January 6, 2003, Cowen-Ravenna Traverse

Night skiing. Some of us had to work! My headlamp and a blinky bike light for the back of my hood kept me safe on the approach along Naomi and 15th NE. The trails and glades were pretty tracked out, and it was starting to rain by my 8 PM start, but snow cover was still solid even in the trees, and it was uncrowded in the Ravenna BC. I made a nice looping traverse through the picnic area down to 55th, actually linking a few turns on the old Karhu Pinnacles on the slope by the wading pool, then back into the ravine and up onto the south trail. A bit sketchy on the icy upper trail, and some danger of getting hung up in English ivy and ferns, but plenty of holly on the run out to stop you from sliding all the way into the creek. Nice soft wet NW snow and rain now instead of that icky powder. I can ski again.  And who needs that condo in Vail? Instead of the altimeter, I took the garage door opener and skied down the driveway right into the basement garage.