Paradise this Saturday (suggestions?)

As the forecast is calling for sun and there is fresh snow, I'm planning on taking my wife AT skiing for the first time. I've skinned and skied up to Muir several times myself, but my wife has always been an alpine lift skier. She has done quite a bunch of nordic skiing as well. Would you suggest I take her up the Skyline trail? Or more to the east, perhaps up and right from the lodge. I've never really been skiing up there in the winter. I think I want to keep her in the treeline but am open to suggestions.

How does your wife handle bad snow conditions? Fresh doesnt mean good...

In any case Mazama ridge was my first backcountry ski destination.

How does your wife handle bad snow conditions?  Fresh doesnt mean good...

In any case Mazama ridge was my first backcountry ski destination.

Pretty strong alpine experience. Can kick turn if needed

Mazama Ridge is a good idea; takes a little while to get to. Note that skinning will be new to your spouse even if she can blast it downhill.  Not too crowded since it's away from the parking lot.
A short option is to explore around the various aspects of Alta Vista, the partly treed knoll E of the Skyline trail right above the snowplay area, and take runs off that in multiple directions.  Then you could go up onto the slopes above Edith Creek basin (that's your "up and right from the lodge"), check out the Nisqually from Glacier Vista, or climb to Pan Point. 

Yep, if staying low, Mazama.  I'd take a look at the 'back bowl'.  Couple of entry points..  If it's powdery, then great. If it's manky it'll get 'skied-out'/cut up before anything else - that can be a good thing.  Can exit front side,  or with a tad more effort, drop into Edith, where if the day is still young and the snow better than expected, a lap at Alta Vista is easy to come by, with exit straight to the lodge.  The close-in Paradise trifecta.

Thanks for the information guys. I'll let you know how it goes. Caught the alpenglow and sunset tonight and it was beautiful. Soooooo much new snow!

No tracks Friday evening, February 1st...

Thanks for help guys. The soft snow was buried under unbreakable crust but it skied well with an inch or two of butter on top. Going again today. Went up towards Mazama and then up and left out of the basin and above Alta Vista. May continue that route today but attain Skyline trail and get over to Pebble Creek.