Do you ever set random challenges for yourself? For example, when you are running, do you set a target to run to “the flagpole” or “to the end of the street?”  I do. It’s a simple way to push yourself to do a little more than you ordinarily would. Bring on the challenge!

Today I challenged myself to be “last tracks.” I made that up. I don’t know if that’s actually a skiing term like “first tracks.”  I wouldn’t actually know since rarely, if ever, am I out late in the day. I am in the lodge by the fire with a warm cup of cocoa in my hand by the time 4:00 p.m. comes along. I never paid attention to when the lifts close.

Today was different. I decided not to be an early bird and challenged myself to take the last chairlift (or close to it) of the day.

It was a beautiful warm spring day with blue skies. I had a chance to come out and ski for a few hours on the first day of April so I wanted to make the most of it. I decided to stick around Carpenter chairlift and see how many runs I could do (and snap a few photos.) I bounced between Last Chance and Solid Muldoon ski runs.

The clock said 3:45 p.m. as I hopped on the lift so I figured, no problem, I can ski another half hour and take the last lift up before Carpenter closes. As I took a run on Last Chance ski run, the weather changed as it often does in the mountains and it started to snow.  Snow is always a good thing for skiers so I had a big smile on my face.

At the end of the run as I headed toward the lift, my smile disappeared. It was snowing harder now and the wind was whipping up a bit so everything was white. Skiers were ignoring the snowfall and lining up for the lift but I hesitated.

Here was my deciding moment. Meet the challenge or fall short? What would you do?

I asked myself, “Are you going to cowgirl up and take another run? Are you going to stay out to the last possible moment and push yourself or are you going to go in?

I stared at the lift and looked at the snow whipping past and let several people pass me saying, “Go ahead, No problem.  I am taking pictures.”

The clock said 4:00 and the sign said, “Last lift at 4:15.”

With snow blowing in my face, I turned on my heels while saying under my breath, “Close enough! This girl is headed in.”

So maybe my little challenge wasn’t met but the ski day was fantastic anyways! Check out more photos from my spring ski day at Deer Valley Resort below. Do you think I should have made one more run? Tell me in the comments or on Twitter @nancy_moneydiva.