That mask also came in handy when it came to the cold. Sure, it was only chilly at the bottom, but it was wicked windy and fairly cold up at the top. Though the sun was starting to melt it off by the time I arrived at the peak, there was still noticeable ice on the trees and buildings up there. It was melting pretty good, though. While at the peak I decided to get a closer look at the transmitter antenna, I think that's what it is, and almost got taken out by the chunks of ice coming off in the wind. It would've hurt, believe me.

But, this story really isn't about the hour that I spent wandering the top of the mountain and resting up before heading back down. This story is more about other stories. 

You see, I was very specific when I picked the trail that I would use to reach the top of the mountain. I used the C Trail because of the way it wound up Snowdon Mountain, right past where the old Snowdon Poma lift once stood. I can't and couldn't remember exactly where the lift actually sat, but I'm pretty sure it was close by to where I stopped and took some video for Instagram. In any case, there is a whole story that goes along with what happened to me on that lift. The short version is that I just couldn't get on it after three tries and it was pretty embarrassing. To this day that is my most embarrassing ski story.

Related: Ski Rex Media Podcast - Episode 26 - My Most Embarrassing Ski Story

The thing is, as I walked up the C Trail, taking a gander at the rest of the mountain as I made my ascent, I realized how many more memories I have of Killington. That surprised me a little because even though it is one of my favorite mountains, I haven't logged nearly as many runs and hours there as I have at other places throughout my life.  

It actually all started flooding back when I pulled into the Snowshed parking lot. I got out of the car and headed off towards the H Trail, which took me for a little stroll behind the Killington Grand, which looks almost exactly like the Grand Summit at Mount Snow, which makes sense if you know your history. Anyway, I was reminded of my very first trip up to Killington. At that time I was working at Mount Snow, specifically at Harriman's Restaurant, which is in the Grand Summit Hotel. I told all of my coworkers that I was taking my first trip up to Killington and my boss at the time asked if I would stop into the Killington Grand's restaurant to see what they had for a menu. Which I did, because I'm a good boy. So, my first time skiing at Killington was part business trip...sort of.

That was an early-season trip, too. There weren't that many trails open yet. But, it wasn't the last early-season trip to be had. Not long after that first, pseudo-business trip, two of my friends joined me for a run to Killington. This time we were riding a lift, though I can't remember which one, I do remember losing my sunglasses off the chair. A pretty decent pair, too. But, we saw where they fell, which was directly below the lift right near the exposed work road. As I said, it was still early season, so there wasn't snow on everything, yet. We skied down to that road and my friend ran up the road enough to get close to my glasses and then crawled, literally, up the mountain to grab them and then came back. Oh, and he did this while wearing a pair of skiboards. It was definitely a sight to behold. 

I could go on and on about the good times I have had at that mountain. Shoot, my times at Killington might become their own chapter in the book about my ski life. But part of the point of writing this is to bring to light my realization that part of skiing and snowboarding at certain mountains is about nostalgia.

I know, that's not an original thought, really, nor is it anything that other people don't know. I knew it, but I never really thought about it until all of those memories came rushing back to the surface as I made my way up and down the mountain.

But, nostalgia is only part of it. The other part is the want to make even more memories at a place like Killington. In fact, I already did. I had never hiked up the mountain before, I had only been there in the winter for skiing and, more recently, for the Homelight Killington Cup races. Now, I have a whole new set of memories about hiking up Killington in the fall, the iced-over trees and building at the top in early October, the foraging porcupine that I saw both on the ascent and the descent, and even the knee pain that I'm experiencing the following day as I write this. 

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that part of skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports, or just about anything we do in life, is creating some awesome memories. I know I have a bunch already and I certainly plan to make more at Killington this season, as well as other places around the East. I'm looking to build an even bigger mental library of stories and I hope that I get to tell them to each and every one of you.

Oh, and I really hope that you enjoyed this one.

Photo: Looking west-ish from Killington Peak - Credit: Tim Meyer for Ski Rex Media