After having the time of my life on Wilderness Living, naturally I wanted more. I asked my classmate Ellen, who had become my role model/mama bear what class I could take next. She told me about Winter and The Mountain. It was essentially the same trip, only it included ski's, snow, and avalanche training. It would be located in the Tahoe area, start and end point would be Carson's Pass. I was sold. Sign me up! When Reid heard I was going to do take this class he said, "You're full of surprises aren't you Silvana!" I laughed because he really had no idea.When he first heard of me, my professor Mike described me as a "sorority type of girl," In the outdoor ed department they weren't used to girls like me, ones who wore make up and could kick your ass in a pair of pink wedges. ( Funny thing was, I am not nor will I ever be a sorority girl. I've always been a boy in girls clothing. I was on the wrestling team when I was 12 because the boys said a girl couldn't keep up. I showed them. I got 3rd place in a tournament of 30 in my weight class. I was a swimmer and had been playing tackle soccer my whole life. I also dabbled in pitching for my softball team, tennis and powder puff football). All I knew was physical activities and I will admit, I did love a pink dress and some sparkly eye shadow. I got the best from both my parents. )
Before the trip, like any other, we spent time studying avalanches, weather patterns, nutrition, geology and even understanding winter vs. non winter rations. We bagged our own food according to the formulas, and packed our bags according to what Reid said would suffice. Seemed like so little for such an epic winter journey. On the date of the trip we had to be at campus at 4am, we (the 12 students) had to take the initiative to load the bus ourselves. We setup fire lines and got the sleds in the bus, the skis and the packs. This is when we realized no one would be "holding our hands" on this trip. I had only been on ski's one other time and that was with Corey and Ellen (two other people who had been on Wilderness Living) I was scared but fearless.
This trip was hard for everyone around me. Yes I struggled up the mountain's hillside, my skins were falling off and my sled was pulling me backward. Falling face first in fresh snow with a 150+ lbs sled on your hips and a 70lbs pack on your back isn't easy to recover from. For whatever reason I loved it. I imagined my self being a sled dog, it was my job, this is what I was born for. Plus I had 4 other people behind me cheering me on, laughing with me as I fell and rolled. I was having fun and had the support of my classmates. It snowed A LOT on us. A LOT. Did I say A LOT?
Unfortunately two of my classmates who I had become very close with had to leave after only a few days. Jeff and Amy were our married couple that had gone on Wilderness living with me. Jeff and I had become very close on the Wilderness Living trip and Amy and I had started working out together in preparation for Winter and the Mountain. I had become a Teacher Assistant for both of them in the time between. I could talk to them about anything. Jeff fell ill on the ski in. I'm not sure exactly what it was but it had to do with his heart, and it was not happy. He and Amy were evacuated and sent to the hospital in an ambulance and did not return on the trip. I was very upset, and disappointed in myself, why hadn't I noticed Jeff wasn't feeling well, I didn't get to talk to them. I felt upset and uneasy. We later learned Jeff was doing alright and he needed to get his rest at home.
Unfortunately two of my classmates who I had become very close with had to leave after only a few days. Jeff and Amy were our married couple that had gone on Wilderness living with me. Jeff and I had become very close on the Wilderness Living trip and Amy and I had started working out together in preparation for Winter and the Mountain. I had become a Teacher Assistant for both of them in the time between. I could talk to them about anything. Jeff fell ill on the ski in. I'm not sure exactly what it was but it had to do with his heart, and it was not happy. He and Amy were evacuated and sent to the hospital in an ambulance and did not return on the trip. I was very upset, and disappointed in myself, why hadn't I noticed Jeff wasn't feeling well, I didn't get to talk to them. I felt upset and uneasy. We later learned Jeff was doing alright and he needed to get his rest at home.
On the 3rd day of the trip we were taught how to build a qhuinzee. We were told proper safety precautions and proper techniques to making "bomber proof" homes. When my group (there were 3 groups of 4 students and one group of 4 instructors) was beginning to dig out our qhuinzee, it collapsed on my group mate Dave. It was incredibly scary and we all panicked. We quickly got him out, Dave was shaken up but not hurt. About 200lbs of snow collapsed on him. Reid was disappointed in the way we all reacted. I was more worried about getting our home rebuilt. After that Dave wasn't up for continuing to be what we call the "mole" (the person who digs out the qhuinzee). I wasn't to worried, I saw what happened and I knew if it were to collapse on me, my classmates would now have a better method of getting me out. I volunteered to continue. In the end we had a wonderful home.
Regardless of the weather, sunny or snowy I felt great, I was filming, eating bacon and living in the snow. I was also with another outstanding group of people, Corey the professor I had a mini crush on was there, Amanda and Ellen my female super heroes, and Reid my first real mentor, I looked up to him as if he were God. I was also becoming a better skier everyday. After a few days I was moved into a group that needed a little more emotional support. Reid called me his hero. I didn't know why but I loved the attention.
I can remember one of the worst days though. We were practicing our skiing. We broke into groups and were supposed to ski down this hill "spooning each others tracks". I was last to go in my group. I was trying to follow the tracks, but I crashed into a tree and some bushes. I saw a rabbit run for its life after my tornado of a body came crashing into its home. I laid there wanting to cry, my group had left me, I couldn't get up and I was the worst skier. After about 2 minutes of self pity boiled through my blood, I gathered my self and remembered that no one here was going to hold my hand. I got up and caught up to my group. Later that day I tumbled down the side of the mountain face, my ski went flying down into a huge crevasse, which a classmate, Chris fled after. He saved it. He saved me. Reid laughed, I was not ready for a skiing day like that.
The rest of the trip was cake, it was sunny and warm. We practiced transiever searches, basically played with beeping toys in the snow, just like a treasure hunt. I was a snow pirate! Then the next thing you know, I was on a bus headed home. This trip was now the most epic event in my life thus far. I learned my love for the snow. I learned my love for the weather. I learned and understood and respected proper nutrition. I learned the importance of trusting others and being trust worthy. I learned that a smile even on the coldest, darkest day, can make even the sun seem dull. Naturally, I took my camera and filled the trip. I even took some pictures for a book my professor Reid would be having published. Heres the link to the short 4-5minute video and a few of my favorite pictures :-)
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