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By NatMed, January 3, 2026
The bells rang, bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new; a brand new year has arrived. The melodious call of the cuckoo woke me from my sleep; when I opened my eyes, it was already 2026. I yawned, stretched, and relaxed for a while before finally realizing that the new year had arrived. Today, I planned to take my son skiing in the Blue Mountain. I packed his ski gear, took the prepared BBQ ingredients, and set off amidst the lightly falling snowflakes.
The road was covered in pristine white snow on both sides, the dark road surface winding forward, and vehicles moving at a steady pace on both sides, a truly pleasant sight. Looking at the familiar road and the seemingly familiar scene, I couldn’t help but be pulled back to a scene from more than ten years ago.
I used to take my daughter and son skiing frequently. They’re small, have a low center of gravity, are curious and adventurous, and don’t know what fear is, so they improved incredibly quickly. That year happened to be the 50th anniversary of Snow Valley, and to celebrate, they offered a special 50th-anniversary season pass. My son also had a children’s season pass, so we became regulars that season. Every Saturday, after picking my son up from his Chinese class, we’d head straight to Snow Valley. We went without fail throughout the entire winter. The green and blue runs weren’t challenging enough for him, and the black runs were no problem either, so we went on the double diamond runs (double-diamond). I still vividly remember the scene: after struggling to poke the poles a couple of times, we reached the top of the slope. The view suddenly opened up before us; the slope descended steeply, and all we could see was the vast parking lot stretching to the horizon. I was truly awestruck. I hesitated, wondering what to do next. Should I turn back, or grit my teeth and keep going? Looking at the little guy beside me, I saw no fear in his eyes. I asked for his opinion, and he said to follow me. So, I made up my mind; there was no turning back. I silently recited the key points of turning and slowly began to move diagonally. The acceleration exceeded my expectations, and I could only desperately control my legs to keep the movement in place. The speed increased, and I didn’t have time to realize that I had already skied to the edge of the bushes on the other side. I quickly pushed off the ground with my feet and twisted my body sharply, barely managing to make a Z-shaped turn.
The slopes at SNOW VALLEY are quite narrow, and as the speed increased, I veered towards the other edge. This time, my movement went awry, I lost my balance, my skis fell off and flew over my head, my poles disappeared, and I crashed heavily onto the snow, taking a while to recover. Looking at my son, his little figure had already glided past me, turning left and right, heading straight for the flatter area below. Because the slope was steep, it was difficult to stand upright, and I had to fumble for my skis and poles, using both hands and feet, covered in white, busy and having a great time. By the time I got dressed again and skied down, my son had been waiting for me for quite some time. From then on, the Double Diamond Slope (double-diamond). It is a must-skate activity, without exception.
I remember one time, we skied until 10 PM, until the evening session ended. A heavy snowfall was falling, and as we drove onto Highway 400, the swirling snowflakes hit us in the face, pounding against the windshield, making it almost impossible to see anything. Cars on the road were struggling to move forward with their hazard lights on. An hour later, we got home and parked the car. My wife opened the door, and our son was already asleep, his head tilted to one side, his little face flushed, and a few crunches hanging from his nostrils. My wife was heartbroken. She quickly and gently unbuckled his seatbelt, covered his head with her coat and hood, and carried him inside. The next day, when he woke up and asked if he wanted to go skiing again, he looked up at her with his little face and nodded seriously, saying, “Yes.”
After my son drove the car into the parking lot, ending our nearly two-hour drive, we arrived at the Blue Mountain Ski Resort. The surrounding area was still packed with parked cars, bustling crowds, and skiers queuing to board the chairlifts. We dropped my son off and drove to our accommodation.
This is a row of log cabins, the interior simple and bright, warm and cozy. We prepared the BBQ ingredients and got started. When traveling, BBQ is the best food.
The next day, my son went skiing with his friends, while my wife and I went to the cinema to watch an animated film that my wife enjoys. Because it was the New Year’s holiday, there weren’t many people. Since it was still early, the lobby was almost empty. By the time the movie ended, about a third of the theater was filled with adults and children.
Later, my son told me that the ski resort wasn’t in good shape. Because of the rain a few days ago, the ski slopes were covered in ice, especially the mountaintop.
Actually, the best time to ski is after the first heavy snowfall of winter. We went once, around that time. The mountains were covered in pristine white snow, so smooth and silky that not a single mark could be seen. When skiing, the skis were buried deep in the snow, requiring some effort to move forward. But the snow at that time was simply amazing, as soft as sugar; even falling became a pleasure.
After leaving the movie theater, my wife and I went home because my son and his friends continued skiing. Avoiding the highway congestion, we drove onto country roads. Watching the houses nestled under the snow slowly glide by, the new year, like the road beneath our wheels, stretched forward, and thus, a wonderful year began.
