Setting the stage…
It was May 2013 and I was on a break from school, in between
spring and summer semesters. My
fantastically fit grandpa in Bend, OR was diagnosed with terminal brain
cancer.
I was very close to my grandpa, as I lived with him for most
of a year while I went to school in Bend.
His fit life style was, and is, an inspiration. My life style would never be what it is
without him… He loved spending time
outside in nature backpacking, hiking, and skiing. When he turned 70 he took up down hill skiing
because he could ski for free as a senior, so why not? Once he started skiing he had to share his
new passion with his family, and that’s how I started shredding the winter
slopes.
My parents and I were headed out to Bend to visit him at 7am
the next morning. Even though it was the
middle of the day and I was leaving on a trip bright and early the next day I
couldn’t not go skiing when a friend asked if I wanted to go. We got a few good hours of skiing in and had
a bunch of fun dropping some cliffs in the trees.
A late night and a few hours of sleep later I was on the
road to Oregon…
Bummed my grandpa wasn’t doing so well, I tried to make the
best of the trip and get a little skiing in.
I met up with Erik and Lindsey, a couple of my really good skiing
buddies from Bend days, one evening. We
loaded our gear into Rumble, Erik’s Radical Van, and headed south to our
destination of Mt McLoughlin.
We slept a few hours at the trailhead and got
up bright and early to begin our hike. With
skis and boots on our backs we headed up the trail. We hiked for a little bit before we reached
the snow and were able to put our skis. As we continued up the east side of the
mountain we came into view of the main bowl, a good spot to eat a quick snack
and scope our lines. 
As we continues to skin clouds began to form on Mt Shasta;
the only tall mountain in sight. So
majestically large and in charge…
As we reached the top more clouds began to form off in the
distance. This meant that we couldn’t
really loly gag too much. That’s alright
I was psyched to ski!
These are some sick lines that I want to ski someday!
Erik headed down first to a good safe spot where he could
get a better view of his line. We talked it over and he said it looked good!
Excited for another sick spring line I dropped in… charging the face… making so many turns my thighs hurt… and then letting
it lose towards the bottom… YOOUU!
At the bottom I posted up and got to take photographs of
Erik and Lindsey, none of which were decent… Thrilled and satisfied at the
bottom we look back up to the top of the mountain and the slope we made a mess
of. Smiles all around we headed down the
rolling terrain back to the Pacific Crest Trail. I enjoyed some nice dirt skiing/walking in
between the patches of snow… the end…
Love you Grandpa! Thanks for teaching me how to have fun in nature! Rest in Peace!
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