As I arrived at the put-in, the sun streamed down into the valley. I stepped out of the car and the gravel crunched beneath my feet. A slight breeze carried the scent of the river by my nose. Everything was perfect. It was… unexpected.

I don’t know what I expected when I decided to summit and ski all seven of my local peaks in a summer. Adventure, alpine views, some suffering. I couldn’t have imagined everything it would entail. Whiteouts. Sunset skiing. Even heat exhaustion all played a role as I raced to climb the summits before the snow melted. By the end of the summer, my body was worn down. But time has a way of changing perspective. Blisters and bruises have healed. Only cherished memories remain.