Follow your dreams and don’t ever look back.

Ten years ago during August 2000, after the conclusion of my last two undergraduate classes and prior to beginning my first full time job, I decided to take up hiking. Inspired by reading Waterfalls of the White Mountains by Bolnick, I began planning various Waterfall hikes. I bought an AMC White Mountain Guide. And for my first peak bagging experience, I targeted none other than New England’s highest peak, Mount Washington. Why start small, right?

This ill fated first attempt at hiking involved limping up the summit cone via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail due to a sore and fatigued leg muscle. Despite a severe blow to my ego, at the summit I opted to take a stage coach down the Auto Road to avoid further injuring my leg. My first hiking experience ended in failure. But it was the first step down a road leading to many adventures.

Since that first hiking experience, I have always held a grudge against Mount Washington. While I have hiked and skied the Rock Pile frequently during the past ten years, I have never summited and returned to the base using my own leg power. Skiing off the summit has been an elusive goal since I first started earning turns in 2005. Ten years after my first major hiking experience and five years after beginning to earn turns, I have finally skied off the summit of Big George.

Due to recent warm temperatures and lack of an over night freeze, I knew an early start would be vital for good snow conditions. I began skinning from Marshfield Station at quarter past seven on the heels of Rog and another skier who were both seeking early morning turns in Burt Ravine. Temperatures were cool at Marshfield Station but I was quickly stripping down to my base layer before reaching the Waumbek Tank.

With a brilliant blue sky overhead, I continued skinning with immense positive energy due to the anticipation of skiing off the summit and the fabulous weather. While taking a breather, I couldn’t help but break out into a pseudo dance on skis to the tunes of the Silversun Pickups. I gazed at my surroundings and reflected on the sublime wonder of the experience.

Continuing up past the Halfway House and Jacob’s Ladder, tree line yielded an impressive view of the White Mountains, Southern Presidentials, and Mount Clay. Skinning was more difficult in this steeper section due in part to the snow having developed a hard and slick film over night. Soon I had the ridge with views of the Northern Presidentials and began the final leg of the skin up the northern aspect of the summit cone. I needed a water and snack break but I was too close for an extended break and continued skinning. A airplane flew in circles above as I passed another skier and pressed on to the summit.

I found myself all alone on top of New England’s highest peak. The highest person standing on terra firma in New England. Revisiting the spot of my first hiking failure with splendid redemption. Perhaps a capstone on the past ten years or perhaps a beginning to the next ten years of adventure. Perhaps nothing more than one more peak experience in a lifetime full of beautiful bewilderment.

The plan was for a descent of Ammonoosuc Ravine which lies on Washington’s western and more sun protected aspect. While I had assumed conditions on the summit would still be soft from temperatures not dipping below freezing over night, the snow actually seemed quite firm when I arrived at the summit. I was in no hurry and wanted to enjoy the experience so I sat down, savored a summit apple and grapes, and adjusted my boots for the descent. While waiting for the western aspects to soften, I decided to take at least one lap down the East Snowfields.

The East Snowfields are hurting for snow this early in the Spring. I have seen deeper snow depths in May via Auto Road assisted slacker turns. After assessing the best line via the main field, I made several sweet turns and let fly a big toothy grin. Halfway down the East Snowfields, that grin disappeared as the snow changed from just past perfect corn to serious mush. My skis slid out from under me as I pushed down a load of snow and I almost took a tumble due to suddenly not feeling resistance under my feet where it had been before. I adjusted my skiing style, finished out the run, and quickly booted it back up to the summit knowing that it was going to be a race to hit the west side before things got mushy over there too.

Back at the summit, I found none other than Jon and the Cannon crew. I took a short snack break with them and we were soon skiing off the summit via a well covered western snowfield. The west side was loaded with “choose your line” openness on nearly every aspect. Turns were amazing! Completely and totally sublime and defying a fully accurate description. Creamy soft snow yielded just enough resistance to maintain edge pressure. Yet another big toothy grin opened up on my face as I enjoyed marvelous turn after marvelous turn down Washington’s western side with a glorious view of the White Mountains all around.

If my legs had not been toast already, I would have urged for a booter back up to the summit for another lap. But everyone in the group agreed that one lap down was all we had. Ammonoosuc Ravine loomed fat and large below us with most of the party choosing the main gully. Snow was quickly becoming well past prime and slushy with an occasional snow slide let loose by our turns. The gully steepened and narrowed. I opened up with wide speed checking turns and carefully threaded my way past a few rock out croppings and the beginnings of a brook opening with running water. Much too soon, we found ourselves at the bottom of the Ravine looking up at the splendor of the ravine.

The base of the ravine had suffered severe avalanche destruction due to the major east to west storm earlier this season that loaded the west side. Dozens of acres of trees had been ripped out, broken, and destroyed in a savage frenzy of natural destruction. The resulting avalanche path made for wide open turns down to where the snow ended and the brook opened up. We found the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and skied out to Marshfield Station where I was amazed to find almost every single parking lot full on this fine Friday afternoon. The early start not only yielded the best snow conditions of the day but also the least possible amount of traffic.

Suffice to say that it will not be another ten years before I revisit this summit for my second full descent. It is not sufficient to view the world passively with big ideals yet passive subsistence. Defining ourselves is an active process through actions. In these moments, we are pursuing dreams and feeling alive, having what I define as Peak Experiences. Life only stands still when you can not imagine yourself being and becoming more than you already are and doing something to further that vision. Actively doing something that extends your current reach. Grasp this life and live out a dream. Nothing is more valuable than the feeling of being inspired. In that moment of inspiration, we stop seeing what we are for what we will ourselves to be and for what we will ourselves to accomplish. Dreams are not enough as we merely stagnate without actively pursuing them.

Click through to the Photo Gallery for all twenty-six photos from the tour.