Out of Nothing

It’s been an unseasonably dry winter, which followed up an unseasonably dry monsoon. All it took was one storm. At the end of January we received a little over 3 feet of snow in one long weekend and all of the sudden, a ski season from nothing.

Snow pit, getting a gauge for the snowpack stability. Today was acceptable for us to ski, pretty much one right-side-up storm on bare ground.

Not just from nothing to skiable, but from nothing to good snow, correction great snow! An alpine start with a long skin up got us up to the ridgeline full of untracked lines well before others arrived. With a little snow science and a decision to ski the face we got our reward for all that walking.

One run and we were happy to bask in the glory of a bluebird powder day and a perfect run

And it was good. I mean really, really good. Some of the best snow I have had the pleasure of skiing good.

Top of run number 2 looking across at the cirque, gonna need more snow to be able to ski that side. But hey we went from pretty much nothing to this so maybe we will get in a good storm cycle and get our chance!
Looking across at a windswept Fremont
Crazy sun and ice crystals in the high atmosphere, tiny arch in the center of the photo is a favorite of mine
Run number 3, these shaded north facing aspects held good snow all day!
Sun dog at the bottom of run 3

Three great runs in unbelievable snow and a long walk in one of the most beautiful places in the state. You won’t here any complaints from me.

2 thoughts on “Out of Nothing”

Leave a comment