January 14: Signal Peak

January 14: Signal Peak

By Matt Estrada and John Hausdoerffer

“The next thing I knew we were at Signal Peak…and how the heck did we find it!” Matt said after a night of vivid stars and rising moon igniting sparking snow. Realizing that a few Cranor Laps in the evening does not build up a base for skiing all the way to Aspen, we knew we needed to climb long and far. Signal Peak, looking out over the amber lights of Gunnison. No headlamps, no trail broken, just glorious and fresh snow leading us up through ridges we know in our bones from summer mountain bike rides. As we neared the peak, John looked at Matt and held his hand out below the rising moon. “Get out your camera and snap a shot of me holding the moon in my palm.” The cold killed the camera just as we attempted the shot. So we must rely on the memory, felt in our bodies from the cold and through our gaze of moonlit white peaks as far as the Anthracites. Here’s to the good life, a life only possible when we surprise ourselves with the unknown, explored through the health of the body connected to the snow, the moon, trusted friends, and our wonderful community below.

MATT AND JOHN ARE SKIING THE GRAND TRAVERSE TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR CHOICE PASS. DONATE TODAY TO HELP US REACH OUR GOAL OF $7,500 BY RACE DAY 3/29/2020!

DONATE