Day 34: Brrrrr redux
Rich and I headed up to Alta this morning accompanied by my colleague Leslie, who decided to try skiing for the first time today. She couldn't have picked a colder day, but at least the wind was non-existent and the sun was shining strongly.
It was just after 10 by the time we got her a first-timer lesson, rentals, and grabbed a quick breakfast. We dumped her on her instructor and headed down to Collins.
Rich wanted a warm-up, so it was down Devil's Elbow and Roller Coaster. Firm and fast grooming, but still eminently edgeable.
Riding back up Sugarloaf we noticed that the East Baldy bootpack was opened. We didn't expect to find much untracked today, so we joined the masses heading up for some fresh lines, no matter how short. Alas, I got stuck in a 20-person conga line behind a front man who was hopelessly slow. Rich managed to strike out ahead of that group, so he was already back down on the Germ Return cat track as I was still ascending.
So, by the time I got there I had to head all the way out to find an untracked line, and was thereby forced to ski wind slab that really wasn't what I was counting on, anyway. All that work for 10 turns of windslab? Oh well. :roll:
We were going to go to Backside from there, but that's when I noticed that Patrol had opened the Devil's Castle gate, leading to an instant change of plans. We headed down through the bumps of Razorback and down through tracked-yet-fluffy Cabin Hill to reach the gate via Sugarloaf.
This run was a score. We headed out about 1/3 of the way before dropping into untracked in one of the prominent gullies without any crusting beneath, then traversing right to enter the trees just north of the Elbow. There we found acres and acres of completely untracked boot-top powder on a perfectly smooth base. It was a find that we didn't expect to come across today!
We went all the way back down to Albion to catch the tail end of Leslie's lesson and have lunch. By then The Wife and The Kid had arrived, and we convinced Leslie to buy an Albion chairs ticket. We all headed up Sunnyside to observe her new-found skills.
The Wife and The Kid both decided after four runs that it was too cold to stick around, and they headed home. Rich and I brought Leslie up to Cecret, where a couple of runs finished off the day.
I think she's hooked. She was laughing and smiling the whole day, but I'll be surprised if she's able to walk at work tomorrow. It's a pleasure witnessing a new convert to the joys of skiing!
I forgot my Suunto watch today, so I have no data to share, although it was an admittedly low-vert day. I also forgot the card to my camera, so although The Wife brought it up at lunchtime and I managed to snap photos during the lazy afternoon green cruisers, I have no pictures to share of our wonderful snow in Devil's Castle.
Rich and I headed up to Alta this morning accompanied by my colleague Leslie, who decided to try skiing for the first time today. She couldn't have picked a colder day, but at least the wind was non-existent and the sun was shining strongly.
It was just after 10 by the time we got her a first-timer lesson, rentals, and grabbed a quick breakfast. We dumped her on her instructor and headed down to Collins.
Rich wanted a warm-up, so it was down Devil's Elbow and Roller Coaster. Firm and fast grooming, but still eminently edgeable.
Riding back up Sugarloaf we noticed that the East Baldy bootpack was opened. We didn't expect to find much untracked today, so we joined the masses heading up for some fresh lines, no matter how short. Alas, I got stuck in a 20-person conga line behind a front man who was hopelessly slow. Rich managed to strike out ahead of that group, so he was already back down on the Germ Return cat track as I was still ascending.
So, by the time I got there I had to head all the way out to find an untracked line, and was thereby forced to ski wind slab that really wasn't what I was counting on, anyway. All that work for 10 turns of windslab? Oh well. :roll:
We were going to go to Backside from there, but that's when I noticed that Patrol had opened the Devil's Castle gate, leading to an instant change of plans. We headed down through the bumps of Razorback and down through tracked-yet-fluffy Cabin Hill to reach the gate via Sugarloaf.
This run was a score. We headed out about 1/3 of the way before dropping into untracked in one of the prominent gullies without any crusting beneath, then traversing right to enter the trees just north of the Elbow. There we found acres and acres of completely untracked boot-top powder on a perfectly smooth base. It was a find that we didn't expect to come across today!
We went all the way back down to Albion to catch the tail end of Leslie's lesson and have lunch. By then The Wife and The Kid had arrived, and we convinced Leslie to buy an Albion chairs ticket. We all headed up Sunnyside to observe her new-found skills.
The Wife and The Kid both decided after four runs that it was too cold to stick around, and they headed home. Rich and I brought Leslie up to Cecret, where a couple of runs finished off the day.
I think she's hooked. She was laughing and smiling the whole day, but I'll be surprised if she's able to walk at work tomorrow. It's a pleasure witnessing a new convert to the joys of skiing!
I forgot my Suunto watch today, so I have no data to share, although it was an admittedly low-vert day. I also forgot the card to my camera, so although The Wife brought it up at lunchtime and I managed to snap photos during the lazy afternoon green cruisers, I have no pictures to share of our wonderful snow in Devil's Castle.
