upon to be a 25 year old gum-ball machine and run from door to door to collect free sugar out of the hands of overworked and underpaid parents, who wouldn't choose this social activity for one night per year?

Shortly after that is the BEST day of the year. You climb out of your toasty covers, get ready for your never-ending day, and open the door to face another 24 hours! Just as the hinges creek open, you get a glimpse of the white driveway that lays ahead of you. Ideas start filling your head of what to do next.... make a snowangel, have a snowball fight with the neighbor that you have just never understood, or spend an hour trying to find the snowboard that you have hidden in the back of your closet to quit reminding you that this day will never come! Nope. Instead you all dwell on how long it will take you to warm up the car, brush it off, get to where you need to be through all of the accidents, and regret buying that house with the corner lot that you HAVE to shovel when you get home as the mailman's broken wrist still hates you from last winter.

It's not over yet, but I have work to do...........