First off, let me start with the fact that I will wholeheartedly admit that I have become completely spoiled living the life of a "ski bum" for the past three years (living outside of what "normal" people will call "reality" -- but that's best left for a whole 'nother post). Not only that, I have also completely ruined with good snow….as in, if there isn't at least a good few inches of new snow (say 6" at the bare minimum) and fresh tracks, I don't want to waste my time. (ok. that's not totally true. i'd still go….but i'll definitely be pining for new snow the whole time).
That being said, living up here at Big Sky there's nothing else to do BUT ski, even when conditions are not exactly up to my standards. (ooh, life is SO hard sometimes!). There have been days where there hasn't been any new snow, the mountain is pretty much tracked out, it's too crowed and just too many gapers, and I just plain don't feel like going. However, like I said, if I don't want to go ski, pretty much my only other option is sitting around in my compartment (which is probably about the size of most people's living room) and looking out the window and watching other people ski. But, oh, what to do, what to do when conditions are (though still decent) less than ideal?
Answer: Shack Hunting.
It is said that there are 32 shacks residing on this mountain. Some are old gondolas, some are made from trees and branches, others from old skis, some even from plexiglass and plywood. There is even one that is an old VW beetle (it's true!). Some are pretty hidden and you don't know there there until you, literally, ski right on top of it, and others are pretty out in the open (…if you're not skiing with tunnel vision). So far I have found 10, and know the general location of at least one more (though, when I say "I have found 10" I really mean "I was shown 9. I found the 10th one on my own, but was shown the general area in which it stood").
So on the days where I don't know what else to do, I go in search of these:
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