When storms arrive on scheduled work days, you go dawn patrolling. Back-to-back mornings of waking up in the pitch black, testing the studded snow tires, breaking trail, climbing mountains, skiing powder and filling the soul with goodness. Then, when the 10 hour work day arrives, you feel good. It's all about passion really.
On Tuesday morning Elaine and I were joined by our co-worker Danielle and her roommate. It was an epic drive up there, testing the new studded snow tires to the hilt. I was white knucked, not because I was worried about crashing, but because I knew getting stuck on the hill would ruin the morning. Made it, just barely, with Elaine doing a running push over the very last hump. Those tires rock!
The skinning was epic too – two feet of fresh snow. Sometimes I almost feel like the ski patrol at this local area since we always seem to be breaking trail!
White snows on trees, fresh champagne powder.
Danielle breaking out into the upper meadow. She had some issues with her skins but kept positive and made it a great morning.
Elaine crossing the skin track, arms raised for compression and joy.
Yeah, it was that good.
Wednesday morning it was back up at 5 am just the two of us. I really enjoy starting the day off with a quiet, meditative, headlamp driven skin in the dark. You're in your own little world, and it feel wild and primordial.
There is always a pride when the skin track you laid the day before becomes the popular travel route for the entire day. Lots of people came up after us on Tuesday and used the same track. Here's Elaine re-putting it in Wednesday.
Frosty!
Smiling winter blur.
This what we dream about all summer long and why we sacrifice sleeping in.
Tested out some alternate lines and found the coverage to be great.
Celebrating the storm.
We had a very slow start to the year, but December has been excellent. If you'll notice, the last year we had such a steep spike in December was the epic winter of 2010-11. Here's hoping the pattern repeats itself!
Alta Backcountry 