October 19, 2014, South of Table Mountain

Knowing that I did not have the available time to work overtime for October turns, I opted to explore an old standby, the end of Hwy 542. While not nearly as epic as S. America (Silas), or Mt. Daniel (Mike), this trip accomplished the end of my 17th year, and these were legit turns just 20-minutes from the car! Stopping by the Ranger Hut at Bagley Lakes, I had hoped that the Postage Stamp (next to Blueberry Chutes) was intact; instead, I found it looking like it might hold 4 or 5 turns max. I was hoping for more, so I proceeded Artist Point parking lot. Another old faithful was indeed looking turnable: the gully where Swift Creek flows east. This spot is the snow strip just east of the confluence of Chain Lakes rail and Ptarmigan Ridge trail. I down-hiked a bit, and found my quarry to be marginal snow (a bit of ice, but not too much...), and continuous for about 150 vert. Since this little spot never gets sunlight except a few days in July, it does hold most of the year. Did 2 runs, and declared my teeth properly chipped due to significantly-sized cups. All in all, a good choice. It looks like most of the other further-out standbys, like Coleman Pinnacle Cirque, Sholes Glacier snout, and the other patches out that direction are pretty well toast. Ullr, we hope we are worthy to receive your blessing by the time November rolls around!!