Day 91 - Ice Under Our Edges and Grit in Our Bones

Day 91 started like most of our mornings here in Scharnstein. Up around 7. Straight into coffees, breakfast, schoolwork for the kids and a bit of work for me. On the surface it was calm. Underneath it was anything but.

The kids were at each other all morning. Little things turned into big things. Overtired, snappy, emotional. Kia and I were both feeling fried. It is funny how quickly the wheels can wobble when everyone is just that bit tired. Emmett had been up late and we suspected he was running on fumes after a big day on the slopes yesterday. He was climbing the walls though, so we made the call to get him out anyway. Sometimes fresh air and movement is the only fix.

We didn’t get out the door until after lunch. A late start by our usual standards. Trip planning and research had been almost impossible with the background noise of sibling tension. But eventually we packed the gear, loaded the car and headed up to the slopes at Kasberg.

We jagged a park in the top car park again which always feels like a small win. Less walking in ski boots is a gift. The gondola ride up was magic. Snow falling, that quiet alpine feel, the kind of atmosphere that makes you forget the chaos of the morning.

At the top though, it was obvious they had groomed the runs hard. The snow was compacted and with the cold temperatures it had turned icy. The first few runs were slick. Edges scraping. Boards chattering. Instantly Kia felt uncomfortable. To be honest, I was not loving it either. Maddie seemed unfazed. Emmett was somewhere in between.

We decided to head across to the other mountain, the one Emmett and I had explored the day before. To get there you traverse across an off camber slope and then grab the T hook up to the very top. We shuffled across, hooked in and rode up. At the top we bumped into our Austrian and Norwegian friends, dropped our bag and split up.

I took the wider run on my own while Kia and the kids tackled a narrower, bumpier slope. The snow was definitely better up there. Not perfect, but softer and more forgiving. I had a solid run down and could feel my confidence building. That quiet internal shift where you realise you are starting to trust your edges again.

Kia and the kids made it down but she wasn’t feeling it. We T hooked back up and aimed to work our way down to the chairlift. That section is narrower with a few steeper pitches and the icy base underneath. Kia had a couple of moments where she tipped over and you could see it knock her confidence. Sometimes it is not one big fall. It is a few small ones that get in your head.

We made it to the bottom and rode the chairlift back up. Kia decided to pull the pin for the day and go sit it out. No ego. No forcing it. Just knowing when it is not your day. That takes more strength than pushing through sometimes.

The kids and I kept going with the Austrian and Norwegian crews. A few laps on different runs. Even I had a decent crash and skidded down on my tailbone. Proper thump. Snow up the jacket. Pride slightly dented. Emmett had a collision with a skier who turned in front of him. He had nowhere to go and clipped into her. He was shaken and upset but got back up. That is the part I am most proud of.

Despite the tough start and the icy conditions, there were wins. My confidence is building. Emmett’s is high. Maddie is quietly becoming rock solid on her board. Kia just needs a reset and a softer day to ease back in.

After the slopes we swung by the shops for dinner supplies, headed home, watched a documentary and did some learning with the kids. It ended far calmer than it began.

Day 91 was stressful. Especially for Kia. But it was also real. Not every day on this trip is picture perfect powder and smiling selfies. Some days are icy. Some days test your patience. Some days stretch your resilience.

And sometimes, the win is simply showing up anyway.