March 25, 2005, Alpental

I'm gonna call this 'backcountry' rather than 'lift serviced' cuz far as I know they haven't dropped a bomb on Internationale all season long, it may as well be backcountry given its rather impressive snow load and fine 38-ish degree angle. But more on that later.
Started out in the morning not quite dawn patrol. Bottom under Sessel was a brushy adventure. There was about 4 inches of new here, over either dirt or minimal old rotten stuff. While I was climbing some dude in a truck showed up and fired up Debbie's Gold for about 15 minutes but no humans uploaded, I guess Debbie needed some exercise? Above Sessel top station things got a little less brushy/rocky, but the upper part of Lower I was once again a rock garden. Up to here the new snow (more like 8" now) sat upon a sturdy crust. But part way up Upper I this crust intermittently started to disappear. On occasions I stuck a pole in, and it basically would disappear to the handle. This was initially alarming. What was this stuff? Wind transported new that hadn't really slabbed? Heavy powder transitioning gradually into the underlying uncrusted mush? I'm still not sure. Whatever it was it got DEEP. Fortunately it seemed stable; I stomped it a lot on various breakover test slopes and stomping it made it compact into itself and get stabler. I topped out to C2 hut and started down around 10:40. Wow. I really wished I had the fat skis here because the oldskool Hexcels just got too far under. Still fun but a lot of work. Speaking of work ... oh yeah .... I should get to WORK. (Otherwise, might have yoyo'd this). Stayed fun til the rock garden, then sort a fun for 400 feet or so on heavier stuff skiers right Lower I amidst the brush, and thereafter a lot of survival skiing where I was glad I had the Hexcels and not something more expensive.
A lot of travel to get to the good stuff on Upper I but believe me it was pretty good, midwinter good. If we're lucky it won't get rained on this weekend and go all to hell.