May Recap
Here I am, writing this post in June, reflecting on the wild contrast from just a month ago when I was still immersed in deep winter. May kicked off with a snowy surprise. I spent a week in Summit County, a tradition I've crafted over the years, visiting in early May to take advantage of the epic snow conditions and the quieter crowds at Copper and A Basin.
Compared to earlier this winter, Colorado made a snowy pivot. It was chilly and dumping almost every day I was there. Throughout the first week of May, Ullr delivered over a foot of fresh powder at higher elevations. I managed to skin a couple of times and closed my touring season with a beautiful ascent to Gold Hill at Mayflower Gulch. I was there all by myself on a midweek evening, with untouched snowy fields just waiting to be skied. I claimed my line.
A new experience for me this season—though I’ve skied East Wall many times before, usually by walking up Willy’s Wide—this time I also walked the ridge to North Pole. The views from the summit were incredible, and the line was well worth it.
It was pleasant, as usual, to spend a week working and living in the Rockies—being able to explore after work and soak in the mountain views. I was treated to quite a few alpenglow evenings during my stay, for which I’m incredibly grateful.
When I got back east, spring was in full swing. However, it has been a cold, rainy spring, which also means that everything was in bloom for a long time. I took advantage of the breaks in the rain to do my trail runs and mountain biking locally. The spring colors and scenery are truly something special in New England.
Towards the end of the month and Memorial Day weekend, I spent some time camping with my family. I haven’t done a full camping weekend with them in a couple of years, and it was nice to hang out. We went mountain biking in Waterville Valley, enjoyed the forest blooms, and I did some fly fishing on the Mad River. Although I didn’t have much success, it was still scenic and a ton of fun.
May had a unique rhythm that surprised me. Time usually races by as I age, but this month felt expansive. The variety of landscapes and experiences likely played a role in that sensation. I’m not complaining at all. I wrapped up my ski season with an impressive 44 days on the slopes. Now, it’s time to transition into the summer adventures ahead.
