Day 33: A morning in-bounds and an afternoon of touring.
We started our day in-bounds at Alta. We had every intention of touring today but it was just too damned cold (mid-single digits) to head right to Dry Fork first thing. That was good in a way, for it afforded the opportunity to hook up with Arnie, Kay and rdwore for some runs in the morning. Despite the cold surfaces stayed fluffy with this week's snowfall. It was a wonderful morning in the Wasatch.
Our view from lunch.
So we opted for an early pizza lunch in the saloon at Goldminer's before setting out into Dry Fork. Alta Dry Fork is the drainage immediately behind the top of the Supreme lift that drops into American Fork Canyon. It's one drainage east of Mineral Basin at Snowbird, and astute forum users may recall that AmyZ and I hiked up there with Jake on July 5, 2014. I've long stared at that basin in winter, but never before have I skied it.
I actually shot this panorama of Dry Fork yesterday, but it didn't look appreciably different today.
We set off across the boundary rope at around 1:10 p.m. or so.
(L to R) AmyZ, Bobby Danger and Admin (photo: Kay)
Heading out from Supreme.
My intention was to head out past the patrol shack atop Supreme, but the snowmobilers had absolutely trashed that line, so I donned skins and we ascended to the top of Point Supreme proper, behind the Catherine's Area traverse. There, between the lines of people who skied it yesterday, we found ample untracked snow.
Bobby Danger
Bobby Danger
Upper Dry Fork
Lower down, tracks became more dispersed and infrequent, offering up acre upon acre of untracked powder.
Bobby Danger
AmyZ
Middle Dry Fork.
After 700 vertical feet it was time to once again don skins and turn around. Below that point there's a distinct terrain trap, a cliff-ringed bowl with significantly enhanced slide potential. We took our time to relax for a while in such beautiful surroundings before leaving to head back uphill.
Now that Stein Eriksen has unfortunately left this world, either Deer Valley or Bogner can find a new fashion model in one Mr. Robert Dangerous.
Getting ready to head back up.
Nice line.
Any caption that I could place on this photo would be a disservice to the beauty of this place.
Bobby Danger and AmyZ.
Bobby Danger ascends the skin track...in alpine boots and Alpine Trekkers.
Critter tracks.
On the skin track.
AmyZ
We made it back to the ski area boundary atop Catherine's Area by 4 p.m., a full hour after that part of Alta had closed for the day. We therefore didn't see another soul until we made it down to Alf's. Honestly, I think that Dry Fork is one of the prettiest drainages that I've seen in the Wasatch -- both summer and (now) winter.
We started our day in-bounds at Alta. We had every intention of touring today but it was just too damned cold (mid-single digits) to head right to Dry Fork first thing. That was good in a way, for it afforded the opportunity to hook up with Arnie, Kay and rdwore for some runs in the morning. Despite the cold surfaces stayed fluffy with this week's snowfall. It was a wonderful morning in the Wasatch.
Our view from lunch.
So we opted for an early pizza lunch in the saloon at Goldminer's before setting out into Dry Fork. Alta Dry Fork is the drainage immediately behind the top of the Supreme lift that drops into American Fork Canyon. It's one drainage east of Mineral Basin at Snowbird, and astute forum users may recall that AmyZ and I hiked up there with Jake on July 5, 2014. I've long stared at that basin in winter, but never before have I skied it.
I actually shot this panorama of Dry Fork yesterday, but it didn't look appreciably different today.
We set off across the boundary rope at around 1:10 p.m. or so.
(L to R) AmyZ, Bobby Danger and Admin (photo: Kay)
Heading out from Supreme.
My intention was to head out past the patrol shack atop Supreme, but the snowmobilers had absolutely trashed that line, so I donned skins and we ascended to the top of Point Supreme proper, behind the Catherine's Area traverse. There, between the lines of people who skied it yesterday, we found ample untracked snow.
Bobby Danger
Bobby Danger
Upper Dry Fork
Lower down, tracks became more dispersed and infrequent, offering up acre upon acre of untracked powder.
Bobby Danger
AmyZ
Middle Dry Fork.
After 700 vertical feet it was time to once again don skins and turn around. Below that point there's a distinct terrain trap, a cliff-ringed bowl with significantly enhanced slide potential. We took our time to relax for a while in such beautiful surroundings before leaving to head back uphill.
Now that Stein Eriksen has unfortunately left this world, either Deer Valley or Bogner can find a new fashion model in one Mr. Robert Dangerous.
Getting ready to head back up.
Nice line.
Any caption that I could place on this photo would be a disservice to the beauty of this place.
Bobby Danger and AmyZ.
Bobby Danger ascends the skin track...in alpine boots and Alpine Trekkers.
Critter tracks.
On the skin track.
AmyZ
We made it back to the ski area boundary atop Catherine's Area by 4 p.m., a full hour after that part of Alta had closed for the day. We therefore didn't see another soul until we made it down to Alf's. Honestly, I think that Dry Fork is one of the prettiest drainages that I've seen in the Wasatch -- both summer and (now) winter.
