December 2, 2007, Hyak and Gold Creek

This started as an XC trip to Cabin Creek or John Wayne Trail but SnoParks were not plowed and I-90 avy control was delaying the traffic east of the pass, so we stopped at Hyak and tried not too successfully to drive and to ski (not at the same time). 4WD trucks and cars were getting stuck all over the place. Same on skis. Over 3' of dense powder that would set up immediately under tires or around skis.  Met some tele or rando skiers (cound not see skis in deep snow except one had twintips) who reported snow too deep/dense to ski downhill. We did a monumental climb on skinny skis breaking trail to the third-from-bottom chair on the Gold Easy lift, then a great traverse between condo buildings toward the nordic lodge, and back to roads, which were skiable til the plows came through. One plow went off the road and got stuck, saving some road for us. After unsuccessfully "helping" vehicles get unstuck, we drove over to Gold Creek sno-park east end and finally found a the nicest smoothest snomobile track I've ever skied in that went back quite a ways.  Temps in low 20's. Snowed and snowed. Little wind.