Ski Day#: 12
Date: 12/17/18
YTD -Vertical ft. skied/miles skied: 213,955 ft/195 miles
Area: 49° North  
Weather: Foggy on top, then clear, 31-32*F, mild wind
Snow: Very firm, froze up, but some good pow at the very summit for about 10-15 turns
Best thing: Peacemaker upper part was sweet pow for 10-15 turns then very crusty/firm. Ringing the bell on Carter's 22nd birthday. Used new Nordica Enforcer 93 w/ Look 12AW bindings for the first time.

Daily stats: 8 runs/13,016 vertical feet skied/12.4 miles/22 bell rings

                                                          That Bell

I took some photos today of a bell that’s hanging on a snag near the summit of Chewelah Peak/49 Degrees North ski area. If you frequent the mountain, I’m certain you already know about it. It’s loosely and collectively felt that ringing the bell as you ski or ride by is good karma. 

16 winters ago, my late son Carter rang that bell for the first time when he was 6 years old. It was sort of a big deal because, for almost two years, Carter was still skiing between my legs as I snow plowed us both down the Bunny Hill. He refused to ski on his own. Any one with kids that’s done this will tell you, it’s physically brutal for the parent. In any case, the “carrot” for Carter regarding learning to ski independently (and save my back) was to be able to go all the way up to the top of the mountain so he could ring that bell that his brother Josh and I made such a big deal about. 

I’d tried several times to encourage Carter to take a ski lesson. Over time, Carter agreed and took a ski lesson as Josh and I skied for a couple hours together. When we met back up with the li’l feller, Carter was a new ‘man’ on skis! He had a very stable snowplow, great vision/awareness of his surroundings, was confident, having fun and proud of himself. Josh and I were blown away how much his skill level improved in just 2 hours. 

Carter then announced that he was ready to go to the top of the mountain and finally ring that bell………. And that he did. There’s a photo of that moment below. 

I can’t count how many times I’ve rung that bell since I first skied at 49 Degrees North in 1989. And every time I do, I ring it twice; Once for me and once for my li’l buddy Carter LouisTurner. 

Carter was born 22 years ago today. And I rang that bell 22 times today.