yalda, dragons and more

What do you think of when snow hits you in the head? nothing..

In persian folklore, Yalda was the ceremonial first day of winter, a time to celebrate and rejoice over a good summer and hopefully a bountiful harvest. Wine, great feasts and dancing was enjoyed by all with cellars full of jams, roots and meat. In very early Japan, winter was commonly feared. Artwork from this time depicts glaciers as dragons, snaking down vast peaks and hiding man eating holes and other terrors of the mind- You were not to be seen or heard again if you dared to enter the mountains. No matter how you look at it, when the tilt of the earth favours skiers and the sunlight grazes the northern hemisphere at that magical oblique angle something good is about to happen and what better way to take advantage of it then by strapping some waxed boards to your feet and shredding the poop out of something?

Today I am on a plane bound to northern BC thinking about Yalda and Dragons. Next week I am back though and have about 10 days to try and squeeze in a couple of ski days. The forecast calls for snow and mild temperatures, the perfect combination for a good early season..

So friends, I suggest kicking back and dreaming about winter nights, powder skiing adventures and endless white with a glass of your favourite beverage because it is close at hand.

Early season 2010...