Dec 23, 2006, -- Snoq. Pass -- Mt Margaret

Frank, Denis, Tia(four legs) and I were stuck almost 2 hours in North Bend due to avi control work on I-90 -- finally made the Gold Creek sno-park a little after 10.    Considered going to Kendall ridge due to the late start -- but stuck with plans for Margaret, since we felt the lower-angle slopes on Margaret would be safer today.   Followed snow machine packed logging road to summer trailhead and then the work began, breaking track up the clear cuts.   Due to the late start we topped out at a mere 4600ft and pretty much skied the fall line through old growth and newer clearcuts to about 2800ft -- at this point the snowpack seemed to get thinner and/or there were more downed logs in the forest than made the tree skiing less fun -- so we cut back over to the snow machine packed logging road to return to Rocky Run.     The skiing in the old growth was most enjoyable -- knee deep powder and enough open space between the trees get a little speed.  In the clearcuts -- the snow was just as good -- but the more tightly packed trees required a "pick your way down"  style instead of "let er rip" style.