Maybe I just woke up too late but I didnt observe any of the dreaded R-word, specially when I got to the mountain. It snowed off and on from noon till 3 or so. Powder was here, there, and everywhere, much of it untouched and ripe for the plucking. I did some exploring.. found great new woods shots sometimes, and thrashed around in spruce traps others. Bushwhacking above the hardwoods is rough right now. <BR> <BR>Highlights of the day: <BR>+ Finally finding a way to and down a big icefall/cliff band above the runout below my favorite chute.. which I've dubbed the Tentacle. If you know how to get to Duffy's Drop you're getting warm. <BR>+ Sticking the landing on the big icefall in the Octopus Garden. Haven't done that since high school. <BR>+ Finding new shots that will make it hard to justify dropping into the too well known NF. I think this shot may be called Lost Nation.. as I've heard NF called that before. It gets little traffic to begin with (maybe 1/3 that of NF) and splits halfway down so I think it will remain a solid standby on powder poor days <BR>+ Finding a much more pleasant way around Nick's Nemesis. <BR>+ Bird Turd Chute ... all mine and untracked for the second time in two weeks. You'd think something that's right under everyone's nose would see a lot of traffic. Guess they all went down the Ice Palace instead.. their loss, my gain. <BR>+ First tracks beyond the 20th, at the end of the day no less! <BR> <BR>Lowlights: <BR>- The end finally came to one of my Leki poles, which have survived longer than any pair I have ever owned (even longer than the composites, they always just bent right back). I cracked the grip in half yesterday, duct taped it, and today I planted it behind a log on OG and finished it off. Got a $2 replacement in the rental shop.. now my mismatchedness is nearing completion. I just have to find some stylie mismatched gloves. <BR>- Not enough hours in the day! Too much powder left untracked...