Skiing On a Sheet of Ice

It was January 1998 and Sonny Bono had just died on Heavenly Mountain Resort in Lake Tahoe from a skiing accident. I was in Wisconsin, Cascade Mountain, looking down at my boots attached to skis. How good am I at skiing?

My wife, Carrie, and I had invited our dear friends, Brenda & Al, for a little weekend getaway ski trip. The hills at Cascade Mountain in Portage, Wisconsin are not tall, Wisconsin is more hilly than mountainous. But the skiing can be entertaining. Carrie and I had been there a few times and both of us had learned enough about skiing to really enjoy the sport at our pace.

Green circles, blue squares and black diamonds tell you a lot about the course. Beginning skiers leave the bunny hill where they have most likely taken a lesson and seek out green circles. These are the easiest runs on a course, slow and level descending. Once you graduate from the circles, you venture onto the blue square routes. They are challenging and exciting for skiers who have risen to a little more speed and steepness. Black diamonds are reserved for those who have achieved a level of skill that requires strength, durability, and lightning fast reactions.

Our group spent our two days mostly on circles and squares. Once I made a wrong turn and found myself on a black diamond run, a mogul no less. I decided I would do my best and ride it down at my own pace. The first three moguls went great but I ill-timed the fourth and crashed to the ground on my back and rode the whole run staring up at my feet. I slid in close to where the ski lodge was amongst other skiers who laughed at my misfortune. No more diamonds for me.

The weekend was getting on and before we knew our little group had finished up our skiing for Saturday. We gathered at the dining room in the lodge for dinner. Al said that he would like to do a few more runs in the night light. Night skiing can be very fun too. Cascade lights up all of its runs quite well. So, I agreed to join him. The girls declined.

I remember thinking that it was much colder now that the sun had set. And the snow was much icier, which meant the runs were going to be faster. I should have gone back in, but no, I decided to hang with my buddy Al and do a few runs. There are several lifts that can take you all the way to the top of Mount Cascade. The one in the center of the mountain is called Cindy Pop Express. We took the lift to the top. It was a cold ride up with the wind whipping across the mountain. My breath made dragon-like smoke plumes into the rising air.

At the top we disembarked the lift and set our sights on the Daisy Run/North Wall runs. As I pushed off behind Al I felt the exhilaration kick in again like it had earlier today. But night skiing was a whole new experience for me. I felt like my skills were really improving. I was skiing faster and faster. The wet snow had refrozen and now I was skiing beyond my own ability. I was having so much fun. When we arrived back at the bottom of the slope we queued up for another lift ride. I suggested we try the Cindy Top/Cindy Pop runs for a change of pace. We set back down on the snow at the top of the mountain and set off for Cindy Top.

This time I pushed off before Al. I knew he was somewhere behind me but not sure how far. It was very dark on the top of the mountain. Again, I noticed how fast the runs were getting. This run, which is very popular, had lost all top snow and was ice. I was skiing on ice. And that’s when I saw her.

Out of my side vision a small young girl on skis was moving horizontally on the hill. She was going against everyone else. Her skills were undeveloped and she was moving toward me. I was going to hit her. I lifted my inside leg and raised my arms high in the air. With a little luck I might slide right past her. I did not have any luck though. I caught just her side. I grabbed her waist with my hands to move some space between us. She tipped and fell unharmed to the ground. I spun out of control, lifted into the air and crashed down on the icy slope losing my gear in all different directions. As I flew down the mountain, turning over and over, I spun out of control in a clockwise spin. My mind wondered into strange thoughts. I remember wondering if I were skiing in a southern hemisphere resort would I spin counter clockwise?

I came to a stop. My head was still spinning. I found myself pole-less and ski-less. I was missing a glove. I sat up as three skiers blasted past me. I could see Al coming down the mountain. He sat down where the girl lay. She appeared to be alright. I got up and found my glove and one ski. I began climbing back up the icy hill toward the little girl. By the time I got there I had found all my gear. The girl seemed to be a little shaken but alright. I put skis on and knocked the snow off my skull cap.

Just then, out of nowhere, a tall man appeared. It was her father. He saw what happened and was really upset with me. My apologies were of little use. He wanted to yell it out, get it out of his system, I suppose. I explained that night skiing is very dangerous, especially for young children. He just kept yelling at me. I think he just needed one small excuse to punch me. Skiers were flying past us at high speed. This is dangerous for everyone, I thought. Finally he calmed down and left with his daughter in hand.

Al and I called it a night too. We joined our wives for a cocktail in the ski lodge.

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