Comp - The Beginning
The leaves are changing colour. There is a distinct chill in the air. The sights and sounds of fall invade our daily lives. For some this time signifies the slippery slope to winter, a season filled with darkness and longing for the warmth of the summer sun. For others it is simple the beginning of a magical time.
Early season ski touring requires the perseverance to trudge through mixed weather conditions and storms. But the rewards are worth the effort, and three-foot deep powder slashing in October can never be considered a failure.
There is a biological predisposition in every true skier, that time where the temperatures reach that critical threshold and rain morphs into snow. The dedicated and obsessive souls search out far off places to ski all year, while others bide their time for that perfect moment for which to capture the first powder turns of the year.
That first day is like a cleansing of the soul. The first ski days of the season are a kin to a spiritual experience with nature and a return to the movement of skiing which is both freeing and enlightening. It sets in motion events that define winters. It brings friends together which share a common bond. The foundations and suffering of the early season underpins the trips and plans that shape the landscape of their collective winter seasons.
After great patience for the snow’s arrival, we are rewarded with a feeling like the embrace of an old friend; it is comforting and familiar. The early season is not for the faint of heart. It requires knowledge and a willingness to drop all your responsibilities to capture those short moments. Gear is sacrificed to the early season days yet the persistent is often rewarded.
As weeks progress, skiers fall into their comfort zones and the winter truly begins. The early season is not about vertical or bottomless powder, it is about worshiping to Ullr. For those who pray and make homage in his temple are often rewarded. This reward is often small and just enough to maintain the motivation to continue the quest for more early season turns.
