Jan 10, 2016, Hwy 2, Out of Smithbrook

The Upshot:
Strong inversion fog, about 1000 vertical feet thick from 4500 to 5500 ft made for flat light conditions.
Very good boot high old powder exists, but you have to snoop it out.
On the crest, east winds were funneling through gaps and ridges.  This cross loaded and stiffened some north facing stuff we skied.
Somewhat surprisingly, east facing glades from 5700 to 4000 still were excellent as no sun has reached those slopes, due either to fog or high morning clouds I am guessing.
Even at the 3000 foot trailhead shaded snow had not sun or melt/freeze crusted.
Though there is still much snow in the tree canopy, bombs away has chunked the forest floor requiring caution and controlled tree skiing, even on north aspects where wind has knocked snow off trees.

If you are wondering where people were skiing:
2 cars at Rock Mtn
2 Cars at Merritt Lake Parking
8 people walking the road departing from Ventilator approach ski tours...parking appears to be in the little plowed DOT lot this year.  State Patrol has warned folks off Ventiltor's little west side parallel parking location.