We decided to have a funky, funky Christmas and ski all the non-beginner lifts at three different areas in one day. We went to Northstar first, then got in our first day at Alpine Meadows.

Alpine had about four groomed runs open, and a lot of rocky bumps off the groomers. Here I am forgetting that I’m not telemarking and trying to drop a knee anyway.

We finished up at Squaw, which is suffering due to its meager snowmaking. The only lift open on the upper mountain is Gold Coast, with just one run.

The lower mountain is also in sad shape, with Red Dog and Squaw Creek both scraped down to rock-studded formica.

We rode each lift and then fled for home to open our extremely pragmatic Christmas gifts (Dutch oven, waffle iron, impact wrench, etc.).