It started with my waking alarm 4:45 am gathering my gear that I had pre packed the night before. Grabbing my lunch from the fridge and jamming down a bowl of granola I went through the mental check list. Lunch, Transceiver, shovel, probe, spare clothes, camera gear, goggles, repair kit, first aid, survival kit, helmet, extra gloves, skins skies poles ski boots o crap where are my ski boots.
I do a quick search for my ski boots. I remember putting them beside my bag. Yes I remember that. You know that feeling you get in your stomach when things have gone from bad to worse. My wife is pissed off and I am in deep shit. She has hidden my ski boots and she really is upset with me and I am starting to boil over now. Think ….think ……. I have 40 min until must leave the house time. Stay calm I can reason with her. No I will search the house systematically room by room how can she hide a pair of ski boots. I will start down stairs and cover every closet box every hiding spot leaving no place un checked and move up to the next floor. 15 min pass with my precise efficient systematic search I arrive back at the bed room where I started. There is nowhere else to search.
Think… take a deep breath focus. I enter the bed room.
Me “Honey have you seen my ski boots?”
Wife “You are not getting them.”
Me “What’s wrong honey?” With my softest caring voice.
Wife “I told you that you were going to spend time with me. Every weekend since November you are gone out with the boys since you started backcountry skiing this year. You know they are all single and you are running with the single men you are going to get yourself in trouble with some girl you are going to meet out there and then you will be having an affair. Where exactly do you think you are going?”
Me “I am not sure yet but we might only be going to the Spearhead. I will know when we meet up with the group. I will text you with the details.”
Wife “Is is that Whistler you know it cost money every time you go there just to get a backcountry pass is 150$ and let alone the gas. You are so selfish. Besides when are you going to do the vacuuming?”
Me “Aaa honey can I have my ski boots and I will do whatever you want when I get back home.”
Wife “You are always so tired when you get back and you will have no energy to do anything besides you get back so late. No… you are not getting your ski boots and you will never find them.”
Me “Honey please I have a group of people counting on me.”
Wife “No..”
Me “Please”
Wife “no answer”
Shit negations have broken down. Aaaa I can’t stand this. In a fit of rage with all my strength I grab the sheet from the bed and in one clean sweep I get them all off in one massive pull leaving my wife with nothing but the under sheet. I turn on the light and storm out of the room and down stairs throwing the bed sheets comforter and all outside into the rain. If I am not going to sleep nor is she. I stomp around in the kitchen. I can’t believe this is happening to me. A couple of minutes pass and I calm down a little bit. I am suppose to be at the rendezvous spot in 25 min. I am screwed. Think…..Think……. why did I only see my keys when I searched. Why are her keys missing?
I grab my gear and a coat hanger and head out to her car. The boot must be in her car! Like a skilled criminal hooked on cocaine I pry with my finger tips on her car door top to squeeze in the coat hanger to release the lever to unlock the doors. With precision and a calm of determination and my fingers hurting like hell I hear the sound of the doors unlock “Click” and I didn’t even trip the alarm. Within seconds I am in the trunk to find my ski boots. Aaaa my hart rises to the occasion and the feeling of excitement is back. Within a minute I am driving heading to the rendezvous spot. I will half to make a call explaining why I will be 10 min late and for them to wait for me. I cannot tell them the real story. They will just laugh at me. I make the call.
Me “Hi Gary I am running 10 min late.”
Dale (in the background of the phone )”What’s the delay?”
Gary “I will put on speaker phone.”
Me “My wife hid my ski boots it took me a bit to find them.”
Dale “That is why I have two pair!”
Dale is going through a messy divorce.
Gary “See you when you get here.”
I am now driving like a formula one driver to make up lost time thinking I am in deep shit with my wife. I know …. I will make it up on Valentine’s Day I will pull out all the stops. She will half to understand. I am addicted yes addicted to backcountry skiing how can anyone ski inbounds I am not going back. And then the light goes on in my head. I have a bad case of Mad Pow Disease!
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So now you know the events leading up to the making of this video.
I made a custom mount to take this picture from the tip of my ski.
The final ascent out of the Spearhead Glacier.
Two teams ascending into the white room.
Ascending up the wrong shute.
At the crest of the wright shute leading into the Spearhead Glacier.
I will pay for that smile on Valentine's Day.
