As I hop onto the chairlift at Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, I begin my scenic ascent nearly 2,000 feet up in the air.  I turn around and see a view that could cause a beginner skier or snowboarder to nearly faint.  I'm almost up to the top as the wind feels strong enough to take me right off the mountain.  I hop off the lift and take a deep breath, noticing the lack of oxygen due to the high altitude.  I gradually exhale and prepare myself for the ride down.  

Click! Click!  I snap my boots into my snowboard and get ready to start my journey down.  As I begin moving, I notice the wind and snow have gotten worse.  Not only is the snow coming down at a heavier pace, but the snow is thicker than anything in Wisconsin.  I quickly realized that this wouldn’t be a “normal” run down the mountainside. 

Flying down the mountain fast enough to get a speeding ticket, I wipe a thick layer of snow off my goggles and notice an open run.  At first glance, I am relieved, it seems like an easy run.  Wait, what is that sign?  I can’t read the ski run type.  Is it a green circle, beginner level?  Is it a blue square, intermediate level?  Nope, I see two black diamonds.  I instantly kick my back leg forward and slow down as much as I can.  My visibility is no more than 50 feet in front of me.  All I can see clearly is a deep forest with more trees than I can comprehend.  I aim to find gaps, a clear path, or a straight line of trees I can follow but I can’t.  The wind is blowing so fast, the air is thick, the powder is untouched and fast.  All I think to do is pray I can get through these trees without splitting myself in half.  

In and out.  In and out. Left and right flying past trees.  I knick a tree just enough to throw me off track. I realize I could get seriously hurt but remind myself to stay focused on making it to the bottom.  I fall back and almost hit the ground, then jump to avoid a branch. Still going strong, I clear a line of bushes and just a few seconds later I am out of the run and back on the main trail boarding down the remainder of the mountainside.  I am beyond relieved.  Whoosh!  The door to the main lodge is in front of me and swings right open with the wind. I limp inside with my ankles aching.  Reassured, I see my family and friends. Picking the seat with a wall behind it. Resting my head against the wall, enjoying my food and slowly starting to relax, the only thing on my mind is that I could have gotten seriously injured, or even died, if I had fallen in such extreme weather conditions. I definitely felt as though luck was on my side in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.