November 28, 2004, Stevens Pass Ski Area

The walk up was very noisy, but the way down provided only whispers!

Not often can one go out for a tour on a VERY thin (We're talking 6 inches here, max!) crunchy base and find 9" of the fluff, but that's just what Lara P., PRG, Chuck R. and myself discovered on Sunday. I stuck to my guns, due to the extensive travel time to get anywhere else, and said, "All Aboard" for Stevens. Arrived to just 2 other cars in the lodge lot, and proceeded up Cowboy Mtn. At the bottom of the 7th Heaven chair, found a nice skin track to the top of the Bobby and Nancy chute. 20 mins. later, I heard Lara let out a big "YEEHAW"! Now, you got to understand, this ain't no country girl, so I knew the goods were good. We'd followed a couple of strong tourers from Marysville, Jeff and John, up the route, and arrived to see their poofy contrails settling back to earth. Skins off, and Lara was rippin'. Albeit just 350 feet of vert, it was at a very nice angle for powder skiing, so the other 3 of us followed, making swooshy, whispery tracks between the blueberry bushes! A quick bootpack up to survey the delightful damage we'd done, then Chuck and Lara made 1 last 200' drop. Back to the summit ridge, and it was down Rock Garden and the rest of the shaded pow to the lodge. Notwithstanding the 3" gash to the bases showing my skis white underwear underneath the Ptex, it was an epic day by damn near any standards! I'm still carrying the memories, sustaining me thorough the normal life shit I returned to. (My kitchen's been ripped out of my house for 7 weeks!) Those who also had a great day, cheers! Those who missed, SORRY!! See you next time...