12/7- Hyak Dawn Patrol

Well, after Scotsman's report from yesterday, expectations were very low, and they were not exceeded... Early start, only to find that the UVillage Starbucks now opens at 4:30am, and isn't 24hrs anymore.  :(
Hit the parking lot, and heard groomers running- so I slowly crept up the cat track, hopping onto the ungroomed when they came too close, and then sucked exhaust the rest of the way up. grrrr, so much for peaceful early morning, eh? Pretty clear and windy, with temps barely below freezing, and a bright moon to navigate by. I decided to go for broke and run the line under the lifts (Greyson's). It was miserable- icy, nasty breakable crust meant extra careful survival skiing. The second lap I wised up and ran the smooth corduroy cat track back down. Perfect pink sunrise with some fog/clouds blowing in, maybe the edge of the storm system in the Pacific?