May 15, 2009, Alpy
5/15/09
1496
3
Today is supposed to be Bike To Work Day. But I decided to re-imagine it as Burn Carbon, Go Skiing, Blow Off Work in the Morning Day instead.
With temps 20/30 degrees warmer than last few days and wet/new snow laden slope, was easy for me to resist the lure of the Phantom today, and go up the resort slopes instead.
Started skinning 8:20 or so. Sun had just hit the lower slopes. Surface had frozen hard when in shade but sun made short work of that. Followed existing track up 1, 2, Rollen. Rocks on Rollen just starting to peek out. Lots of clinkage lookers left Edelweiss. As reported earlier lots of clinkage too on Lower I, and starting about 300' down upper I. Backcountry bowls were actually looking pretty nice/smooth once below the hi-traverse slope (clinker slides above that), not too badly runneled by the rain.
Rather than go that way I went down Rollen/Gunmount. From top to maybe 4700 was supportive raincrust where surface was nicely soft @ 10:30am. Lapped that once then descended to the extensive Mushopotamia below (via Dom and Sessel). Slow, sticky, slidy but still fun in that perverse sort of way. On way down observed many people skinning or snowshoeing the resort with later starts than mine. Alpy Plaza mysteriously features speakers playing their Modern Mix Muzak to an audience of no one.
With temps 20/30 degrees warmer than last few days and wet/new snow laden slope, was easy for me to resist the lure of the Phantom today, and go up the resort slopes instead.
Started skinning 8:20 or so. Sun had just hit the lower slopes. Surface had frozen hard when in shade but sun made short work of that. Followed existing track up 1, 2, Rollen. Rocks on Rollen just starting to peek out. Lots of clinkage lookers left Edelweiss. As reported earlier lots of clinkage too on Lower I, and starting about 300' down upper I. Backcountry bowls were actually looking pretty nice/smooth once below the hi-traverse slope (clinker slides above that), not too badly runneled by the rain.
Rather than go that way I went down Rollen/Gunmount. From top to maybe 4700 was supportive raincrust where surface was nicely soft @ 10:30am. Lapped that once then descended to the extensive Mushopotamia below (via Dom and Sessel). Slow, sticky, slidy but still fun in that perverse sort of way. On way down observed many people skinning or snowshoeing the resort with later starts than mine. Alpy Plaza mysteriously features speakers playing their Modern Mix Muzak to an audience of no one.
Amusing post. ;D As they say, it doesn't need to be fun to be fun.
I took a run up at the pass this morning too. I skied down around 8:30 and things were already starting to soften up a bit. Also, I stopped by Road 55 that runs along behind Humpback and it was blocked off with a sign saying they were repairing heavy damage. I don't remember too much damage a month or so ago when I skied up the road other than the odd burned out car one finds in the middle of the road. Something must have happened to take it out since then. So no access to the terrain there unless you want walk or take a bike. I got a few miles of entertainment of screaming "I can't drive 55!" like Sammy Hagar.
Fun report, Wolfs, as always. Did you bring the pink sweatered, four legged ski companion with you?
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