Top of the World
Elevation: 2,080m
Words and photos by local rider Dylan Sherrard.
The days we’ve anxiously awaited have quickly come our way. And we’re already into the thick of it, as the dizzying highs of summer are spinning all around us. The longest days, the hottest laps, and the biggest smiles are burning bright while the world is turning fast beneath our tires.
We’re reacquainting ourselves with the way the vertical adds up, learning the new lines of freshly groomed turns, and sliding into the fast-paced shapes of the summer season. Riding quicker, dropping deeper, and airing further than we ever knew we could. In constant pursuit of weightlessness, that fancy-free and floating feeling. And it feels as though this splendour is meant to last forever.
Certain summer evenings, it all feels far too radical to be real. We’ve committed crimes all across the mountain and gotten off scot-free. It’s something to celebrate, surviving a day of constantly flirting with our limits. So when we skid to a stop and watch the remains of our last few turns still burning in the air, we can barely believe it’s all come together.
We look at our friends wearing giant grins in a golden haze and confirm the stoke is at an all time high. We can hear it echoing in the hills. And if only we could put our feelings into words, we might be able to take ourselves seriously, even if just for one moment. But on nights like these, the highs of the summer are too much to handle. So we shout in short expletives as we make our best attempts, but all that can be heard is a myriad of senselessness in the tune of “Siiiiick,” “YES,” and “SO STOKED MY DUDES!”.
And then comes the dusty high five. A timeless salute to our connectivity, and the camaraderie of our ride. Your hand smashes into mine, like tires into a fresh turn, and the clap continues on around the circle. The dust pops and blooms into small clouds that slowly fade into the hills to linger in the last of the light that burns before these days are done.
And if you listen carefully, any given summer night, once the lift has ceased to turn and the light of day trades space with night, we can hear the quiet clap of dusty high fives all across the hillside. And if you look around during the day, you’ll see them on the patios, in the strolls of the village, and at every checkout and bar around the resort.
So don’t be afraid to accept one, and don’t be shy to gift one whenever you feel the urge.
We’re looking forward to sharing a few dusty high fives with you as we continue to celebrate summer and the peak of the season at Sun Peaks Resort.
