On the edge

By The Standard Staff - 03/18/2006

above: A group of skiers and boarders makes its way down the Berkeley run on the frontside of Discovery with nice views of the Anaconda Mountain Range, Echo Lake and Georgetown Lake.

This is the best job ever.

Last week, photographer Lisa Kunkel and I pitched a story about intense skiers addicted to the notoriously rugged backside of Discovery Ski Area.

We took the embedded journalists’ position, arguing that to truly grasp the backside-junkie mentality we would need to hang out with skiers for a few hours on their turf.

We won our editors’ blessings and headed to the mountain on a Tuesday afternoon, which just happened to be the day after a storm.

As we trailed a pair of skiers down an expert run, my notebook sticking out of my coat pocket and her camera bulging in her backpack, I thought about how lucky we are.

We’re lucky to be journalists, it’s a fun job. But we’re also fortunate to have a hometown ski hill.

Growing up in Anaconda, Discovery became the backdrop for my childhood winter memories. Lisa is from Missoula, so I had fun showing her around between interviewing skiers.

I led her down my favorite run, overlooking Echo Lake. I showed her where I trudged through snow to retrieve the mitten my little sister dropped off the chairlift. I recounted the time my little brother got lost on the backside and had to walk down the mountain, greeting my terrified parents just before dark. And I wouldn’t let Lisa leave without trying a famous chocolate chip cookie in the lodge.

As I rattled on, Lisa captured the experience with her camera. And at the end of the day, we had not only a story about backside junkies, but a collection of photographs illustrating an afternoon at Discovery. They are too much fun to keep to ourselves.

If you’ve ever spent much time on the mountain, you’ll recognize the people and landscapes here. If you’ve never been, enjoy the experience through Lisa’s eyes.

Discovery closes April 2 for the season. Here’s to a fun winter, and many more memories, and stories, to come.

Erin Nicholes is the business reporter for The Montana Standard.

She may be reached via e-mail at erin.nicholes@lee.net.