January 13, 2007, Jim Hill Mtn.

Surprised (or maybe not) by the number of Subarus at the trailhead. Undaunted by the possibility of crowds, we followed the up-track through the trees, meeting folks along the way. Dust on crust gave way to deeper cold powder when we broke out into the lower bowl. We broke trail to the upper bowl. Shed the skins and found first tracks. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the light stuff - not bottomless with the ice layer below, but certainly a form of ego-snow. Another lap in and out of some wind affected areas took us to the bottom and a quick trip back through the trees.

But the most interesting thing about the day happened on the way up through the trees. We were standing on the edge of one of the slide paths when two pinwheels, one 6 feet tall and the other about 4 and each about 2 feet thick, came bounding and bouncing down the clearing. They went past us at an alarming speed and continued another 100 meters or so to the bottom, crashing among the trees below. This was a totally spontaneous event (nobody above us) and a bit surprising in the cold (~22F.) temps. We suspect the sun warmed steep cliffs above dislodged a bit of cornice, just wet enough to gather some snow and down they came. 

The skiing was outstanding all day, but I must admit that the adrenaline level never quite got back to where it was standing there in the trees.

Silas: remember the massive runnel that discharged next to our lunch spot on Fairweather? I felt similarly like a bug next to these pinwheels...