You're roaring down a long and winding snow-covered mountain track. The air is buffeting against your cold cheeks...

When I heard about a telemark race camp at Mt. Hood, my initial thoughts were: summer skiing? Sure. Corn snow? Yep. Improve my turns? We'll see. What's the worst that could happen, other than having to wear a funny tight suit?

In May, Mike and Steve Marolt of Aspen, Colorado, became the first North Americans to ski from the summit of 8031-meter Shishapangma.

During their first hut-skiing trip to Alaska, a small low-pressure system moved in. Thinking on a lower-48 scale, ignorance bred enthusiasm. Little did they know they would be storm-bound for three days, sipping cocktails and periodically digging out the hut just to maintain the entryway.

When the US Extreme Freeskiing Championships in Crested Butte were cancelled in March due to lack of snow, we decided to go anyway. We thought they could use some consoling, but who would have guessed we'd find 60 inches in eight days, and no lift lines?

After a huge snowstorm, correspondent Krista Crabtree and friends flocked to the tram at Jackson Hole Ski Resort looking for backcountry access. "We weed our way past hopeful locals with their beacons slung around their chests and their avalanche shovels poking out of their packs. There's a latté buzz in the air as people wait to see if the tram will be running..."