Thanks for this Katie. I grew up in the flat land of Minnesota, so my only experience on skis is cross country - I got a good feel feel of downhill from your story! The independence is something I wouldn’t have thought of. Your parents sound awesome.
We skied at Alta at least once a year and often twice! I had to wear my mother’s lace-up ski boots and scratchy wool ski pants because they did ms (she was a small woman). We learned to ski powder at the legendary Alta ski school. My father was very — uh — thrifty, so sometimes we would drive the 16 or 18 hours from San Diego to Alta without stopping for the night at a hotel. We would always stop and eat at a restaurant in Cedar City… I think it had juke boxes on each table. I’ll ask my friends what it was called. It was so yummy! Mom said the coffee was good, too!
Oh Katie, you brought back memories for me skiing at Brighton and Alta in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City. I right about my first day skiing in my Substack page, Ring Around the Basin, if you want to good laugh. After that stilted year, I enjoyed using up my ten-punch in Alta. Thet independent power feeling you described filled my heart as I coasted down the hill. 1970s in Alta was great. Hardly the huge crowds that Tahoe brought. And the dry fluffy snow, even when it was packed down, kissed the skis as they cut through it. Awesome stuff. This was a fun story. Thank you.
Your imagery is outstanding!
Thanks Kevin. That means a lot coming from an astute writer like you!
Thanks for this Katie. I grew up in the flat land of Minnesota, so my only experience on skis is cross country - I got a good feel feel of downhill from your story! The independence is something I wouldn’t have thought of. Your parents sound awesome.
We skied at Alta at least once a year and often twice! I had to wear my mother’s lace-up ski boots and scratchy wool ski pants because they did ms (she was a small woman). We learned to ski powder at the legendary Alta ski school. My father was very — uh — thrifty, so sometimes we would drive the 16 or 18 hours from San Diego to Alta without stopping for the night at a hotel. We would always stop and eat at a restaurant in Cedar City… I think it had juke boxes on each table. I’ll ask my friends what it was called. It was so yummy! Mom said the coffee was good, too!
Oh Katie, you brought back memories for me skiing at Brighton and Alta in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City. I right about my first day skiing in my Substack page, Ring Around the Basin, if you want to good laugh. After that stilted year, I enjoyed using up my ten-punch in Alta. Thet independent power feeling you described filled my heart as I coasted down the hill. 1970s in Alta was great. Hardly the huge crowds that Tahoe brought. And the dry fluffy snow, even when it was packed down, kissed the skis as they cut through it. Awesome stuff. This was a fun story. Thank you.
Such beautiful memories. Thank you for sharing, Katie.
What a great gift (and many more) you all shared! Loved reading this and reflecting on my own growing up years skiing at 2nd and 3rd cabins!