season passes

Alta doesn't open until this Friday (conditions permitting) so we thought we'd take advantage of the pre-season rush and go get our pictures taken for our season passes this past Saturday.  That way, when there's enough snow that I want to ski on it - because I'm too snobby for 48" now - we won't have to dither around in line for our passes.

One of these days I will figure out to dress for going up the canyons.  It was in the low 40s down at our house, so a long-sleeved t-shirt and a heavy fleece was plenty.  Up at the ski resort, however, it was 21 and I was wishing for a hat, mittens and another layer on the walk from the parking lot to the season pass office.  There were just a couple of other people in line ahead of us so fairly quickly we showed our receipts, smiled for the camera and waltzed on out, the proud owners of Alta season passes.  (My photo turned out better than H's - it's even pretty good!)

I wish we'd thought to bring the camera with us because the scene up there was great.  Despite the mountain not being open yet, the parking lot was about one-third full.  There were a number of little kids sledding down the low slopes with their parents but most of the folks there were there to ski.  The chairs were not turning, what with the opening a week away, but people were skinning up the trails by the Collins lift, presumably heading up to the bowls where the deeper snow lies.  Call me lazy if you will, but that's an awful lot of work for tracked-out partial coverage.  Still, folks are ready and excited about the ski season, and it was great to see all the people out there.

Next: must get skis tuned up!