November 23, 2011: Thoughts after backcountry ski season opener.

Happiness is the clear blue skies above you.

Happiness is the clean air around you.

Happiness is the grandeur of the snow-covered mountains.

Happiness is the sound of your skins gliding over cold fresh snow.

Happiness is your entire pole sinking into the snow without encountering anything other than fluffy powder.

Happiness is breathing the thin mountain air.

Happiness is seeing smiles on your friends' faces.

Happiness is the rhythm you hit when skinning up.

Happiness is the snow-covered trees on a high ridge.

Happiness is following an established skintrack in four feet of fresh.

Happiness is taking your skins off to ski down.

Happiness is looking breathlessly at the endless slope covered with bottomless powder before committing to your first turn of the season.

Happiness is feeling weightless while your skis turn effortlessly in the bottomless white fluff.

Happiness is the sensation of floating at the speed of your choice.

Happiness is steep and deep.

Happiness is mellow and deep.

Happiness is medium and deep.

Happiness is deep.

Happiness is skiing over the knoll where you thought the run ends and seeing another endless bottomless slope in front of you free for you to shred.

Happiness is your quads telling you they can't do it anymore, and you knowing that they will.

Happiness is looking back at the playful weaving of your track on the slope above you.

Happiness is the sight of giant glaciers in the alpenglow.

Happiness is people who you have never met smiling at you for exactly the same reason as the one you are smiling at them for.

Happiness is the electrolyte drink before the last push to the car.

Happiness is taking your boots off at the end of the long day.

Happiness is the first sip of the beer.

Happiness is the first bite of the burger.

Happiness is sharing the stories of the day with your friends.

Happiness is realizing you just had the time of your life.

Happiness is backcountry skiing.

Happiness is what I live for.