I arrived in the mountains early, when the day was still quiet and the sky hung low with clouds. There is no sun today—just a soft, grey light spreading over everything. The wind moves freely across the slopes, sharp and alive, and I can feel it immediately against my skin. I’m standing here in just a T-shirt, letting the cold bite a little deeper than usual. It’s my way of toughening up, of feeling truly awake.
I push off on my skis and begin to glide forward. The snow is firm and fast beneath