July 15, 2011, Sunrise MRNP

I spent the day hiking with my spouse and skied on the  Burroughs. We took the low road route from Sunrise lodge, which is plowed/melted out to the point where the road angles up and the usual trail route goes on snow still up to the rim at Frozen Lake. The trail to Fremont looks almost all snow-free. I was aiming for the N-facing bowls off 2nd and 3rd Burroughs, but the slope at 1st actually looks more intact so when we got below it I booted up in somewhat soft snow, but not slushy, under partly sunny skies while Lynn went on toward the Wonderland/Berkeley Park trail junction. Clouds were closing onto me. Skiing the steeper upper slopes is still smooth,  and at 1 PM was pleasantly soft but not deeply slushy. Lower down is deeply runneled and OK in late afternoon as they really softened.
No other skiers around. We went back via Sourdough Ridge trail which is on and off snow, and played on some side slopes skiing (me) and glissading (she), trying the ice axe brake and learning ice axe arrest and ascent techniques for the first time. Chutes along the ridge are still OK on upper slopes. Skied the runnels back to the camper, and had a root beer float at the lodge. Perfect summer day.