The view from the summit of Big Mountain on March 9. For those of you interested in names, the pointy peak just right of center is St. Nicholas and the snowy beast of a mountain on the far right is Great Northern.

Today's skin was a good one, despite constant throat phlegm chapping my hide something fierce.
My strides seemed long and my cadence even. I'm counting only one stop that was longer than a few seconds, to remove my jacket and tie it around my waist.
I made it to the summit in one hour and six minutes.
Thanks again for supporting the upcoming Shred Fest.

Thank you for reaching my fundraising goal twice so far. I initially set it at $1,000 and within a couple weeks, I doubled it. Yesterday, that second goal was met.
Perhaps fundraising is like skinning up the mountain. Each time I head uphill, move my goal higher up the mountain.
Thank you for donating to this organization. If they weren't as good as they are, I would not ask for your support. Thank you.

Here's the Tree of Deception from the top of the pitch that is just uphill of that old tree.

The final pitch to the summit. Note three uphillers on the left side of the trail.

Today's skin was hot. Literally. The summit saw temperatures in the low 40s. This is nuts. Snow on the mountain is holding up but it's leaving quickly.
I had to forego the final pitch today, as I was out of time. Considering I'd had a week that demanded more of me than most weeks, my progress was acceptable.
Thanks again for your support.

"Why?" is a question uphillers hear often, from other skiers and from themselves.
Today, while I was attempting my weekly skin up The Big in a light rain, I stopped at the pond, my poles supporting my shoulders as I bent over and asked, why?
Just then, I heard my friend, Caitlin, talking to me, all the way from Kentucky. "Make it to those two signs up there. You see 'em? You can make it to there and then see how you feel."
I got to the signs, found a rhythm and summited for the first time this season in one hour and ten minutes.
Thank you for supporting this endeavor, whether with a donation and/or by being who you are.

The Tree of Deception marked the edge of the fog today, Feb. 23.

Tree of Deception on Feb. 9

Tree of Deception from above on Feb. 16

It was a lovely skin up on Feb. 9. I could have easily made it to the summit but time was not on my side.
Today, Feb. 16, it was snowing and the fog started just south of the Tree of Deception. It is also a holiday weekend that is one of the busiest times on the mountain. It was especially important to keep my head on a swivel today, although it's not really a swivel, since I am not in danger of an attack from the downhill side. Still.
 

Tree of Deception

Thank you to everyone who donated to the Shred Fest already. I was moved by your generosity and impressed with your punctuality.
The Whitefish Whiteout race was last Saturday and I missed it this year. The money that would have gone to my entry fee for that race went to the Shred Fest, instead.
Here's a picture of the Tree of Deception, which stands at about the 2/3 mark of the Benny Up trail. I'm looking forward to seeing that old tree a few times before March 22.