LONE MOUNTAIN RANCH - Day 2 - Feb 4, 2025

Searching For Muscle Memory, Looking For Balance,  Facing Reality 

After yesterday’s storm, there was plenty of new snow waiting to be skied upon. We were up early to grab breakfast and get ski gear down at the Outpost.

With the boom of avalanche control cannons from the nearby Big Sky Alpine ski area reverberating through the canyons, I headed out to explore the Lone Mountain Ranch nordic trail system. The morning light was flat and gray, making it difficult to see details of the trail surface. This made the process of getting back into proper ski form a little harder. Also, the temperature began to rise above freezing and the snow got a little sticky, which makes for slower going. However, after the first mile or so, it was nothing but fun for the rest of the day. There was hardly anyone else out there. Trails were groomed and in very good shape.

Meanwhile, Karen checked out some of the ranch animals down at the barn and corral.

Towards the end of my 10 mile ski outing, I got to the first sustained downhill section. This is where I realized I need more than just one afternoon to get comfortable staying vertical through these sections. 

When I got back to the cabin, Karen took some video of me skiing up and then down a nearby section of the trail. The shuffling old guy I saw in that video was decidedly different from the sleek and graceful skier I saw in my mind as I was sliding through the snow earlier in the day.

NEXT: Spa Day for Karen, Backcountry Skiing for Steve