How 3 Utah Skiers Have Skied Every Month for 28 Years Straight
A group of dedicated Utah skiers have achieved an extraordinary feat – skiing for 342 consecutive months over the past 28 years. Peter Novak, Mark Baer, and Richard Tetzl first bonded over their shared passion for skiing back in the 1980s at Solitude Ski Resort.
Humble Beginnings
What began as a casual monthly ski outing between friends has now spanned nearly three decades. Novak recalls how it started: "It was just hey there's snow up in Timpanogos let's go up for a ski." The trio had no intentions of starting a decades-long streak. But their passion for skiing and camaraderie kept them going month after month.
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Baer echoes this, remembering the euphoria of skiing in fantastic conditions year after year in the early days. For him, putting down roots in Utah in the 1980s was a dream come true. There was no reason not to fall in love with skiing the Wasatch mountains.
Turning a Pastime into a Tradition
After skiing together through the mid 1980s, Novak moved away for over a decade. When he returned to Salt Lake City in 1996, the old friends picked up right where they left off. Baer and Tetzl had already been skiing monthly for a year and a half. Novak jumped right back in, and they haven't skipped a month since.
Tetzl recalls the first big snowstorm that kicked off their streak in September 1980. Baer grabbed him to go ski because there was just enough snow. Having just finished summer, they were eager to start making turns again. This set the stage for their decades-long tradition.
Overcoming Challenges
Utah's plentiful snow makes year-round skiing possible, but that doesn't mean it's always easy. The trio has hiked for miles and climbed thousands of feet in all conditions to keep the streak alive. Heat, rain, slush - they overcome it all through sheer passion and determination to ski every month.
It's About More Than Just Skiing
For the Utah skiers, each outing is about far more than just making turns. Over the years, these monthly adventures have strengthened their lifelong bond. Novak says the streak has "become a way that we have all stuck together and remained friends." Their shared passion for skiing keeps them going even when conditions are poor.
Inspiring Future Generations
The trio never imagined their casual monthly outings would last for decades. But after reaching 100 months, quitting was inconceivable. Now at 342 months and counting, their impressive streak has become a beloved multi-generational tradition. Baer and Tetzl's children have joined in, inspired by their fathers' enduring passion.
For Novak, Baer, and Tetzl, each month is a blessing. They hope to keep the streak going for 500 months and beyond, passing their love of skiing on to their children and grandchildren.
Key Takeaways
- A group of 3 Utah skiers have skied 342 straight months since the 1980s.
- Their monthly outings started casually but turned into a lifelong tradition.
- Overcoming all conditions, they remain dedicated through sheer passion.
- For them it's about cherishing time together and the experience.
- Their impressive streak has inspired their children to carry on the tradition.
- Their enduring passion sets an example for the ski community.
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