The meat and the hunt itself is the real point right? So sounds like success to me.
You ever dabble in XC Camp? Doesn’t provide the speed & thrill factor but maybe it would build up the leg & back enough where DH would be an option again. I don’t do it much myself but I think if I had more consistent snow on the ground where I am I could really get into it.
"You want your skis? Go get 'em!" -W. Miller