March 6 – A Surprise Pow Day

Barrman’s brain fell deep into strange dreams of a world long past. He struggled to escape the days long ended, dreams of working in Calgary twenty-years-ago. Why, why, why was he haunted by dreams of cleaning windows in the city by the Bow River in Alberta? It was no longer his home. His eyes pushed their lids into the recess, he pushed his dream back into the depths of his mind.

He remembered seeing fresh snow in the middle of the night. Between strange dreams, the man saw snow outside the windows. With thoughts of fresh powder, he climbed from his bed and walked to the window.

A clean white blanket coated the world outside.

It was 6:30 am, he had time to prepare, he texted the Big Boarder, Pow Pow.

Big Boarder replied he couldn’t do it, other plans. This was a surprise big dump. Barrman grabbed the computer and went to the snow report. 15cm new snow. Woot woot!!!  Time for a powder day, Barrman looked to his wife, K-dee. “Powder day honey. We need to get ready early.”

She looked back up at her mate and laughed, ”It’s gonna be great, what about the kid?”

Barrman looked back, ”we can try, I will wake her up but I doubt she will move too quickly.”

The next hour passed in a flash and the adventurers rushed to put their ski gear on. Cookster sent a signal and Braffster was sure to be around. Their bubble ski group rode for the chair, hoping for first tracks.

Barrman knew from the first moment he touched the light fluffy snow that coated the slope in front of him that the day would be special, despite the weekend crowds.

As Barrman turned his boards toward the bottom he saw the line. The line was long and worse than he feared, but what did he expect? It was a Saturday in the coronaverse and fresh powder coated the slopes. The Big White website proclaimed the riches that lay at 5500 feet; 15 cm of light fluffy Okanagan Champagne powder. It was a surprise that apparently a lot of people found out about.

Two boarders and three skiers stood waiting in anticipation as the Ridge Rocket Chair began to send people to the heavenly snow in the alpine. K-dee, Krisper, Braffster, Cookster, and Barrman waited their turn and smiled as the world passed by them. “To the T-Bar,” was the battle cry. The compadres cranked a couple of dozen turns in virgin snow as they gathered at the bottom of the T. It was spinning early and they slid to the top of their world.

Barrman looked at the Falcon chair rising into the sky in the distance. he grinned at Braffster and K-dee ”Let’s try to recreate the best day ever and head to the Falcon. No one has been there and I bet the snow is amazing.”

“But the Enchanted Forest is untouched!” Braffster pointed at the untracked powder the T-bar was passing by.

“It’s all going to be great, there is no wrong choice on a powder day.” Barrman laughed out loud, “This is going to be another epic day!”

The snow-riders reached the top of the mountain and looked around. Cookster was already geared up, he smiled from under his mask and shouted to his friends ”I’m headed back to the T. The Enchanted Forest is calling me!”

Barrman stood there uncertain what to do. He wanted to find the steep, deep untracked lines that went to the Falcon. But he also wanted to ski with his friends.

Braffster made his choice, ”I’m following!” and he turned to pursue the fading figure of Cookster.

Krisper looked over at Barrman and K-dee standing in limbo, “You don’t have to follow, you can go your own way!”

A strangers voice broke through the din swirling in Barrman’s mind, “no friends on a powder day.”

The two skiers started to follow but at the last second Barrman broke off towards the Falcon. He looked over at his shoulder to his wife and hollered, “There will be no one at the Falcon babe! Let’s go our own way.”

Pristine untracked deep and steep turns greeted Barrman. He crested the Whitefoot bowl and plunged into the untouched treasures. Howling in the joy he found his own path to the bottom, reveling in the fresh tracks he created.

Barrman and K-dee connected on the Falcon chair and laughed at the bountiful gift they found. There were no tracks in Grizzly bowl and there were very few people ahead. The husband and wife team turned left at the top and managed to find third and fourth tracks down the untouched steep bowl of joy at the top of the world. Skiing under the chair K-dee heard shouts and hoots of enthusiasm as she cranked fresh turns in the boot deep snow.

The duo managed five laps of the Falcon before the crowds discovered their glorious pasture of freshness. Blue sky and sunshine gleamed over-head and the hill was alive with the sounds of powder joy.

The group of snow-riding friends managed to meet again for one quick turn. That’s when Barrman’s phone rang. “Daddy I’m ready, where do you want to meet me?”

“Head for the Ridge Rocket we’ll see you there.” The intrepid skier looked over at his wife and smiled. “Kiddo is ready to go, let’s head for the bottom.”

It was another fantastic day of turns on snow.

The group of snow-riders reconnected in the Globe Café to entertaining sounds of Jon Bos. Despite living in the Coronaverse they were doing the best they could.

It was another connection in their mountain paradise. It helped the days pass as they neared the anniversary of the day the world stood still and closed their mountain home. It felt like the world was still sane as they made the most of every moment.