1/15/07 Jim Hill

My prefered approach west of the creek was hard ice crust with a dusting of light powder, so we carried on up the road. We met a couple of guys turning back at the road end due to the icy conditions. They talked Parker and I into dropping down the clear slot a hundred feet back, then traversing to a creek crossing and cruising up the flats on the other side. Jeff and Jameson took off their skis and headed across the high traverse finding a good boot track on the icy slope which didn't present much of a problem for them. We met up at the head of the valley and continued on a good skin track.

Jeff and Jameson had their typical non-stop race pace going so they left Parker and I in their dust. I climbed to the ridge on the west and made an excellent run down clean snow, then climbed back up to the saddle on the east for another good - un. The surface of the snow was a bit wind affected, but 8 inches  of light powder underneath on the firm crust made for very nice turns. I was dreading the final descent through the trees down the west side of the creek, but it was so icy, and wipped clean by other skiers over the last couple days it was fast and easy.

Temps were very cold, and the shade on this north slope keeps it that way, but the calm day let us cruise up without incident.