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Write about a skier who accidentally strays off-piste.

Posted in Adventure on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 30 stories

The Iron Door

Shortlisted for Contest #129 ⭐️

December 12th, 1692 To Father Eusebio Francisco Kino: The Cañada del Oro is rightly named, glory be to God. The placer has pointed our direction and we begin our journey up and into the belly of the mountain. The burros complain terribly, but not so loudly as the novitiates. The Papago peoples, of whom our apostolate counts some small number, are silent and strong in their ascent. They are possessed of a God-given sure-footedness that is the envy of burro and novitiate alike. Perhaps they are part bighorn sheep. We have made camp along...

47 likes 50 comments 50
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When you lose your favorite sock

Submitted to Contest #129

CW: cancer My dog follows me into the hallway as I’m crunching on a stick of ants-on-a-log. If only she knew raisins were terrible for her and that I wasn’t going to give her a bite anyways. I see my mom losing steam on folding a pile of laundry, so I sit cross-legged next to her and start matching socks. She’s scrolling through social media and leaning against the wall, rubbing the spot under her eyes where the rim of her glasses made a red imprint. She doesn’t notice me at first but then watches me as I sort the mismatched socks away. Some...

38 likes 16 comments 16
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Bittersweet

Submitted to Contest #129

        A white sea with ever-falling pearls from a darkening sky. A sun setting over the peaks, casting a painting like fire that even the greats could not hope to replicate. A quiet so serene- so utterly void- one could on hear the deepest of thoughts echoing through memory.               Joel collapsed in the snow as he watched the scene. It was the most beautiful thing he had witness in his long, simple life. A world unbothe...

24 likes 12 comments 12
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Missing Mountain

Submitted to Contest #129

Kenton,Hey, man. I know this is a little strange since I still have your number, but… I wanted to send you a handwritten letter. I don’t expect us to become pen pals or anything, but I promise there’s a point to this, so just bear with me for a bit here. Or, y’know, don’t. You’re a big boy now; you make your own decisions.Anyway. Rewind to high school ski club. I joined for two reasons: because you were doing it, and because Jamie Tipton was doing it. What better justification could there’ve been?No matter my reasons, waking up at 2am to cat...

22 likes 6 comments 6
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Conversations With Trees.

Submitted to Contest #129

First of all, I didn’t want to be there. Not that anyone bothered to ask me a question like that. It was fine. As the middle child I was used to getting shoved to the side. I was used to going with the flow of everyone else in our wild family. What family was that? I’ll explain. I have an older sister too smart for her own good and a mouth loud enough to tell everyone about it. I was sandwiched in between her and a younger brother who couldn’t manage to make a mistake in front of our doe eyed parents.I didn’t mean it to sound so bad, honest....

22 likes 7 comments 7
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Silvia

Submitted to Contest #129

Silvia stood at the bottom of the mountain and gazed up at the enormity of it all. The day, the holiday, the task ahead.Why couldn’t she be on the beach in Andalucia? She felt a sob rising from deep within her stomach, as the nerves set in. Silvia felt guilty as she looked at her husband and three children, all smiling. Gazing lovingly at the mountain, imagining the thrill of riding down it at full speed. Why couldn’t she feel the excitement, too?Silvia had only had two lessons on a dry ski slope—they were experts. She’d enjoy it, they said....

20 likes 6 comments 6
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LOST

Submitted to Contest #129

  In rough weather a skier is completely clandestine. Not an inch of an identifiable feature is exposed. A hat or helmet covers the hair, dark goggles hide the eyes, while a balaclava conceals the entire rest of the face. No skin reveals the possibility of even discerning the build or ethnicity of the inhabitant under the thick layer of garb. That’s me today feeling like a 1960 astronaut hardly able to bend elbows or knees with the heavy layers of winter ware protecting vulnerable skin. That along with cement ski boots.   ...

19 likes 3 comments 3
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Mr. Cuddles

Submitted to Contest #129

The Spin Cycle.The most famous slope in the Crystal alps. Five miles of mountain range with an array of violent turns that gave the slope its name. For an experienced skier, it wasn’t particularly dangerous, but it was difficult. Relaxing for even a second would send you flying into the snow.Dario was plenty experienced, having done the circuit many times. He often came to the alps on the weekends, hoping to relive the adrenaline rush of his first run. This particular Saturday evening, his mother volunteered to drive him out. His six-year-ol...

18 likes 13 comments 13
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Double Black Diamond

Submitted to Contest #129

Snapping his goggles into place, Maurice exclaims, “What a beautiful day!”Sean’s smile flashes as he too slips off the bench. “I’ve been waiting for a bluebird like this all season.”Having secured an early seat on the lift with his three companions, and now clearing the off ramp at the top, Paul cheerfully asks the group, “So, we’re all doing ‘The View Points’?”Gary hesitates as the other two nod and smile. “I’m not in the mood for something so tame. Is anyone interested in going down ‘Mind Games’ with me?”All three spin on the tips of their...

18 likes 6 comments 6
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Chex Mix and Rentals

Submitted to Contest #129

Hannah and George Bordain—despite looking the same—could not have been more different. They shared bright red hair, freckles, almond shaped dark brown eyes, and a pointed chin that dimples when smiling.            “Are you twins?!”            That was a question they’d get asked frequently.            “No,” Hannah would reply pointedly to the woman in the grocery store, the man...

18 likes 2 comments 2
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Hatmo Resort

Submitted to Contest #129

“Shaney, wait. My phone’s missing. It can’t be that far back. I just checked it on the lift,” said Bruno. His eyes begged an apology and Shanitra completely understood the angst of losing not just important numbers, but also all kinds of personal goo-gas not filed anywhere else.She said, “It’s okay, honey. I’ll wait right here.”Bruno nodded and skied back the way they had come. She lost sight of him around the small but dense copse of fir trees.Once out of sight, Bruno ducked into the trees and came out a few se...

16 likes 1 comment 1
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Fragments

Submitted to Contest #129

**Contains mental health theme and mentions murder, blood, hints to violence. No graphic content.** Monica takes note of the bags under Mica’s eyes as soon as Mica is seated across from her. She observes the way Mica doesn’t look up to her from the floor. The way her slender fingers are pulled into the sleeves of her sweatshirt and her long, black hair tucked behind her ears. She looks smaller than usual, today. More childlike. Like a strong wind might blow her away. “How has your week been?” Mica looks up, finally, smiling at her, and ...

15 likes 2 comments 2
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Going Back

Submitted to Contest #129

Asmund didn't remember the sun going down. That particular fact was of great concern to him; the last memory that flickered in his mind was of stopping to rest for lunch. *      *      *      * He had come to a stop after skiing all morning near the shore of beautiful Lake Vendalsvatnet. There, he pulled the small, folding camp chair from the side of his hiking backpack, set it on the ground, and set himself upon it, straddling the stool and bracing himself with his skis. After removing the b...

15 likes 9 comments 9
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Off-Piste

Submitted to Contest #129

Sensitivity Warning-Mention of actual events that involve the taking of lives.It all got a bit too hard. I had to retreat to heal. She was killed by snipers in 2002 while driving in her car in the D.C. area. Just a simple outing hoping to find a special gift for our anniversary. The same route taken daily to go to work. Nothing extraordinary about the day other then the fact that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Two snipers, a man and his pseudo son took to shooting random victims as a ploy to cover a murder scheme. My wife...

14 likes 2 comments 2
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SKI PATH TO JUSTICE

Submitted to Contest #129

                                           SKI PATH TO JUSTICE           Nick was never a good student but right now that didn’t matter, because everybody that ever went to school or watched TV knew that if you ever got caught outside in the freezing cold, the situation you wo...

13 likes 4 comments 4
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