This essay was originally published in the local newspaper last year at this time, and made it onto my blog/website soon after that. Last weekend we had our last night skiing session of the new year at the local ski area where I’m employed in the winter. Another great event with lots of people wearing more layers than a Lapp Reindeer herder, and schussing their way down the mountain, I’m convinced these things are so successful because they happen on rare occasions, and that’s what makes it such a treat for everyone participating.                                                                                                                                         Word Count: 643

Not Exactly a

Typical Evening in Winter

This season I’ve been lucky enough to land a job working at Kendall Mountain Ski Area as one of the lifties. Besides allowing me to satisfy my “Jones” for skiing on a fairly regular basis, it’s been a great experience. Even though Kendall isn’t a gigantic ski area with unlimited places to explore, how many jobs can you think of where you get to go skiing during some of your breaks?

Along those lines, this past weekend the town had the first of three-night skiing extended hours. The Silverton Family Learning Center (Pre-School) hosted a Chili Cook-off that coincided with the event, and Silverton School Booster Clubalso opened a concession stand for the evening. While we were setting things up the day before the event, and that afternoon, a few folks expressed worries that we might not have enough people participating in the event. When all was said and done, this was a totally unnecessary concern on their part.

Fortunately, things got off to a rousing start. This stunning alpenglow-like sunset took place just as it started getting dark. This was followed in short course by an incredible full moon rising in the south-east horizon-which told me we were in for a good night. Was I being superstitious in this particular instance? You tell me.

The number of entries alone for the Chili Cook-off totally blew a lack of people anxiety apart. While on break, and walking into the main hall where the chili cook-off was taking place, a casual count of the number of entries told me there must’ve been a huge number of them. That alone told me the competition was probably pretty stiff, and I’m glad I wasn’t one of the judges. Otherwise, I would’ve given every entry a ribbon with the specific stipulation that each of them supplies me with regular pot of chili throughout the year ahead. As all my friends know, if I spend more than five minutes in a 365-day period inside a kitchen, then there’s something definitely wrong taking place in the universe.

When I had to do my shift down in “The Pit” (Chair-lift Loading area) and at the top of the lift, every person doing the Night Skiing thing had smiles on their face and looked like they were totally enjoying themselves. This despite the fact that all of them were wearing multiple layers of clothing that covered most of their faces and every square inch of their bodies. Due of course to the fact that weather conditions made the walk-in freezer at my part-time grocery store job almost look like a tropical beach vacation.

Part of the way I knew it had turned out to be a good day was despite the fact that it had turned out to be a long work day, when all was said and done meant I’d done an eleven- hour shift. Went to bed that night with a satisfied set of emotions as I fell into La-La Land which is always a good feeling.

Someone once told me that for the sake of my career as a writer, I probably should’ve moved to New York City. More opportunities to advance things in my particular field, and that probably would’ve been a better move on my part.

On the other hand, the existence and evolution of The Internet has made the world a much smaller place in terms of social media and establishing contacts with entities within your chosen field. Allowing people like myself to live in a totally isolated rural mountain community like this.

Plus, I wish I could’ve told them about the feelings I came away with from my experience this past Saturday evening. Moving back to this valley has been one of the best things I ever could’ve done for my psyche.