Jove Peak Recon 1.27.07

Toured with Loom, Edub and Jersan out towards Jove Peak via Smith Brook Rd and Rainy Pass.  I really want to clearly explain how truly awful the conditions we encountered were.  It was really, really bad.  Skin in the road was quite alright, the trees up towards the pass were pretty dicey.  Ski crampons would have been quite nice.  Many snowmachines out and about at the pass, however they were nice enough to churn up the 2"breakable crust and expose the sugar within.  After dropping down skiers left through the forest and began the traverse over to Jove we ran into 5-6 monster Avy remnants from the last week, which proved tricky negotiating.  Travel was pretty slow and our pow wow at base of the southern slopes yielded a turn back decision.  The breakable crust was treacherous, once you pounded through the stuff it was the pits.  Intersected with FS road/snowmo road and climbed back up to Rainy Pass.  Actually got some good corn on the ride back to the cars on a SW facing slope.  All and all t'was a great day, good company, great views... character building is always part of the adventure.

Good Luck out there, sounds like it is pretty evil everywhere....