To The Top

 

“to the stars, to the valley down below”

My first backcountry ski song. I went to Ruedi Berlinger’s Selkirk Mountain Experience in British Columbia, Canada in 2001. We rose in the dark and climbed all morning, sometimes 4 or 5 hours before de-skinning and skiing down. As it says on Ruedi’s brochure “We ski from the top.” He means the very top, even if you can’t see your glove in front of your face. There is a whole lot of time to let rhythms and words float into your brain when you are marching along slowly uphill for that long. I’ve found this song to be a great climbing companion.

 

Barry Oreck – vocal, guitar

Adam Armstrong – bass

Bob Harris – guitar, percussion

Kevin Garcia — percussion

Rima Fand — harmony vocal

  • To The Top by Barry Oreck

    Wakin’ in the dark. getting ready for the start
    Of a day in the mountains of my dreams
    A couple of cups of brew, feelin’ almost like new
    Going high, wandering far, to extremes

     In this world of ice and snow not a tree or flower grows
    Skinnin’ up, point up down, let em go
    Allalin and Durrand, following close behind the man
    Where it ends only God, and Ruedi knows

    CHORUS

    Going up to the top, climbing straight we never stop
    Going up to the top of the world
    Glaciers and seraks
    Skiing nothing but fresh tracks
    To the stars, to the valley down below 

    Wandering across this vast expanse,
    We’re a strong and merry band
    Going places that we’d never think to go
    Breakin trail by the mile with a grin and a smile
    Now I’m here, now I’m gone, watch me fly
    Some people find their promised land in the ocean and the sand
    But we have another goal in our minds
    If you climb above the crowd, trust your legs won’t let you down
    You’ll be leavin’ all your troubles far behind.

    (Chorus)

    Ramblin’ on the glacier called Durrand
    Skiing in the spaces where the sky meets the land. 

    Tele’ers drop down to their knees with the greatest grace and ease
    Except when we’re digging our faces out of the snow,
    We got back safe And we’re all here
    Great friends, great food and plenty of beer,
    And we can start planning to do it all over again next year 

    The snow leaves no traces today
    Just the smiles on our faces
    Will give us away.

    (Chorus)

download the tracks at bandcamp