Tales from a Female Ski Bum

I’ve skied you so so many times, Under clouds, through fog and in the sun I’ve skied you all summer in my dreams  And in the fall when you are the only one

I’ve skied you with snow, And with no snow at all I’ve skied you when you first open That greatest of all days in the fall
I’ve skied you when I’ve been happy And broken out into song. And I’ve skied you when I’ve been way too sad Letting the tears fall while I rode along.
I’ve found weed on the trail below you, And rescued a good friend’s bowl. I’ve seen you get pummeled by snowguns, When early opening is the goal.
I’ve slalomed the bamboo underneath you, For when you were drooping really low But it was only because so many people want to ride you And celebrate skiing on that first fall snow.

I dropped a kid off of you once, and then jumped off myself I have friends that can’t seem to stay on you Like, seriously, they contain themself!
Oh those fall days when there are too many people And the photos of the really long line, But there would be shouts of “Ha…

More than a few years ago, I was hiking around the south side of the mountain when I spotted the quiet dismantling of the South Ridge Triple.  There had been no notice, no warning, no big announcement.  Just a few guys out there working, rolling up the cable, removing the wheels from the towers and then eventually pulling them down, too.

It was heart wrenching.

So many memories of my childhood are of this one area and the unique chairlift experience that went with it.    The South Ridge area was so unique unto itself.  Trails like Echo Woods, Breakaway and the Jug Handle were unique and the sun would bask on you in the springtime after treating you to some phenomenal winter powder.  I felt like Killington had stolen those memories when they removed the chair; That this was the beginning of the end.

For years, we watched the trees grow taller and tighter in Echo Woods, so tight that only the very silly will risk an adventure through them for old times sake.  Small trees grew up on E…