What an amazing season it has been here in Breckenridge.  Our total snow fall so far is 439 inches with another large storm on track for this weekend.   We had some solid storms roll through during March which kept us eagerly hunting for those fresh tracks. 
The spring break season here usually runs through the month of March.  It was an extremely busy time and I put some extra hours in at the ski school.  I noticed that even with the large influx of tourists, on a powder day it was never really that busy.  A lot of the time, people on spring break are not looking for big storms or fresh tracks so it left the hill relatively calm during some great conditions.  When I was working I also landed some more advanced classes which allowed me and my class to explore better terrain and enjoy all the fresh snow.  There is nothing better then getting paid to get first tracks!

As the month of March and the spring break crowds trudged on you could feel everyone starting to hit the wall.  Conversations turned from ski trips and new lines to warm weather and sandy beaches.  With 83 days on the mountain and over 800,000 thousand vertical feet skied I was also looking forward to summer days.
Once April hit things at ski school and just Breckenridge in general calmed down.  No lift lines even on the weekends, parking no longer an issue, and everyone was much more relaxed.

As the season continued to wind down I started getting "The Betty" ready for her summer expeditions.  She has been so reliable all winter long and haven't had any problems with her(minus a couple frozen water lines).  I started her the other day with no issue and the generator followed suit.  I still have a few things to do before she is completely ready like an oil change, new fuel filter, and a new spare tire(those of you who have been following know why I need a new spare).  Another project I have decided to tackle is adding a solar panel.  This will allow me to have electricity with out being plugged into shore power or running  the generator.  I plan to spend most of the summer "off the grid" so this will be a great investment.

I always had a lot of respect for the Ski Patrol here in Breckenridge.  There skill at both skiing and emergency medicine, not to mention skiing first tracks and playing with dynamite.  I always pictured them as the "firefighters" of the resort.  I started asking around this season what it would take to join the ranks.  I spent sometime shadowing with the Patrol and would stop in and chat with the crew at the shacks. 
I decided to take the plunge and try out.  The first step was simply to be invited to the try outs.  You had to apply with a skills resume and background.  Ski Patrol then weeded it down to fifty or so men and women.  I made it through the first round, which was pretty exciting.
The second round was "on the hill evaluations" with the head Patrols.  They broke us into groups of ten or so with three Patrols to evaluate.  We all wore numbered jerseys and the Patrol keep their clipboards close to their chest.
The day consisted of moguls for 8 hours straight, no warm up runs, right to the black diamonds.  The Patrols would ski to the bottom of the run,  we would then ski down one at a time while they took notes on our every move.  It was definitely a very high pressure situation, not only are you skiing in front of the Patrol, you are also skiing in front of some of the best skiers in the area.

I completed all the runs but definitely was not nearly as "pretty" as some of my competition.  As I chatted with some of the other hopefuls, I quickly discovered how competitive these positions really are. Most
people trying out were doing the Ski Patrol "circuit", hitting 5 or more mountains for the same positions to up their odds.  Others had been trying out for years, while some had flown in from all corners of the country.
As the day ended, my legs feeling like Jell-O, we had a quick meeting.  The head Patrols stated there are only 10-12 spots available for next year.  They would contact us that evening to let us know if we made it to the next round. 
A few hours later I got the call that I didn't make it.  I was definitely disappointed but at the same time I was not surprised.  I only started skiing this year, and with the caliber of my competition, I saw it coming before the phone ever rang.  I plan on trying out again next year and complete some medical training at the local community college.  Hats off to the guys and gals that made it!

Earlier this winter I had a couple of friends stop in Breckenridge for a visit and a shred session.  They were making a cross country trip living out of a homemade tear drop camper trailer.  Leaving New Jersey a few days earlier, Summit County was the first stop on the coast to coast adventure.

 The timing could not have been more perfect.  During there stay we had three days of insane powder days with accumulation totals measured in feet! 

I had met Brian a few years back at a bike park on the East coast.  We had kept in touch over the years and was not surprised to hear him and a friend were on there way out and looking for a place to park for a couple days.