takeahike46er
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2020
Sometimes the best days aren’t the deepest days, but the ones where fresh tracks are easiest to come by.
Waiting for the Peak Express to start turning for the day.
A series of storms delivered light accumulations all week. It wasn’t enough snow to bring out the powder junkies, but it all added up to boot to knee deep snow on wind loaded slopes, and I had no problem finding untracked lines all day Thursday and Friday.
The lower peak chair zone was fruitful both days. Crowds were avoiding the peak chair due to poor visibility on the summit, but the reward was some surprisingly deep snow on Surprise and Shale Slope where the visibility was less of an issue.
Chris' Drop on the lower peak zone
Much of the peak terrain requires riding both the Red and Peak Express in order to lap, and these zones tend to hold powder stashes longer. After a few quick laps on the Peak Express, I pushed further afield where I found boot deep snow on Doom & Gloom and the Christmas Trees. I also scored first tracks on Monday’s where I triggered a small point release avalanche.
The Christmas Trees often hold great snow.
Doom & Gloom in the center—neglected by the masses on spring break.
I tend to avoid the Symphony and Harmony chairs due to their popularity, but not having skied them in a while—and seeing the lines were negligible—I decided to pay them a visit on Friday. On my way out to Symphony, I had some decent turns in Hidden Chute, though there was a bit of a sun crust underneath. I finished the run with Rumble In the Trunks, a short but wide glade with lots of fresh lines.
Hidden Chute
The clouds cleared while riding the Symphony chair, and I saw a lone skier descending an untouched Flute Shoulder. Determined to get in on the action, I booked up the boot pack to the summit of Flute. Unfortunately, the clouds rolled back in while hiking, and I now had a decision to make: wait for the visibility to improve, or drop in lower on the ridge where there were substantially more tracks but improved visibility.
I chose to wait it out—and so did at least a dozen others who had made the hike. After fifteen minutes or so of waiting, the visibility improved enough to make out some trees on the opposing side of the bowl, and I decided to go for it. Before I knew it, everyone else was dropping in behind me. I charged down Flute Shoulder, curving right into Pig’s Fancy—knee deep untracked snow the entire way. It wasn’t the deepest or the fluffiest snow of the season, but when good turns come this easy, it’s hard not to smile.
Ratfink may have been tracked out, but the glades below still had lots of untouched snow.
Waiting for the Peak Express to start turning for the day.
A series of storms delivered light accumulations all week. It wasn’t enough snow to bring out the powder junkies, but it all added up to boot to knee deep snow on wind loaded slopes, and I had no problem finding untracked lines all day Thursday and Friday.
The lower peak chair zone was fruitful both days. Crowds were avoiding the peak chair due to poor visibility on the summit, but the reward was some surprisingly deep snow on Surprise and Shale Slope where the visibility was less of an issue.
Chris' Drop on the lower peak zone
Much of the peak terrain requires riding both the Red and Peak Express in order to lap, and these zones tend to hold powder stashes longer. After a few quick laps on the Peak Express, I pushed further afield where I found boot deep snow on Doom & Gloom and the Christmas Trees. I also scored first tracks on Monday’s where I triggered a small point release avalanche.
The Christmas Trees often hold great snow.
Doom & Gloom in the center—neglected by the masses on spring break.
I tend to avoid the Symphony and Harmony chairs due to their popularity, but not having skied them in a while—and seeing the lines were negligible—I decided to pay them a visit on Friday. On my way out to Symphony, I had some decent turns in Hidden Chute, though there was a bit of a sun crust underneath. I finished the run with Rumble In the Trunks, a short but wide glade with lots of fresh lines.
Hidden Chute
The clouds cleared while riding the Symphony chair, and I saw a lone skier descending an untouched Flute Shoulder. Determined to get in on the action, I booked up the boot pack to the summit of Flute. Unfortunately, the clouds rolled back in while hiking, and I now had a decision to make: wait for the visibility to improve, or drop in lower on the ridge where there were substantially more tracks but improved visibility.
I chose to wait it out—and so did at least a dozen others who had made the hike. After fifteen minutes or so of waiting, the visibility improved enough to make out some trees on the opposing side of the bowl, and I decided to go for it. Before I knew it, everyone else was dropping in behind me. I charged down Flute Shoulder, curving right into Pig’s Fancy—knee deep untracked snow the entire way. It wasn’t the deepest or the fluffiest snow of the season, but when good turns come this easy, it’s hard not to smile.
Ratfink may have been tracked out, but the glades below still had lots of untouched snow.
