Emma Morgan in deep powder at Snowbasin
By Emma Morgan (guest blogger)
Ski resorts can be found speckled throughout Utah. All of these mountains are special and unique. However, my heart will always be attached to Snowbasin.
Snowbasin is more than just a mountain to me, it’s my home. I have many sweet memories of my life on skis here. Like when I first got onto a pair of skis at the age of three. When my family had a free weekend we would always try to go skiing at Snowbasin. My sister and I would have races down the hill, and then after two runs we would go in and get hot chocolate. I loved it!
I joined the race team at age eight and found friends who skied like me and made me smile. I have many joyful memories of ski racing at Snowbasin, and even winning some medals! I’ve been on the race team for four years now. I still love every part of skiing at Snowbasin. I find I can forget about troubles and plunge into happiness when I’m there.
Recently, I had my favorite day of skiing. On January 29, 2013 I had the biggest smile on my face when I was standing in the lift line watching snowflakes fall. Over the past night it had snowed a ton.
Once I was at the top of the mountain I headed for my favorite powder run – ‘The Griz’. When I took my first turn a wave of snow passed above my head – I couldn’t see or breathe. I was a bit shaken, because I’d never experienced that much snow in my life!
The more turns I took the more I came to love the feeling. It felt like I was a bird soaring in the sky, since I couldn’t feel the ground beneath me. In each turn I’d pass through a cloud of snow, then when I’d finish my turn I’d pop out of the cloud and get ready for the next one. To me, it’s an amazing feeling.
That whole day I dove down snowy hills. It wasn’t very crowded, which made it even more special. I’d sometimes get stuck in the immense amount of snow, and I’d have to struggle to get loose. Yet, every time I came to the lift I’d have a silly smile across my rosy red face. That was the best day of skiing I’ve ever had! I love Snowbasin so much!
(11-year-old Emma Morgan is the daughter of Snowbasin ski instructor Laurie Morgan, who I had the pleasure of skiing with recently at Snowbasin – Eileen)