October 19 - Paradise, MRNP

Was up at Paradise MRNF on Friday, got a late start, but was skinning up from the parking lot by 1:30PM.  Snowing with freezing level around 4000€™, about 3-4 inches of new snow  at the parking lot.  Got more windy as I made my way up.  Piss poor visibility.  Nice powder drifts in some areas and then wind-blown crust and ice in other areas, very challenging skinning especially since I€™m still using these old 70mm skinny skins on my DB crossbows.  Climbed up to about 7000€™ when the wind really started blowing badly, gusts must have approached 50+ (if you didn€™t lean into it, you got knocked off your feet/skis).  Challenging getting down with poor visibility and high wind conditions, must admit I should have probably turned around about 500€™ earlier.  Descent snow conditions: breakable crust and even icy in other areas, very little 'good€™ pow but you would stumble across it in drifts, better as you approached parking lot, but meadows still vulnerable€¦ overall, not the best skiing this day, but what do they call it?€¦ 'character building"  ;D

Hopefully both weather and snow conditions improve this weekend!  But it's nice to see it dumping again!!