The Girdwood winter has been extremely fickle thus far.

We received very little snow and when it does snow, it is typically followed by a warm spell that brings rain and slushy conditions on the ski mountain and the roads. As most Alaskans know, we must be patient when waiting for the best conditions…

The warm weather is usually interrupted by the extreme cold, bearing sub-zero temperatures that are guaranteed to turn any wet surface into an ice rink. (I am sure you can imagine how safe and fun it is to walk, drive and ski on an inverted ice rink.)

Although it surprises me every winter and becomes a major talking point among residents, this type of weather is very typical for Girdwood and the Alyeska Ski Resort.

Most people are shocked when I tell them it rains during Alaska’s winter months. “That sounds like Seattle weather!” they exclaim. The reality is, despite being  further north, our climate is  similar to that of the Northwest. We are located on the coast in South Central Alaska, which makes us prone to temperature and weather swings throughout the year.

The worst part about the bad weather is its ability to rob my ambition to go skiing.

It embarrasses me to admit that over the years I have become a fair-weather skier. Growing up with extreme enthusiasm for the sport, I would ski in rain, fog, sleet or snow. I lived for the rush you get when tearing down the mountain, weaving in and out of people and trees as if they represented gates on a racecourse.

Nowadays it is hard for me to keep my tips up and maintain a positive attitude about skiing with the weather being so tricky. This pattern has persisted for over a month and it has been very discouraging.

However, the other day was a different story.

I awoke on my Saturday morning (which is Monday for the rest of the country) at 11 a.m. The weather looked similar to the day before, overcast with a chance of mixed rain/snow. The conditions were not expected to be great on the mountain, but out of boredom I decided to take a few runs. After a slow start to the day, I eventually mustered up enough motivation to get dressed and go skiing.

When I finally made it to the top of the mountain, the clouds parted and the sun came out! As I began my descent, the feeling of adrenalin I used to be so familiar with struck me by surprise and I was instantly reminded of how much I truly love this sport. This particular day I was alone with only my headphones to keep me company, but it was all the company I needed. The snow was phenomenal, and I was even lucky enough to find some untouched powder!

As I made my first powder turns of the year, my weak and out of shape legs were aching, begging me to slow down. I could not listen to their cries.

All I could hear was my music, all I could see was that beautiful valley and coastal view from the top of Mt. Alyeska, and all I could feel was the wind in my face as I paraded down the North Face of the mountain.

The snow was extraordinarily soft that day. My skis seemed to float with little effort, bouncing up and down ever so slightly with each turn.

As I reached the midway point of the run, my legs couldn’t take it any more.

I made one last big swooping turn, stood up straight, and toppled over in to the uphill side of the mountain. Panting and out of breath like a dog who had been chasing cars all morning, I let out a “whooo!” stood up, and continued to the bottom with a cheek-to-cheek smile.

“Keep your tips up” is a common expression used by skiers when riding in powder. If you fail to keep your tips up, you will loose your momentum and most likely face plant into the snow, giving everyone around you a good laugh. My day of skiing reminded me of this expression, not because of the inevitable face plant (I would never…), but because of the attitude I have been trying to shake. If you don’t keep your tips up and have a positive outlook, no matter how bad the situation, you tend forget the things you love and how they make you feel.

Word from the writer

Losing my job offer and returning to my hometown is a testament to today’s reality. I realize that I can’t catch an edge and face plant just because I am frustrated. There are few certainties in life. All you can do is open as many doors as possible and hope for the best. In my case, what started out as a hindrance in my master plan actually wound up being exactly what I needed. In fact, I couldn’t be happier doing what I love and reconnecting with the Alyeska Ski Resort. This mountain is truly one in a million. I have always known how special Girdwood and Alyeska Mountain really are, but after leaving for college and returning a number of years later, my appreciation and love for this area has tremendously grown. My name is Jeff Sword and I am thrilled to join The Real Alaska team and will be concentrating on keeping my tips up and looking forward to a great spring skiing season!

Tweet this: “Keep Your Tips Up” newest contributor of @therealalaska shares about the perfect powder day at #Alyeska ski resort. http://bit.ly/guK1Mq