words :: Brett Tippie // photo :: Andrew Lawrence.
The Latin term for “time flies” is tempus fugit. Time certainly has flown since people spoke Latin commonly, and it has also flown since this magazine was born 15 years ago, in 2006. Time is funny and fluid—I am 52 years old, and for some reason I can remember pow days from 15 years ago better than I can remember what I had for breakfast this morning…
There are also pow days I can’t remember, but that’s what happens when you shred every day possible—sometimes it seems like one big day! Luckily, we usually ride with friends who can help piece together the past if we need or want to know the details. Friends are also good for making future adventure plans, but what’s the best is shredding and enjoying the mountains right now, today, in the present, with rad people.
To paraphrase Maya Angelou, “You don’t always remember what people did or said… you remember how they made you feel.” For me, the same goes for powder days. I might not remember the details or the date, but I will always remember the excitement of seeing big, lazy snowflakes floating down, and the cold, fresh bite of mountain air on my cheeks… the glistening diamonds of light sparkling off fluffy deep stashes of snow that cause my heart rate to spike, and the amazing sensation of getting up to speed and feeling the floating buoyancy and wild snaps of energy from the flex of my board as I twist and turn around the trees and rocks. These feelings are hard to match.
“You don’t always remember what people did or said… you remember how they made you feel.” For me, the same goes for powder days.
The ultimate feeling for many of us though, is the slash that causes the snow to explode and blanket you in the white room: the face shot! The deepest of these can erupt right over your head (especially if you’re of diminutive stature like Richie Schley), and create massive roosts of blown-up crystal magic. Blasting through a Days of Thunder explosion of blinding powder and popping out the other side to spot your line and a choice location to sink the next deep turn is the most addictive feeling ever.
They say as you get older, the years go faster—like flipping through the pages of a book… until you’re done. That makes me want to shred even harder right now! And the Romans had that figured out too. Carpe diem, they said: “seize the day.” The only issue is that it’s nighttime and dark outside currently. That’s okay, I’ve got really bright NiteRider lights and nothing can stop me from getting that pow! I’m not going to wait for tomorrow… I’m going to get some slashing in right now! Carpe nocturno! (seize the night) and Tippie fugit (Tippie flies)! Who said Latin is a dead language? Time means nothing in the white room. See you in the pow!Â
