Hefe, would you say I have a plethora of powder??

**snoslut** · 02-26-2007, 03:38 PM

Don L. with partner on East Peak.

All things comes with consequences, some easier to accept than others. When this much snow falls work productivity has a tendency to you know, slide I guess. Heck one can multi-task only so much. By Wednesday I was worthless, drooling mound only able to communicate and complete tasks by osmosis.

Earlier in the week I had been in contact with Kyle who expressed some interest in touring midweek. However by Thursday a nasty bug took a chunk outta him but it wasn’t enough. After a quick stop for some meds we were on our way again.

Getting untracked 6'' of fresh in the parking lot is always a good way to start the day. By 7:30am the skinning commenced. As I ascended thoughts of how deep the snow would be crossed my mind. Would it be like “that day" or "days” back in late November with Nomad?? Well my powder spoiled arse was gonna have to work to find out. Would we have it all to ourselves?? Nope. Before long Don L. and buddy, whose name I have already forgotten, joined us for the skin up East Peak.

On the skin up the open slopes looked deep and loaded. The skin track traversed through trees, where in some protected areas and aspects revealed a hideous crust underneath just a few inches of powder. Like always branch assisted skinning was common. When the slope opened a bit the penetration was mid-boot to boot deep. A few down tracks already existed but their trace almost erased from the white canvas.

At the top the views were surreal as light tried to force its way out amongst the clouds. I took a lap to sample the goodness while Kyle made his way up. I’m pretty sure the agonizing feeling of battling the sickness on the way up was forgotten on the way down. Blower powder mostly knee deep with thigh deep pockets. I only encountered minor sluffing from the freshly fallen. What a day. The constant cloud cover, breeze and snow kept conditions optimum.

Couldn't tell he was sick here.

Or here.

So Kyle retreated to the comforts of rest and home while I dried and gathered gear for Friday. Fresh tracks in the lots again?? Nope. It was groomed this morning. However the skin track that was set the day before had 6’’ on top when I started. That quickly changed to a foot and in some places the track ceased to exist. The down tracks from yesterday were visible but filling in fast.

How much difference does a foot new make when it’s already bottomless?? Instead of knee to thigh it was thigh to tits. While transitioning after my first run I bumped into my first party of 2 skiers. After their first descent I never saw them again. Just their tracks near mine as I worked my way down the ridge. And that's what kind of day it was. Lap after lap of untracked with no else around. Eventually by days end I met another local who was soloing after his buddies decided to check out South. Some more laps followed before capping it off with an untracked epic powder run from the top to my car.

I found more instability in the weather than the snowpack. All day was a mixture of snow, mild winds, clouds and sun. Repeat this in random order throughout the day. Like the previous day I encountered minor sluffing. Though I have to admit that when I did take a peek behind me all I saw was a wall of white smoke. After it subsided a series of rhythmical arcs emerged. Sometime throughout the day I saw evidence of an uneven fracture about 20 feet wide, foot deep and running 40 or so feet. Elevation was near 5,800ft. It occurred on a westerly aspect, a 35-40 degree-ish rollover but the terrain and fall line dipped southward. My tracks and some skiers appeared to be closet but couldn’t determine if it was triggered by it, solar radiation or both, which I suspect.

Sorry no pics from this day cause I was solo and it was soooo good that stopping was only exercised in those extreme moments.

Stay tuned for more powder cause that was only from Thrusday and Friday.

**Arty50** · 02-26-2007, 04:39 PM

El Guapo, I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education, but could it be that once again, you are angry at something else, and are looking to take it out on me?