This has been a funny winter. From the uncertainties in the beginning of the season to the unseasonable warmth, it has been hard for me to get excited about skiing.
In an effort to make the most of what felt like a fleeting season, the third and fourth grade students at the Mountain School came together in mid-March to create their own Ski PE scavenger hunt. The goals were clear: to bond over friendly competition and to have fun together on the mountain.
The kids were divided into two teams, and the list of scavenger hunt challenges fell into one of five categories: jumps, ski/snowboard skills, playful acting, interacting with others, and observations. On the gondola, the kids made their own game plan. The challenge that earned the most - skating up the track by the Lynx Lift (for 500 points) - required intentional route-planning so the kids debated which path would give them the most chances to score along the way. Then, we took a picture, and the students led.
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They started, of course, by spinning the Hoot Brown memorial (150 points). As I watched them turn the wheel with their small hands, I thought about how each of our lives is such a gift, and wondered whether they felt connected to the generations of Telluride kids who came before them. I followed them over the side hits (25 points per jump), laughed at the jokes they told the chairlift operators (100 points per joke), helped them find ski-patrollers to thank (150 points), and carried their skis while they skied on one ski (100 points). I explained to the spring breakers why the kids cheered so loudly after they got someone to say “Work Hard, Play Hard” (100 points). The best feeling of the whole day was the childlike freedom that came as they flapped their butterfly wings down Butterfly (100 points), carving slushy turns with outstretched arms as Mt. Wilson stood against the bluebird sky. On our final lap of the day, one third grader remarked, “You know, as the day went on, we kind of forgot about the points because we were having so much fun.” He was exactly right.
This winter, I kept coming back to the idea that many things can be true at the same time. For example, ski patrol can strike and they can care deeply about our community. Warm, sunny March walks can feel good while at the same time it can feel intimidating to think about what summer might bring. The planet can be warming at an unprecedented rate and hope for the future can exist through our kids. You can feel the tragedy of a loss while also appreciating the gift of a life. There are so many truths we can hold at once.
Regardless of what your transition from winter into spring might look like, it never hurts to draw inspiration from your inner third grader. High five your buddies when you see them, go out of your way to say thank you, and let yourself be embraced by the beauty and majesty of the San Juans. Lead with joy. Greet life with a smile. Someone told me once that the best skiers on the mountain are the ones who have the most fun, and that truth was at the forefront of our scavenger hunt a few weeks ago. There is so much we can learn from our kids. The world may have so much uncertainty and darkness in it, and at the same time, we are lucky to be here.