[Jim Dockery]

Yesterday was my last day of work after 35 years in public education. I'll miss my big extended family at Mountain Way Elementary in Granite Falls, but the mountains call, and it's time to move on to my next career - ski bum.

Last, Last Day Wave, Mountain Way Elementary

I've been hiking and skiing Mt. Pilchuck as an afterwork dusk patrol workout for 21 years. I often do it a number of times a week when the snow/weather are good. Skiers enjoy relative solitude before the summer hiking crowds swarm the place, and the bonus of skiing into the sunset is an athletic-esthetic high I can't get enough of.

Mt. Pilchuck over Gardner Lk.

Sunset on Mt. Pilchuck 2008

The weather report didn't sound promising, but I threw my gear in the car just in case, and told John I'd call him after lunch. It didn't look too bad, so we met at The Red Apple at 2:30, which gave me time to hang with my friends at our staff party for a bit. It was raining lightly as we set off from the car, but on such a casual trip we knew that if we got wet we'd just keep moving to stay warm and change into dry shirts at the look-out. Luckily the shower passed and we made it up without incident, watching squalls pass to the north and south. The snow is no longer continuous in a number of spots so we booted quite a bit both up and down.

At the lookout John pulled out a plastic bag that he filled with snow to cool two IPAs, and presented me with a big slice of delicious savory ham pie made by his gourmet wife. I'd done similar for him on his last day as a principal in Marysville two years ago.

"Yum, thanks Terri!"

Skiing down was good, but a bit tricky. The snow in The Gunsight was good up above, a bit icy at the bottom, and there was only a small slot to ski through the rocks (won't last long).

Skiing The Gunsight

We skied the gully down to the waterfall on slightly suncupped and runneled snow.

We strapped skis on packs to climb out of the gully and back down to the car, with minimal brush beating, but the snow is going fast so this will likely be our last run of the season. It started raining lightly as we hit the trail proper, but didn't really let loose until we were in the car. We saw another car in the parking lot and hoped that they made it to the lookout in time to shelter from the worst of it. It poured most of the drive back to Granite, but let up just in time for me to transfer my gear to my car. Thanks for hosting the party John, it was a great start to the next chapter of my life!

View up the Mountain Loop from Mt. Pilchuck

[Magellan]

Can't think of a better way to celebrate your new life. Congratulations!

[Benzarino]

Wow, congratulations!! What a great way to start a new chapter of your life

[FungiFan]

We need a good jealous or green with envy emoticon... Congrats and enjoy the new chapter in your life! FF

[iron]

[Get Out and Go]

Thank you for your service to society. Now, on to that mid-week full-day skiing! We'll look forward to even more of your ski reports. (I still love teaching, but those mid-week dumps are hard to take sometimes. My day is not yet in sight.)

[DIYSteve]

Congrats, JD. Shift into Silas-mode

[LukerBee]

If the ski bum career thing doesn't work out, you would do pretty good as a photographer...

[Yana]

Congrats, Jim! Enjoy your new life as full time ski bum!

[joker]

Well done, JD! I suspect we'll be seeing even more of your awesome photos in the future. ETA: I'm sure you are aware that Silas is doing a great job of experimenting with light gear choices for the geezer ski bum - it seems well worth seeing what works out for him

[RichP]

Well done. Enjoy a blissful retirement. You deserve it after 35 years of service.

[cefire]

Congratulations, now we'll all benefit from even more of your fantastic pictures! Right?

[Kim Brown]

Congratulations! 35 years, wow!

[Schroder]

That's great, Jim. Now you can get those fresh tracks on weekdays in the winter.

[Backpacker Joe]

Way to go James. Good luck and congrats.