Recent Posts
- Jumper Profile: Kate Devine / 17 May 12
- Jumper Profile: Nat Segal / 14 May 12
- 150 Months and Counting... / 11 May 12
Friday, 19 Jan 07
There are days when the skiing isn't spectacular and the hiking is horrendous, but the company makes the magic. Julia Niles, in particular, knows the meaning of freeskiing.
Julia would probably first classify herself as a climber and second as a skier, but most importantly, she's a freestyle adventurer. She loves participating in every thing, and putting all she has into it. Last weekend, Julia's climber friends emerged from traveling in drier climates or backcountry skiing to gather in revelry. The heart of the operation, Julia, had popped back through Jackson (from her recent trip to Fitz Roy, Argentina) to host a most laid-back dinner party at her family’s cabin in Driggs, Idaho. Julia is one of those people who loves life and loves to share it with others. A year ago Feb. 1, she underwent a lobectomy to remove a tumor that was preventing the use of 90 percent of her left lung. The surgeon removed a fourth of her lung, but this girl never gave in. She was back skiing in two weeks and hiking soon after.
"This didn't change my life," she said. "It just made me realize how fragile it is." She said her spirit for adventure and travel had always been a huge part of her life, but now she appreciates her vulnerability. The simple act of taking a breath makes her happy.
Julia throwing a 360 midway up Taylor Mountain.
Julia is fully taking advantage of the simple act of breathing once again. She is only one of five American Mountain Guides Association Rock-certified women, and now she is going through the process of getting fully certified in the ski-mountaineering and alpine disciplines as well.
That random Monday night, Julia made salmon dinner for seven friends. We told stories about climbing and skiing, and laughed a lot. After plenty of wine and wanderlust for the next day's fun, we closed our eyes and dreamed of our adventure to come.
Typical of those aerobic animals, “the party” concluded the next morning with an elk and huckleberry pancake breakfast and a 3-hour hike up and 3,000-foot ski down Taylor Mountain on Teton Pass. And on the way up, the little monkeys stopped to climb a tree. Julia's best friend Lisa Van Sciver reported that the 100-foot branched wall with a required crux move in the down climb was rated “5.tree.”
Though the hike was long and the skiing was so-so because of sun crusted slopes and scary avy terrain, the mountains had never looked so beautiful. It was about the people, and their excitement for life and freedom. And it was contagious.
Though Julia is missing a quarter lung, she has more heart than all of us. She smiles and giggles and appreciates. And, after all, that's what freeskiing is all about.
Read more about Julia ...
Freesking Chronicles No. 2
Comment on this PostJulia throwing a 360 midway up Taylor Mountain.
Julia is fully taking advantage of the simple act of breathing once again. She is only one of five American Mountain Guides Association Rock-certified women, and now she is going through the process of getting fully certified in the ski-mountaineering and alpine disciplines as well.
That random Monday night, Julia made salmon dinner for seven friends. We told stories about climbing and skiing, and laughed a lot. After plenty of wine and wanderlust for the next day's fun, we closed our eyes and dreamed of our adventure to come.
Typical of those aerobic animals, “the party” concluded the next morning with an elk and huckleberry pancake breakfast and a 3-hour hike up and 3,000-foot ski down Taylor Mountain on Teton Pass. And on the way up, the little monkeys stopped to climb a tree. Julia's best friend Lisa Van Sciver reported that the 100-foot branched wall with a required crux move in the down climb was rated “5.tree.”
Though the hike was long and the skiing was so-so because of sun crusted slopes and scary avy terrain, the mountains had never looked so beautiful. It was about the people, and their excitement for life and freedom. And it was contagious.
Though Julia is missing a quarter lung, she has more heart than all of us. She smiles and giggles and appreciates. And, after all, that's what freeskiing is all about.
Read more about Julia ...
comments Comments are closed.