Feb 10 Silver Peak basin

Used the traditional Nordic Pass route starting from the Hyak/Summit East parking lot and following the blue diamond marked trail through the forest.  After reaching Nordic Pass skied the forest WNW down to Ollalie meadows and the Jim Brooks warming hut.  About 6-8 inches of fluff over crust in the forest.  Fog was covering all of "Windy Acres", but once we reach the top of the clear cut and crossed the forested ridge entered the basin we were in the sun again.  Hung out in the sun on top of the 5190 knoll.  Slopes in the basin along the ascent route showed wind effects, so part of our group took the direct east option and found many of Silas's tracks from yesterday.  My sub-group skied south off the knob, curved east on moderate slopes  and found boot top soft snow uneffected by wind or even Silas's crew.  One short steep pitch reconneted use with the rest of the group.  Skiing down "Windy Acres" in the fog was a little disorienting.  Our group split up for the return -- with a couple of people skiing out the XC trails via Cold Creek,  one group following the XC trails to "Grand Junction" and my group skinning back up to "Nordic Pass" and skiing the soft snow in the forest before picking of the XC trails under the powerlines and skiing on the Summit East alpine runs back down.  The Nordic Pass options was the slowest by far (or maybe it's just me)