Skiing

There has been more skiing this year than ever before at the Walker home.  Mostly due to an "incentive" of a season pass we offered Creed if we made it into the play our family was in for the Christmas season - The Savior of the World.  We couldn't send him alone, and there were discounted passes available with the full priced pass for Creed, so we ended up getting one for Pierce, Casey and Clayson.  Here is Pierce, Creed, Casey and a friend, Garrett.

Creed in his back country skiing gear.  He and his friend, Bryson, go up on at least once a week and most weeks twice or more.  Friday mornings with late start school schedule allows them to leave about 5:00 AM to get in a few runs before 8:00.  Back Country involves skiing (or skinning and booting) uphill and fresh powder downhill.  They put "skins" on their skis for traction uphill then take them off to go down. They have been in a few races where they are timed covering the most vertical feet - climbing up and skiing down.  They had a race this week where Creed and Bryson finished first and second place. When they were done, they thought they had gone the wrong way because the rest of the racers were no where in sight.  The officials started laughing because they had smoked everyone else so bad and they were just that far ahead of everyone else.

Scott in his first attempt at skiing.  It was an adventure.  His muscle control and balance were really put to the test.  So was mine, come to think of it.  We made it down the bunny hill a few times.  Mostly with me (Doug) skiing beside him supporting him at his side the whole way down.  The other Young Men from our church group were cheering him on from the ski lift as they rode overhead and watched.  He had is typical Scott smile on his face the entire time.  Even when he crashed.

Clayson on his first time.  He got the hang of it really quickly and got off the bunny hill by the end of the day.

This was Pierce and Clayson tonight.  I took them up night skiing and the temperature dropped enough to "force" us into the lodge by 7:30 for hot chocolate.