~Alex Basmajian, Class of 2025

All I could see were snowflakes gently falling, like stars in the night
A vast ocean of white clouds covered the sky
I looked down at the steep slope ahead

Beyond that was the valley filled with green pine trees, topped in a layer of snow
My skis were horizontal
My numb fingers gripped my poles

My heart was a beating a drum
It was just my dad and I
Gazing at a double black diamond

“Do you want to try it?” he asks
I wait and study the trail a bit more
“Yeah, let's do it” I say

I hopped forward then accelerated down the mountain
The wind was whipping into my face and my ski visor
I could barely see anything

There were giant bumps and moguls of snow all over the place
But my mind was locked in
I was making quick turns, left and right

Left and right
Left and right
Speeding through the icy and rocky terrain

Finally I approached the bottom of the trail
I made a smooth stop, spraying a large wave of snow into the trees
At last it was over