Yesterday’s snowfall set records in some towns near us.  Just north of us, a friend claims to measure 48 inches!  We saw at least 20—and the nearest ski resort reported a tally of 27. 

This is the stuff of dreams for my second son, an avid snowboarder with a large cohort of friends who love to “shred powder”.  Since the weather forecasts called for a nor’easter, he has been planning how he would take today off to enjoy the snow.

This year’s process is different, of course.  They must make reservations, even as season pass holders.  They pile on their gear while still in the parking lot; they strip off all their layers and prepare to go home when they get back to their cars.  They only take the lifts with their own pod, and they don’t mingle with people they didn’t come with. 

They also must wear a mask.  But when it’s cold, you already wear a mask for downhill skiing, so this is a rule there are no complaints about.

There are strict capacity limits, too.  This meant more time on their boards, less time in lift lines, no hassling on the runs and no backups in the parking lots. 

Combine that with feeling pretty much normal while they were out with their friends—socially distanced naturally and outside all day…

I think we’ve just found the silver lining to the ski season!