Pebble Creek, Inkom, ID 4/15/11

I wondered how the skiing would be at a place nicknamed "The Rock." Then like one of those running in place dreams, where you can€™t run away from the boogieman, I was cut off by farm machinery moving at a slugs pace. Three miles to go and no way around, this is the first time I've ever followed a combine tractor up to a ski area. I gave a wave to a couple trucks that passed downhill, maybe I can use their skin track I thought?



While I assembled my gear, another truck pulled up and out popped a black lab with a light gray beard and a local named Paul. Paul introduced me to his lab Opal, but Opal was more interested in what was in the ditch than making a new friend. Maybe if I had food I would gain more favor?
After some discussion I told Paul my plans to go up the lookers left side of the resort by means of a run called Green Canyon and take a peak on the other side of the ridge. Paul elaborated on my intentions, throwing in a couple side options with local named runs that I knew I would never remember unless I wrote them down.



I€™m off at 2:25, altimeter reading 6600 as Opal looked back briefly and decided it was best to keep to her job of inspecting the mud. Even though the ski areas had been closed for a couple weeks, the snow was quite smooth. Advancing slowly, with very little ski penetration and surprisingly good glide, the mostly gray skies, gave way to brief periods of blue. But out in the West an incoming storm threatening the broad reach of the Inkom valley floor.

The hike was pretty uneventful on a high post with barely a switchback and warm, but as I gasped for air when the elevation got out of my local comfort zone, stops became more frequent. Fortunately the gusty winds on the upper mountain pulled the perspiration from my light sweater so I did not have to dress down.




2200vtft later I reached the saddle of the ridge that divided Pebble Creek ski area and the uncontrolled backside. The backside is approx 1500vtft of low angle terrain that is so wide even the worst of skiers all scattered about could not possibly cross a track. I hike up the ridge, further south to a point called Skyline Peak at about 9100ft which put me at 2500ft above the starting point. Further south from this point the games go to another level, with peaks and chutes. Some on the conventional level and others scattered with rocks and boulders, where the vertical egress would be more like working an interactive Pachinko game. So much challenging terrain that I wondered if the Sky€™s or the Hummel€™s would maybe, even drag an ass back.



The Alti/Watch reads 5:00 and altitude pegging over 9100vtft, so much for lollygagging, time to get back to the truck. As tempting as it looked to ski the tree line down to the upper lift shack, I thought...maybe better to go back the way I came up. I skied the low angle slopes on the backside until it was possible to traverse laterally with a couple sidesteps back to the saddle and over. Back on the resort side, I skied some old regurgitated, wind transport, soft snow in the trees that seemed protected by the howling wind. Working my way back to Green Canyon's smooth sun brushed naturally groomed run and back in the trees, just to mix it up and make it feel like a longer run. I finished up on the steeper side-angle lower hill, where the previous skiers left premium signature turns to the car. At Pebble Creek we all sign the same way.



The locals here are the best. Paul left me a cold micro beer under my drivers€™ side windshield wiper. Even though I don€™t drink, I will pass the liquid karma forward. I think Opal has a real good master!