i am kt

each time the snow gods make it dump on squaw valley, you can find a small sedan parked in the 1st parking spot with this license plate:


recreated license plate*

named 'best chair lift in north america,' by skiing magazine**, kt-22*** is not only one of squaw's most famous lifts, but also offers some of the most difficult terrain the resort has to offer.  hence, all the warning signs:

just some caution signs welcoming skiers to the danger zone

since this has been my very first season on skis, there was no way that i was getting in that line.  the 'advanced only' sign was a good enough warning for me.  after 8th grade, it's no longer cool to have people sign your cast, or, have a cast, for that matter.  having gotten that memo, i was happy to stay classified as an 'intermmediate' or a 'beginner.'  that was until i got dropped off at ski school again this past saturday morning and met monica - mother to anika, who was on the olympic team with picabo street. 

and then, like the owner of the license plate, i became KT too.

but you can call me katie.

or christina.****

--
* sorry for the lack of authenticity! 'KT' wasn't there this weekend.

** ok, fine.  skiing magazine gave the lift this rating in 2004.  but, still!

*** the story of KT-22 is the story of sandy poulsen.  in 1948, she was the first person to 'ski' down the north face of this particularly steep peak at squaw.  although an expert skier at the time, she wasn't able to link her turns due to the difficulty of the terrain.  so, what did she do?  Kick Turns.  from the bottom of the mountain, her husband counted a total of 22 Kick Turns that it took for her to come down the slope.  and thus, KT-22 was born.

**** if you are conventional.