April 3, 2003, Narrada Falls-Mazama Ridge

Road to Paradise opened at 10:00. Gary and I drove to Narrada Falls on bare/wet/mushy snow roads, no chains needed. 10" of great powder on top of icy, hard crust, and snowing most of the day. Skinned up to saddle on Mazama Ridge, breaking trail the whole way. From saddle followed the ridge up to about 5700 ft. Nice turns in the deep powder on the open meadows, then skied "Gary's Ditch" which is a long, winding creek bed going down to Reflection Lake. After being open creek most of the winter, now finally filled in enough to ski, except for one treacherous deep hole with the creek visible. Skinned back up to saddle, still breaking trail, down the "Refrigerator" (a treed slope that holds good snow even late in the season), to the road below. Went over to ski the Narrada Face but thought better of it, with all that new snow on top of ice, so skied the steep trees next to it. We made the right decision, the snow was sliding on the steep with each turn. And the trail through the woods back to Narrada Parking lot was great with all that powder. Another great trip with Gary. :)