June 28 - Source Lake

The missus dropped me off at the upper parking lot at 5 tonight, then she headed over the pass to pick up our younguns in Ellensberg.  The plan was to pick me up at 8PM.  I was able to ski all the way to Source Lake.  There are a couple of stream crossings that are getting thin, but no problem today with skis.  A nice workout, WARM breezes blowing down off the ridges, and beautiful sunset accents on the rocks above.

I followed a climber's boot pack up a narrow avalanche chute, but didn't quite make it to the Pineapple basin.  The snow was soft tonight, bumpy but turnable.  I took a couple of skid/crashes when I edged across branches and wood avalanche debris, but had a great time.  At one point, on a 40 degree slope, I was shouting at my dog..."I can ski! I can ski!", and laughing maniacally.  She wasn't particularly impressed.  Huh, dumb dog, what does she know about skiing, anyway? (She doesn't need to know anything, she beats me up AND down, most times.)

I did 2 laps on the south slopes above the lake, then headed down the trail, thinking it might take a while to work my way back to the parking lot.  15 minutes later, I was taking off my skis at the lot.  So, for once, I was early getting out of the woods.  Guess who was late?  I had a nice hour and a half nap, before the TAY Van Pool showed up.

The ski out was some of the best duff I've ever skied.  You almost don't need skins to go up.  I wish I had kept doing laps for another hour, but then it would have been back to normal, - me late, her mad AND scared, and a long quiet car ride back to summer.  I guess it's better this way. 

Really a great night to be out in the hills.  Still lots of bumpy, duffy snow out there for skiing!  I'd be up for a midweek evening up there again, if anybody wants to car pool this week.

Rusty Knees