Cody, WY
Remember riding the T-Bar at Sleeping Giant, 20 some years ago? That terrifying reverse-pogo stick of death that took you to the really good snow? Where one wrong move and you're dragged up the mountain like behind a horse in a western movie? Or you get uppercut by cold oak like Van Damme? Ever done it on a snowboard? Yeah, that.
Then remember how every time you'd go to the mountain, you'd think, 'Man, wouldn't it be cool to tube down some of this?!' or 'Shredding at night would be total fire.' Or how about in the summertime being all like, 'So, a zipline would be dope, too.'
Well. It is so. And it is rad.
Oh, the mountain is twice as big now.
And no T-Bar...
Like many everyone else, I have some pretty fond memories of the 'Giant. One that stands out is the time my best friend talked me into going up on a Saturday to serve on the, get this, 'Junior Snowboard Patrol.'
'Yeah, dude, you just show up, put a patrol jacket on. Then grab a radio, and boom. FREE riding all day.'
I should have known better.
We rode for free, alright, but we rode for free all morning doing patient packaging and sked evacuations. With a real human. Oh, then the lift broke down that afternoon-and we had to help with a couple evacuations there, too.
'Ummm, so this has never happened before' shook from the corner of his mouth as the two of us tried to process what on earth we had just gotten ourselves into.
Terrible experience-AMAZING memory... and a lesson I carry some 23 years later: just pay for the lift ticket, bro.
All this to say that Sleeping Giant is a special mountain. Like a faithful friend you never quit believing in-that finally caught the big break he or she deserved...
Now the two of you can chill, party, shred, reminisce, and grow together as mutual admirers--without that weird guilt of knowing that they know you know they aren't living up to their potential. Say that ten times as fast as you can.
So here's to Sleeping Giant's new owners, Nick and Yulia, for believing in our hill-and for taking the risks necessary to make it happen. Here's to the jobs created and everyone who runs the place.
Here's to past-management, too.
Here's to Gimmeson for being the steeziest dude on two skis I've ever seen.
Here's to Scott for his beard. And actual aptitude/passion for patrol-although Junior Snowboard Patrol does have a nice ring to it. Just saying.
Here's to every scumbag kid like us, who ducked a rope or two in search of powder-or even donned a fake ski patrol jacket for a free lift ticket (now that I'm a grownup with kids of my own, DON'T do this. Lift tickets aren't even expensive. The mountain is way bigger now, too.).
Here's to new memories. And old ones.
Here's to the powder that's just inexplicably better at Sleeping Giant. And to the drive that gets us there.
Here's to the T-Bar for teaching us the absolute imperativeness of balance. And if balance fails, how to safely avoid stitches in the chin by bailing.
Lastly, here's to our friendly 'Giant who finally made it- and without compromising the character that we've grown to love and appreciate. Fame looks good on you.
-The Telegraph