Jay Silveira
New member
Lost Trail hasn’t opened yet, although this is due to their typical <BR>logistics problems as opposed to lack of snow. At last report, there were <BR>38 inches at the summit, and 30 inches at the base. Unfortunately, they are <BR>having problems with their well, so the planned opening for this weekend had <BR>to be postponed. Actually though, I was hoping they wouldn’t open so E and <BR>Tyler and I could go up for an easy backcountry day. We tried to take Tyler <BR>up for a ski day a couple weeks ago, but the temperature was only 17 <BR>degrees, which was too cold to have him outside if he wasn’t going to be <BR>active. We also learned that his outdoor clothing setup needed some work, <BR>so E got him a nice snowsuit from REI, which along with his new boots would <BR>create a relatively nice setup for a 10-month old. <BR> <BR>We haven’t really had any huge snowstorms in the past couple of weeks, but a <BR>train of storms from the Pacific have been giving us a few inches each day. <BR>It’s actually been nice to have so much weather, as opposed to the boring <BR>stretches of clear days that seem to happen here more than back in New <BR>England. I checked on the Lost Trail conditions by using the link to the <BR>Saddle Mountain SNOTEL website. Its automated reports come from a station <BR>near the Saddle Mountain expansion area at 7,900’, but they give you an idea <BR>of what is going on at the pass. The SNOTEL’s latest report at 10:00 MST <BR>indicated that there was an inch of new snow, and the temperature was 32.2 <BR>degrees. Although this meant that the snow level was pretty high, we were <BR>psyched because it meant relatively warm temperatures for Tyler. <BR> <BR>It was near 50 degrees and raining in town (3,560’) so I was concerned about <BR>just how wet (or liquid even) the precipitation was going to be up at the <BR>pass (7,000’). Driving up the pass however, we saw snow accumulating on the <BR>trees at around 6,500’, and at that point the rain quickly changed over to <BR>snow. This was great news, since it meant that although the snow at the ski <BR>area wouldn’t be too light, at least it wasn’t being ruined by any rain. <BR>The temperature at the base was a few degrees above freezing, but it was <BR>snowing heavily and looked very wintry. <BR> <BR>There were a number of other people at the base area enjoying the skiing, <BR>and we could hear some excited whoops and hollers from the slopes above that <BR>were hidden in the falling snow. We let Tyler hang out in the warm car <BR>while we prepped the skis and other equipment, and then we got him suited up <BR>and put in the carrier. We had tested his new outerwear setup at home, so <BR>getting the last of his clothes on went smoothly. I got the job of carrying <BR>Tyler in his child carrier, which meant that I’d have an extra 30 pounds or <BR>so on my back, but that meant E got the job of breaking trail. The lower <BR>slopes near the base area were well packed either due to grooming or skiers, <BR>so the skinning was easy. Some riders had set up a jump, which provided <BR>added amusement. After the first hundred vertical or so, we got to the top <BR>of the first shelf and into the powder. We had a bit of a debate about our <BR>route, but eventually decided to head straight up South Face. Even though <BR>we’d have to skin up the steep center portion, which was around 30 degrees, <BR>the plan was to ease it out with some switchbacks. E followed a previous <BR>skier’s downhill tracks until she got to the steep section and had to begin <BR>making the longer switchbacks in deeper snow. I had a relatively easy ride <BR>behind her, and was feeling great despite the extra weight. Tyler would <BR>yell at me whenever I stopped, so it was good motivation to keep moving. I <BR>even took over at breaking trail for a bit so E could see how easy the <BR>skinning was in pre-made tracks. Generally there were 6-12 inches of powder <BR>to break through, and since it had settled, it was much easier work than <BR>trudging through the 2 feet of unsettled fluff I’d encountered on Veteran’s <BR>Day. <BR> <BR>After a few tribulations in the switchbacks, we gained the top, about 800 <BR>feet of vertical. Tyler had fallen asleep as we neared the top, and his <BR>head was now hanging out the side of his carrier like a rag doll’s. He <BR>continued to sleep while we switched from skin mode to ski mode, oblivious <BR>to everything that was going on. During the 10 minutes or so that we were <BR>at the top, two young snowboarders got two runs down South Face; the <BR>advantage of getting hauled up by snowmobile. Of course there were plenty <BR>of fresh tracks to go around, so we didn’t mind. Heck, I wouldn’t say no to <BR>some snowmobile-served runs, although I was happy I’d got my workout in for <BR>the day by doing the hike. <BR> <BR>Once we got going, the skiing was really sweet. Although it certainly <BR>wasn’t face shot snow, it was nice powder and definitely worth the hike. I <BR>skied the first pitch, which was an intermediate slope, but I didn’t want to <BR>risk skiing hard on the 30-degree section with Tyler, so I traversed <BR>cautiously on that pitch. Tyler woke up as soon as I started to ski, and I <BR>could hear him making some excited noises as the wind blew in his face. <BR>This was the first time I’d made real turns with Tyler on my back, and it <BR>took a bit of getting used to the difference in balance. I wasn’t really <BR>worried about a fall in the soft powder, but I still took it easy. <BR>Eventually it was just a matter of skiing normally, but being conscious of <BR>my cargo and not getting in the back seat. E had some great turns as well, <BR>and we each alternated getting video and still shots of the run. The snow <BR>had stopped during our hike, and the clouds had settled down into the pass, <BR>so we actually had great visibility during our run. For the last hundred <BR>vertical or so, the snow got a bit funky, probably due to a slight increase <BR>in temperature, but none if it was the kind of gunk that was difficult to <BR>ski. <BR> <BR>Some riders had set up a rail at the base and they were grinding on it. <BR>Later, in the parking lot, we saw that this rail setup (about 15 feet long <BR>or so) was actually carried on the top of their car. I just thought that <BR>was really cool; what dedication. Overall, E and I were very happy with the <BR>result of Tyler’s first powder skiing outing. There are a lot of logistics <BR>to work out with this sort of thing, and we were surprised that everything <BR>went so smoothly. I guess it made up for last time when we came up to the <BR>pass and didn’t even get to ski. <BR> <BR>The rest of the day we enjoyed watching the Weather Channel’s coverage of <BR>the big storm back east. The reports we’ve been seeing from skiers are <BR>great, although it still cracks me up that people are blown away by two feet <BR>of light snow in Vermont. After growing up and living in Vermont most of my <BR>life, I’ve found that most seasons, storms of 1-2 feet will happen several <BR>or more times a year; you just have to be there. This is more than many <BR>places out west ever see. So, actually what many folks think of as a <BR>“western-type powder day”, is actually a Vermont (or other places in the <BR>northeast)-type powder day, it just turns out that sometimes they get them <BR>out west too. 
<BR> <BR>To see the pictures that go with this report, go to: <BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.JandEproductions.com/2003/06DEC03.html" TARGET="_top">http://www.JandEproductions.com/2003/06DEC03.html</A> <BR> <BR>J.Spin
<BR> <BR>To see the pictures that go with this report, go to: <BR> <BR><A HREF="http://www.JandEproductions.com/2003/06DEC03.html" TARGET="_top">http://www.JandEproductions.com/2003/06DEC03.html</A> <BR> <BR>J.Spin
"> <BR> <BR>I'm sure that this was his first of a huge number of powder days <IMG SRC="http://www.firsttracksonline.com/discus2/clipart/happy.gif" ALT="