December 2007 - Ski Lake Tahoe - Crystal Angel Fashion and Design

THUD! I looked around but saw nothing that would have made a thud sound. SMACK! A snowball hit the back of my head and I turned around just in time to get hit Glade skiing is very popular with Avatars, since we cannot feel the pain that comes with tree bashing

Glade skiing is very popular with Avatars, since we cannot feel the pain that comes with tree bashing

again on my chest. Then Mela, Twisted and Princess got hit with flying snowballs from unknown assailants hidden in the trees. We quickly popped our skis off and scooped up snow to make a small wall. We then began making snowballs. "Don't throw any yet", I told everyone. "Just stock up on them". After a few minutes, under a rain of snowballs, we had made a good 4 dozen snow projectiles, neatly stacked in pyramids. We then finished working on our snow fort, digging down to further protect us from the "creatures in the forest".

Mela then creeped down the hillside and back up around to the left and proceeded to make her "weapons of mass destruction". This would allow us to bombard our attackers from the front and rear if they chose to rush us.

"CHARRRRRRGE", I heard a familiar voice say and sure as dots on a Dalmation, here they came - stumbling and running down out of the forest like drunken Moose. RayRad, Ridgerunner, Kinght Rider, Pagan, Auntie Nymph and MysteryMan......and leading the charge?...you guessed it. Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman, Livid...who was a hard one to catch

Wonder Woman, Livid...who was a hard one to catch

We held tight and hid, waiting for them to get close enough to our make-shift fort. "We are gonna drop them like a Prom Dress", I said giggling. HUH? "I do not think that is how that saying goes, Tory...but we get the idea", Princess told me laughing. "Okay", I answered confused once again.

As the group got closer, Mela raised up from behind them and let one fly. Whoooooosh, THUD! Ridge got pegged on the thigh and slipped and fell. "ATTTTAAAACCCKKK!", Twisted hollered and the the three of us began pelting our dear friends with a barrage of snowballs. THUD, SPLAT, THUMP - they had no idea what hit them. Mela came up from behind and tackled Livid, pushing them both into a snowbank, laughing and wrestling like two Tiger cubs.

From that point on it was every Avatar for themself. Everyone was tackling everyone, dumping arm fulls of snow on each other - and trying to shove handfulls of pure white snow down open, laughing mouths of those that had the misfortune not to get up right away. It was really nice to just be kids for a change. Two Princess Sherry, Livid and tory finding their vertical

Princess Sherry, Livid and tory finding their vertical

skiers came by seeing us wrestle,and the one said to the other, "Avatars", like that somehow explained our behavior. LMBO

After brushing ourselves off, searching for lost mittens and getting the skis and poles out of the glades, we headed back up to the top and skied until almost 1:00 PM where we all stopped off at the on-mountain, Adventure Peak Grill. We sat outside under the sun, and ate the most wonderful meal of Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwiches and Fish Tacos washed down with a Robert Modavi Fume Blanc wine. Livid avoided the seafood and wine and decided on a fresh Sierra Salad and a Heavenly Mountain Mocha (Starbucks Coffee, cream, Kahlua and Baileys).

The conversation quickly turned to where we going to ski next. We had just reached a decision to head back up to the Canyons when Mysteryman and Wood Nymph came up with a gruff looking snow cat driver named Eddie. Demoneyes eas one of the best skiers on the mountain at Heavenly

Demoneyes eas one of the best skiers on the mountain at Heavenly

"We are going to the backcountry", MysteryMan said smiling a grin as big as Texas. He then explained to all of us that Eddie was going to haul us in the snowcat to an area out of bounds from the actual resort. We were to then ski down to a Cabin (fully stocked), spend the night and ski the rest of the way the following day. By the time MysteryMan finished explaining the itenerary, we were already all inside the snowcat ready to go. A short ride later we reached the Canyons.

Mott Canyon and Killebrew Canyon have the most difficult and steep terrain that you can find in-bounds anywhere on Earth. Each canyon is formed like a stadium; the walls in each canyon funnel down into a valley at the bottom and when it snows these canyons act as pockets for the mountain and relentlessly collect falling snow. Each snow storm changes the shape of these canyons. Snow constantly creates massive cornices, higher cliffs, narrower shoots, and Snowcat skiing allows you to go and explore places few have gone before

Snowcat skiing allows you to go and explore places few have gone before

challenging new terrain as it covers more rocks and trees throughout the season. These constant changing conditions coupled with the existing treacherous terrain is what gives experienced skiers and boarders sore legs and a huge smile at the end of the day.

We got out of the Snowcat, checked our gear, made sure our avalanche beacons were working and broke free down the Outer Limits run jumping every jump possible, and catching big enough air to pull eagles. As we approached the ski area boundries, I saw Eddie and two members of the ski patrol waving us to stop near a hair pin turn leading down to Mott Canyon lift. We all stopped in our group and Eddie told us to follow the ski patrol out of bounds to the route we were to take to the cabin. We each jumped off the edge (including a camera girl named Lilly to film us) and flew down the mountain, making sure we kept the ski patrol in our sights. (The video is on the following page).

We stopped at the top of a WOO HOO>>>>HERE I COME. Mela ripping it up.

crevice where the ski patrol told us they would have to leave us and we were on our own. We rechecked our avalanch gear, said goodbye and took off down the mountain carving 8's like Olympic Gold Medal winners.

We reached the cabin a few hours later, and found the promise of a fully-stocked, warm and comfy abode had been kept. We immedialty started a roaring fire, made some cocoa, coffee and cocktails (the three essential C's of any back country ski trip) and sat back for some major Apres Ski action.

As our conversation turned from bragging to "didja see that air I caught off Diablo jump", to "I cannot believe we are really here", Livid stood up and said, "am I the only one who saw the Guardian"? It got so quiet, you could have heard an Angel feather drop. We all had seen and heard what Livid was talking about. We all knew. We were all aware.

As the pinyon crackled in the fireplace casting a warm glow on the heavy log walls and oil lamps offered a subtle light, we discussed our thoughts about what we had seen; what the Guardian had told us and how wierd things are when you discover a truth, or a side of your life you never knew existed. All of us had been in the room with the Guardian and we wondered how many more of our friends and family now knew that Moove was much more than a game or 3D Chat.

We talked about until 3:00 A.M., comparing notes but making sure we did not reveal our inner gifts to each other. I awoke to a fresh snowfall and the smell of honey ham frying in a cast iron skillet.