December 3, 2011, Mt. Baker-Ptarmigan Ridge

Headed out with Scott K, Scott V, Andrew M and Nick C to Baker today hoping to find some good snow in the north facing terrain off Ptarmigan Ridge on the way out to Coleman Pinnacle. Weather and scenery were great, the snow... not so great. The ridges were wind-scoured in many spots, often down to ice. Even down below the ridges, many bumps and ridge like features were wind-scoured as well. The skiing was marked by very variable conditions -- small pockets of powder punctuated by windslab, breakable crust, hard pack, you name it. The best snow was actually the snow between the parking lot and Artist Point, which is now heavily skied out. Fortunately, the great scenery made up for the lack of great turns.