January 21st – Today I was brought to tears. I am not sure if they were tears of joy or sadness but I was catching my breath at the bottom of a line when an avalanche of emotion came out of nowhere and knocked me off my feet.

The line that did this to me is called McConkeys. It was formerly called the Eagles Nest until the recent passing of Shane McConkey inspired Squaw to change the name. The line it self has alluded me for over 15 years because it requires the perfect combination of conditions.

Hiking up to the line there seemed to be added weight to the air.  Seeing the Eagle gave me calming effect.  Dropping in the first turn was much harder then I expected but things improved quickly, I got through the crux,  got off the bottom air clean and landed in a bed of bottomless feathers.

I have passed by this line hundreds of times the last 15 years but it is so rarely in form that I never really give it much thought even though it is one of the more critical and probably steepest lines on the mountain.

This morning I arrived to the KT lift line at 6:30.  With 24 inched new and storm totals around 5 ft it was sure to be the best day of the year and worthy of a long wait.

Friends and family gathered on the peak this fall to unveil the Eagle and make the name change official with a scattering of Shanes ashes. Since that time not a day has gone by that I have not been in the valley and payed my respects to the Eagle. It has become a place of healing for many of us.

Note: Shane was a big inspiration behind the shape of the Flagship.  I  talked with him more then anyone about rocker and profile and how his shapes could be adapted to a snowboard.   It is fitting that the first serious line I rode on the Flagship was named after him.