Boxing day

In Canada (as well as a lot of other places), today is boxing day. According to the most trusted of sources, the Internet, boxing day was traditionally a day on which the servants had a day off from their duties. Today is also St. Stephen's day, which is apparently one of nine official holidays in Ireland. Closer to my heritage, St. Stephen's day in Wales is known as Gŵyl San Steffan and the ancient Welsh custom included bleeding of livestock and "holming" (beating or slashing with holly branches) of late risers and female servants. Sounds like fun.

Here in Oregon, today is just another ski day. Nobody gets boxes, no livestock were bled, and late risers like Dylan, were not holmed. Although, that holming was taken into consideration.

The fog started lifting today, but it was clear and cold at the mountain. It never got about 20 degrees--which is pretty cold for here. I can hear the snickers and guffaws from the Colorado and Midwest contingent... you call that cold? Well, yea for here.

Diane at the top of "By George" with "Success" in the background.

Dylan discusses what he's going to throw down next.

Eagle Peak (foreground) from the summit of Peak II. That's Diamond Peak in the background.

Diane at the top of Peak II--calling Kayla--who was complaining about how cold it was. Wah!

First trip of the year down RTS today. Dylan avoids the trees.

Dylan launches into the jetstream of the kicker on the bottom of RTS.

Kayla said her feet felt like a boa constrictor wrapped around them after riding on Friday. One of the benefits of coming home for the holidays is you can snake your way into a new pair of boots. Which she did, no boas with these Solamons.

My feet don't hurt, but I'm cold.

Our little ray of sunshine flies back to Denver tomorrow.

Conditions were pretty icy today. It's about time for the next round of storms to hit. If not, conditions are going to deteriorate and it won't be a great holiday break for the resorts here. There is a ray of hope: the forecast is calling for rain for the next several days and the satellite images show some nice systems developing out in the Pacific. Let's hope the track this way and not to the north (Whistler got 167" of snow in November) or the south.

Happy Boxing/St. Stephens day!