May 16-17, 2009, Earl-Navaho Weekend

Brenda and I, along with our friends Tim and Frank, made our annual ski camp up Stafford Creek at our favorite campfire friendly horse camp. Sat we headed up into Earl Pk's east bowl, with mostly continuous skinning possible from camp at 4400'. Lousy, sticky mush and some wet slide activity discouraged us from climbing the summit or ridges. We ended up turning back at the last patch of larch and traversing over to Navaho Pass before heading back to camp to an open bar. Brutal negotiating the nasty mush, patchy snow and trees below. So many kick turns.

Sunday Tim and Frank had the sense to bail, while Brenda and I, with nothing better to do, went ahead and climbed Navaho. Downhill skiing on the southwest side of Navaho may have been a bit better, but overall the snow was worse than the day before. Snowy patches in the trees had shrunk during the warm overnight, and even more kick turns were required.

Overall pretty sucky snow, but still fun to be out. We've been going to this area for quite a few years now and this is by far the worst snow we've ever encountered. I guess the good news is that there is a lot of snow towards Ingalls.