Stay tuned after the episode to hear our latest edition of And Then What.

Six boots and four paws bootpack their way up, Galena Peaks Ridge,

enjoying the springtime glory of corn snow near its perfect window.

Rays of sun glistened off Revy's wagging tail, perhaps the only thing more joyful than the look on the faces of the

three humans who accompanied her. For me and my ski partners Lucy and Terry, the prospect of perfect

corn skiing in one of our favorite peaks

Southwest Bowl, got us to mobilize quickly. On the bootpack, we started chatting about the

impending summer. I don't know what I'll do, I answered to my friends inquiry, expressing my

listeners about the upcoming end of my avalanche forecasting season.

I had moved to Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains for the winter job, and after working for the park

service in the summer for the better part of a decade, that era had come to a close for me.

But now what? What about traveling? Lucy proposed.

Well, I thought about going to Patagonia, I told her. I'd recently heard about a new avalanche center down

there, and I'd always wanted to visit the area, but I haven't done enough research.

Plus, I didn't have a partner lined up.

I continued to make excuse after excuse to live an ordinary life.

It'd been a tough couple of years, and some of my spark had dimmed a bit.

I still was climbing and skiing almost every day,

but my imagination and fire for leaping into the unknown felt a bit less bright.

A calm, predictable summer in Bozeman, taking nursing classes, playing it safe,

that sounded a bit more comfortable. I can't go this year. An acquaintance

turned new friend and ski partner. Terry looked at me with a knowing sideways smile

...