March 6, 2010, Little Cottonwood Environs

After yesterday's 2.5 hour drive up Little Cottonwood, we learned our lesson and woke up early. Leaving from the Alta lot, we started climbing up Toledo Bowl by 8am. Our first run was down the upper part of Toledo Bowl for about 500' of knee deep blower, after which we skinned back to the top of Toledo and dropped the 'Holy Toledo' slope off the backside for another ~1200' of perfect snow. After that we climbed and descended the small ridge between Toledo and Superior. We saw a solo guy climb and ski Cardiac bowl and made the call to follow his track, which turned out to be a very good choice (another 1400'(???)). After that we headed up the back side of superior for another 1400' (I quit about 500' from the top of the climb). At this point, the snow was starting to get a little slabby in spots, so we climbed back to the ridge top and descended the final 1600' to the car.

Overall, 6k' of stable knee deep powder. In a few places there were small slabs that people set off, but these were in obvious areas and nothing propagated. I was seriously hurting after 9 straight days of skiing, and it'll be wonderful to be skiing below 11k', but I'll miss the snow.