Granddaughter Ellie Skis Alta's Baldy Chutes

Alta's Baldy Chutes.  The Main Chute is on the right.

Big Courage In a Small Package.

Ellie contemplating the Baldy Chutes.

In terms of determination and guts, I have some big shoes to fill: those of my 11 year-old granddaughter, Ellie Creech.   This last weekend, she climbed and skied Alta’s intimidating Baldy Main Chute.  This is a supreme accomplishment for any skier…but for an 11 year-old?                     It’s awe inspiring.  

It's a long way up.

To begin with, the hike up is daunting enough.   

It’s a tough slog up and parts of it are near vertical, like climbing a ladder.

Not for the faint of heart.

Slogging it out.

 It takes about an hour to get to the top, which is above 11,000 feet elevation.  

Ellie said the climb up was almost as scary as the first couple of turns down.  

Jason and Ellie at the top.

The drop into the Main Chute is near vertical too.   A fall could be very dangerous.
Fortunately, Ellie has an excellent instructor, mentor and guide--her father Jason.

Ready to drop in.

Ellie in the Main Chute.

Jason is a world class skier who lived in Aspen for more than a decade with Chris Davenport, a World Extreme Ski Champion and well known mountaineer/back country skier.  

Jason can flat out ski.   

So can Ellie. Three years on the Alta Race Team have molded her into a confident and 

strong skier who doesn’t flinch at the steep and deep.

An Epic day!

Jason and Erika chillin'.

Jason, Ellie and my daughter Erika are season pass holders at Alta, and ski 30 plus days a year.  Gratefully Erika, who was a Snowbird ski racer and expert skier herself, is back on the slopes again.  It makes my heart sing to see them on the hill together.

I hope to join them next year on my sit-ski…though I won’t be doing the Baldy Chutes.  I’ll be happy carving some nice turns on Sugarloaf or Collins. I’ll be the guy on a sit-ski with extra long legs and a big smile.  If you see me, wave and look for a hotshot redhead nearby.  That will be Ellie.

To see a POV video of Jason skiing the Baldy Main Chute in a previous outing, click here.