Southback is open!” Henry pointed behind us on the two-seater chair. “We have to take Max out there.”

It was late December and it had been dumping for days. Southback, Crystal Mountain, WA’s hike-to terrain, had been closed the day prior. But my little brother was right—patrol had indeed dropped the gate, and we were in the perfect position at the top of Chair 6.

I hadn’t been back to my home mountain in almost eight years, a number I couldn’t believe when I skimmed through my calendar. My husband, Max, was there, too, for the first time. Henry couldn’t wait to show him around.

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