Downhill Skiing

It was always interesting growing up in Kellogg, and looking at a ski hill out the front window of our house, but not being a skier.

I would travel around the state, and Kellogg was known for the skiing.  I would always get asked if I skied, and people were often surprised to hear me say "no".  I always told them my parents thought I would break something.  (I'm not sure if that was true or not.  It probably had more to do with the cost of skiing than the injury factor.  I guess I need to ask Mom about this.)

There were a couple times when I was about 9-years-old when a family friend took me to both area ski hills.  At the time, the Kellogg Ski Area was called Jackass Ski Bowl.  There was also a ski area outside of Mullan, called Lookout.  I got a shot at both hills.  I remember being really scared of skiing at Jackass.  (And I never really got any lessons.  I put on some boots and skis, had some poles, and was told to go ski.)  What I remember about Jackass is skiing down the hill by the lodge, and thinking I would go over the edge if I didn't stop.  Lookout Ski Area I think was a little more beginner friendly.  I think I spent most of the day on the "bunny hill" and the tow rope. 

My next exposure to skiing wasn't me skiing, just watching others.  A friend and I rode the free ski bus on a Saturday up to Lookout to watch the skiers ski.  I'm not sure it was all that fun for me. I think I was in junior high when this happened.

Fast forward to my senior year in high school.  For some reason the KHS band members sold an incredible amount of something for a fund-raiser and had enough extra money to pay for band members to do night skiing at Lookout.  All I remember about that outing was it was really icy and the skiing was not that fun.

So, since I had all these rather negative experiences with downhill skiing, it is rather amazing that I decided to do some downhill skiing after we moved back to Kellogg, returning to the hill that I had gazed at out our living room window growing up.  Yes, I was returning to Jackass Ski Bowl, but it was now known as Silver Mountain Resort.

But once I took a few lessons, I could actually make my way down the hill, and I enjoyed it.  Back when Molly was in elementary school, Silver Mountain used to have a ski day for elementary age kids.  So I went up to chaperone, and survived and enjoyed it.  Throughout the years I skied off and on, and one year all of us in the family got a season pass to Silver Mountain.

Part of the reason I enjoyed skiing more as an adult was learning to cross country ski. That made downhill skiing not quite as frightening.

I'm not sure I'll ever go downhill skiing again. I think activity has come and gone.

But I think I will go back to cross country skiing.

Well....maybe I will, once the girls are gone and Paul and I will have some time to actually do it.
(Yes, Molly, Zoe and Coco....that comment was for you.  Ha! Ha!)