Chiwawa

I just can't trust myself, sometimes. I scare me.

Pulling up to the Chiwawa Trailhead for a ski at about 1:30 in the p.m. I was gearing myself up for no more than a 2-hour ski. After yesterdays 5-hour fixed gear epic around the N end of Lake Washington I was feeling a bit soggy. Oh yeah, and my CX race on Sunday, my XC skiing on Saturday, and my big night of tele under the lights of Stevens Pass. Yeah, I'm ragged.

I bought my 05-06 Sno-Park pass at the Midway and headed up Chiwawa Valley to the trailhead and was on my skis within minutes because I drove there already in character: in my boots and tights, polypro and vest... just had to throw down some gloves and platypus.

Heaven! Just as I remembered it from last year: tranquil and still, so peaceful, au natural, and set in a downy white that is gently rippled in a matte courderoy. Minus the first couple of miles, up to the Alder Creek turnoff, it was all fresh groomed and untracked courderoy... i had it ALL to myself!