Socks with altitude

"Weather coming in."  Doesn't seem to matter what kind, except that snow accumulation is implicitly understood.  Sun is weather, too, but no one says "weather coming in" when the forecast is for clear skies and a sunny day.

Weather changes FAST in the mountains.  Clouds blow past, more blow in.  The gap in between that shows sun is called a sucker hole.  (Only flatlanders think it will stay sunny.)  Looking up at the mountain from the base poorly predicts what the skier will find 3000 feet above.

The cloud ended just below Sam's Knob lift.  The skier's trick is trying to figure out where it ISN'T, and where it will head next.  Turn your head in several directions, and let the air tell you its secrets.   The wind buffeting your skin will show you which part of the mountain to avoid until the clouds blow through.

I finished my house socks early in the week.  There really was only one place to do an FO shoot.  Taking off my boots was not an option.  You will have to be content with sock puppets.

The POMA at Snowmass is a wind-powered surface lift.  It goes through delicate alpine tundra, and limits skier access by design.  It is my least favorite lift.  You put a small platter, attached to a pole, between your legs.  You do not sit down.  It pulls you up the slope.  You grab the pole with one hand, hold your ski poles with the other, and pray you don't disgrace yourself by falling off.  It is the only mechanical device I have ever encountered that appears to have been designed by a woman.  I cannot imagine how men arrive at the top intact.

  The lift is a marvel of engineering ingenuity.  Bottom, that is all there is to it.  Top picture, people on the snowfields, riding the lift to the top.  12,510 feet.  That is 1,490 feet lower than the famous Colorado fourteeners.  You really have to click on it to appreciate the bleakness.  No trees.  Windswept snow.  Rocks showing through.  Barren.

The boots stayed on.  The sock puppets came out.  A few quizzical glances from skiers gathered to have their pictures taken by the sign.  Mr. Etherknitter clicked away, oblivious to my desperate attempts to communicate:

"Okay, here they are.  This is cold.  Let's go now."

"Where's the oxygen?  I'm getting tetched in the head.  Can we go NOW?"

"PLEASE.  Just put the camera away."

I unceremoniously stuffed the socks back into my jacket pocket.  As we turned to ski down, I found the view that everyone rides the lift to see. 

Pattern:  usual st st sock, 20 rows K2P2 ribbing, slip stitch heel flap, kitchenered toe
Needle:  #3 Clover dpns
Started:  November 2008, knit one sock, finished February 2010, second sock took 5 days
Yarn:  Foxhill Farms, cormo 75%/nylon 25% sport weight
Purchased:  The Gathering, MA, 11/2008 

Comments

[Caroline M]

Ah, the joys of the button lift. I've never come unhorsed but there's always that fear that you're going to make a public spectacle of yourself.

It looks cold there, far colder than my chilly dog walk tonight (and I thought that was cold)

[kmkat]

Is a POMA lift trickier than a T-bar? I am impressed at your photographic hardiness and dedication to your readers -- great socks!

[Anne]

I can't believe you didn't take your boots off. Sheesh.

[bev]

Snowmass!?! Hope you had a great time. It looks cold. Don't miss that bitter cold one iota! And, I don't blame you for not taking off your boots. You were brave to even take off your gloves to put those on your hands. Or did you do the sensible thing and slip them on over your gloves?

[thea]

gorgeous pics! and socks, right?

[Kathy]

Nice! All of it!

[Etherknitter]

Okay okay Im a knitting slacker.  Better that than a double amputee.  It was COLD.  And windy.

L

[Kim]

Hahahaha!! I love the pictures of you and the socks!!

[gayle]

Holy crap, what a view!
Perhaps he was thinking "Put the socks away so I can stop taking pictures. It's cold!"

[margene]

The socks are a pretty color, but they don't compete in anyway to the views. It looks cold and windy. You're a trooper for even skiing in it.

[pat]

Great photoshoot - I miss the Rocky Mountains!

[claudia]

I haven't ridden a POMA in a million years! I'd kind of like to do it again.

[Diane]

OMG, a poma lift. I remember those from my childhood at Suicide Six (or maybe Mt Tom's) in Vermont. I would hang on for dear life, make it to the top OK and wipe out on the ice at the top after letting go of the button.

The views are spectacular. I rather thought you were signaling aircraft with those pretty socks at that altitude.

[technikat]

I've never yet made it to the top of a POMA lift. I've ridden rope tows, T-bars ok but the POMA has me whupped! So I've never been to the top of Snowmass. Thanks
for the picture. The socks are a pretty color.

[Carole]

I love that you risked humiliation from your fellow skiers just to get pictures of the socks for us. Fantastic view!

[Melissa G]

Missed you again! It's fun coming down off there. My favorites are Campground and Elk Camp. We were in Steamboat over the weekend (hadn't been there in 13 years). How was the snow?

[Teyani]

amazing photos. incredible story of weather and knowledge of cloud cover. I will be sure to take you with me if ever I return to downhill skiing (it's been 26 years, alas)
thank you for the adorable sock photos. you are so very clever!

[Lynne S of Oz]

I remember riding a POMA. At least when you (I) fall off them, they only snap back into their socket things (my sister's nose was broken when someone got off a t-bar and it sproinged straight into her face).
I also remember seeing views like that last shot, and not being breathless when I did so. Wonderful!

[Hillary]

I love that you took sock pictures up there... even if you didn't take your boots off to do it. I suppose I can forgive you for that since you took such great pictures to share. I wanna go skiing too!