While my parents typically make the arduous 4-hour (often 8-hour with traffic) drive to Tahoe, enduring slippery mountain terrain and bitterly cold temperatures for the glee of skiing down its slopes, little did we envision that shoveling snowing and creating “do-it-yourself” (DIY) slopes would consume our annual Tahoe trip in 2021.
Originally, we planned for a three-day stay at Northstar California Resort and then traveling to Heavenly Ski Resort for the remainder of our trip — a two-resort bundle trip planned out perfectly. So what could go wrong?
Well, you can thank Mother Nature for entirely altering the itinerary of our trip. Upon arriving at Northstar, the ruthless weather only allowed for one perilous day of skiing, filled with icy snow, nearly unnavigable trails and constantly frosted ski goggles. After that day, the weather took a turn for the worst, rendering the trails unrecognizable and leaving the resort no choice but to close down. As a result, we were forced to camp in our hotel for the remainder of our reservation.
To make the situation worse, the weather led to the closing of the roads connecting to Heavenly, leaving us stranded without a place to stay. So, we were forced to book an emergency hotel near Northstar, leaving us without a good plan in the middle of a snowstorm.
Luckily, our hotel was paired with thick and fluffy snow hills that held great potential for sledding. My brother and I immediately got to work, carving a smooth path down the side of a hill with our hands. As I dug, snow spilled into my mittens, causing me to run back into the warmth of my room and fetch hand warmers; my brother — more adventurous and dedicated than me — went in with his bare hands.
After our sculpted path was finished, the next step was to test it. We based the success of our build on two criteria: slide-ability and speed. Taking turns going down the hill, we slid on our backs with our bodies molding the path smoother and smoother with each run. It’s safe to say that we unanimously ruled the ride a 10/10 experience.
As we continued sliding down the hill, a couple of residents of the resort walked toward us with a sled in hand. They stationed themselves nearby and began carving out a hill in the same way we did. When they noticed us, they offered us their sled to borrow while they created their hill, an offer we graciously accepted.
The sled was a clear upgrade from simply using our bodies as sleds, and it seemed like the universe’s way of apologizing for nearly ruining our trip and compensating us for the long drive and spontaneous changing of plans.
Amid Mother Nature’s unforeseen challenges, there’s always an opportunity to create lasting memories and find unexpected joy in any situation — especially when there’s snow right at your doorstep.
