The Art of Après

Most people don’t realize that the best time to ski is not during the Christmas holidays. After the gloomy skies of January recede, February and March bring in warmer temps and “bluebird” days against the white fluffy snow. Charlie, Abby, and I grabbed our gear and decided to take advantage of it.

      After experiencing the awkward “pizza” position in the blizzard of my first lesson, I was determined to master the sport of skiing. I am pretty good now, despite having grown up below sea level. My “pizza” turned into a graceful dance of turns and bends, shifting my weight from left to right as the pitch of the mountain dictates. As much as I have come to enjoy this winter activity, I capped out at the double Blue runs. The Black ones terrify me. I can’t help but imagine flying right off a cliff or ending up wrapped around a tree.

    Let’s not forget that the BEST part of skiing is in the lodges and restaurants at the base of the hill. Mountain Town has perfected the art of Après and after working up an appetite with my multiple runs, the fondue and charcuterie boards were a welcome treat. Outside on the terrace, with panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains, we huddled around roaring fire pits, our faces illuminated by the flickering flames as we shared tales of triumph and adventure over Moscow Mules and hot coffee spiked with Bailey’s Irish Cream. We lost track of time, laughing about our most embarrassing moments when one of us gazed up to notice the sun setting behind the Wasatch range. We all fell silent, as we viewed nature’s spectacle, quietly reflecting on how grateful we were for this moment.

Until Next Time,

❤️ Olivia