…there is a special, shoulder season here in the high San Juans,…a time when the chairlifts are closed, yet white ribbons of groomed snow paths lead over 2,000′ vertical feet through seductively soft snows…this is ilg season…uphill season…Mt. Taylor prep season…hum SAH…!
up here, high above the now fancy smancy base lodge resort which caws toward Texans and others with hot tubs, heated swimming pools, and valet ski assistants whom will pre heat your stinkin’ alpine ski boots and serve you an expresso at the same time…here? ilg uses only breath and 1990’s skate ski equipment to elevate above the froth of the common man….up here?…ilg’s old ears hears no whining from the Mother Earth/Father Sky -sapping gearing of chairlifts running, snow blowing, and no arrogant, if not drunk, bellowing from visitors. hec? up here? ilg has the whole mountain to himself…no nothing save for silence, uphill sweat solo, through my beloved pines…
managed the 2,000+ vert climb in my “Mt. Taylor Set Up” (skins on skates skis) easily over to Lift 8 in 1:10. i used only ASEA Sacred Water and 1/3 a PowerBar on the ascent…after a rigorous solo personal yoga/pranayama/meditation practice into teaching a trance like HP Slow Flow to five precious students..no food…just Prana….oh…the descent?…take a peek(peak)….
…the descent…why – again – does only ilg’s tracks send the indirect lines through this most precious season before the chairlifts whine?!
love, uphill (and downhill) ilg
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Great that the powers that be allow you on the slopes. Here in CA some areas are trying to restrict access when the resorts are not open. No worries, just have to go into the backcountry.
Most Precious Yogi KB!
why did ilg TAF you were in Utah? geezo…
that’s a cryin’ shame i tell ya…when i lived in LA? i snuck up to Mountain High before they were open and had some fantastic and powerful snowshoe/ski sesh’s…just use Heightened Awareness in the backcountry or even in the sidecountry…especially in early season conditions!
head bowed,
ec
Hmmm, don’t know. Never lived in Utah, but I’ve been there a few times? Maybe had me confused with Senior Dan John? Though that’s a stretch since I’m a skinny guy who does 25 hour hikes and benches all of 200 lbs and he’s solid as an oak and benches 2x that without a warmup.
Edit: … been there a few times.
Precious Yogi KB,
that’s funny…
oh, the physiologic span capacities of a human being!
love, light, and sweat,
ec