Dear Mike,
I miss you. Its been a collection of time that feels long & short simultaneously since you gave your last breath in the mountains that you loved overlooking the valley you called home. Everything makes me think of you. The last time that we spent together, we discussed the best way to crack an egg. You were always curious. When you died I lost a part of me. A part of me I always loved exploring. I felt like you shared that feeling. It's what made you a great friend. You taught me how to be a friend in so many ways. I wonder how you'd feel about your death. Having been face-to-face with it once before, I know you'd be happier with this one. But you'd still rather be here. You cherished every single second since your "rebirth" a decade ago. Pinned under a multi-ton vehicle on the side of a highway was no way for Mountain Man Mike to go. It's still hard to believe that this one is real. You were so careful. So precise. Thoughtful. I've caught myself envisioning the last few moments. I try to think more about all the other times. I've loved hearing stories from friends who shared their own unique relationships with you. You were the most unique. I grieve for Luna. I will howl at the moon. I've always howled at the moon but there is a new intensity and I feel the moon howling back. Just as the moon impels the oceans to rise, it ferociously rips tears from my eyes. Every day takes me further from you, yet I dive deeper into our connection. I will never let the fire that you cultivated die out. When it smolders, I will put on another log. When it needs air, I will breathe life into it. When it just wants to sit & talk, I will listen. I will respond. I miss you.
Now that a month has passed since the lifts stopped spinning and skis were attached to my feet, I've had enough time to start fully comprehending the incredible experience that this past ski season was.
For the past few months, numerous people have asked me, "What was your best day?" A question that continues to leave me dumbfounded & perplexed. I don't mean any disrespect to the inquisitors, I simply can't begin to qualify a single day as better than so many others.
I did, however, attempt to come up with a top 10, but even that leaves so much on the table. There are days outside of this list that would stand at the top of any other season I've ever had. And yet, each of those seasons had a countless number of "best days." So ultimately, it's a preposterous proposition.
This list doesn't include a single resort day. It doesn't include the numerous mornings I spent breaking trail up Punta Bardini with the dawn patrol crews. It doesn't include the trip that @hoppingdeer & I took to Revelstoke, Rogers Pass, & the Selkirks, a place I've wanted to ski for 15+ years.
The act of skiing, and especially ski touring, involves a plethora of emotions & moods every day. Here are a few moments in time that represent countless moments from an unforgettable season of skiing.
My endless gratitude goes out to anyone that I shared a skintrack or turn with this past season. Life is full of peaks & valleys, and while this past season was full of excitement & jubilation, there were plenty of challenges to counterbalance the euphoria. I'm grateful to all of you who showed up for me, whether you realized it or not.
Photo descriptions in comments.
Quite a way to start the season.
📸@ski_smith
#gottagetuptogetdown #thesearethebootpacksofourlives #eastsidetilidie #earnyourturns #skiuphill #backcountryskiing #stairwaytoheaven #50classicskidescents
Feeling very in tune with the mountains.
📸 @am_neal #gottagetuptogetdown #earnyourturns #thesearethebootpacksofourlives #skiuphill #backcountryskiing #stairwaytoheaven #skithe14ers #frontrange #torreyspeak
