I'll start off with Friday night, the 7th. It hadn't really hit me yet that I needed to pack a bag to go skiing. Back home in Michigan, skiing starts in late November, or early December...If we are lucky. So, to be honest, I was a little shocked. After I packed up, which was a mess because it had been so long, I decided to try to fall asleep, but that took hours.
Then, dawn came on Saturday the 8th. Well, not literally, it was still dark out. But I popped out of bed with ease because I knew what I had ahead of me.
I didn't eat breakfast, I just threw all my equipment in my truck, and began the 2 and a half hour drive to Wolf Creek Ski Area. It was snowy the entire way up which got me super stoked, and I may have been going a little fast because I couldn't wait. Once I hit Wolf Creek pass later that drive, I began my ascent and was peeking around every corner to see the mountain. Once I had reached the top, I could see lifts running, and people coming down chutes and mass amounts of fresh snow. I literally was in awe. I knew that today was going to be the best day ever. And, it was.
Once I got ready and bought a ticket, and got on the lift, I felt like I was preparing for the super bowl. I was stoked. Once I got to the top, I saw the end of the lift and began laughing and had a smile from ear to ear. I got off, took my first run, with many stops for breaths and laughing. After I reached the bottom, I met up with Will Berman and was shown some cool rock drops and natural jumps. One in particular, included a lip, with about a 15 foot drop over a huge hole. Will got me to hit it without scoping, and sure enough, I knuckled the hole and tomahawked. Once I stood up, snow covered, I knew that season had officially started. Later on, I realized I had to bomb it and cleared the hole, and that was probably the most fun part of the day!
The season has started here in CO! Get out and enjoy it!
-Hunter Arbaugh
I apologize for not having many photos; I was too stoked to be skiing!
But my good buddy Sean Conway snapped a photo of my actions right before dropping in for the first run of the 2011/2012 season
