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Backcountry Skiing blogs, videos, photos, and a whole lotta stoke.

Things that Make You Go, Hmmm | Western Slope Backcountry, CO United States | 02/10/09, by powderjunky

A problem more debilitating than the current economic crisis lurked in the cool Colorado air. Our first scheduled tour while visiting some friends was about to have a serious hiccup that not even standing upside down while eating peanut butter could cure. My boot had broken its buckle strap a couple days ago and time, like so many peoples' retirement funds, had vanished before I could remember to take it to the local shop.



What the crap to do? In the morning I scurried over to the ACE hardware store in search of any half-assed contraption that could fix the current conundrum. As I raced down the aisles in my ski boots I tried to keep from face planting while my mind quickly tried to process any sort of solution from the options laid before me. Duct tape? Too permanent and messy for multiple laps. Soldering? Could be fun, but not enough time. Hot glue, toaster oven, sunglasses, wood clamp, overpriced DVDs. No, no, no. None of these would work.

Then like preparation H is to Hemorrhoids, I laid eyes on the perfect solution to my dilemma. A mini wench strap do-a-ma-thingy. This would give me the flexibility to tighten and loosen without doing any permanent damage to my clod-hopper. I quickly shelled out the change without too much delay and threw in some novelty sunglasses for good measure.

Psyched with my choice we headed into the Elk Mountains. Quickly my admiration for my MacGyverish fix faded faster than the slap bracelet fad, as some sort of flu like sickness took over my body like a pack of ninja kicking sasquatches. I am usually the real sweaty guy who has to do all uphill motion in a t-shirt despite the weather. This trip however, I wore every layer in my pack and was still feeling cool as a cucumber- A sure sign something was not right.

Despite the intruding plague that was using my body like an amusement park, I retained some comfort from the deep white that awaited the descent.� We skied a north facing aspect and with each turn I held back the vomit and let out a smile or two, one for the conditions, and one for my rigged up ghetto moon boot.

I only did one lap and headed back to the car where I could suffer in peace. �Despite feeling worse than sitting on a bike with no seat the entire day, I would probably do it all again. If I am going to be miserable and sick I think I would rather be miserable and sick outside in the mountains then miserable and sick inside bathing and breathing in my own sickness.