Jan 10, 2008, Snoq Silver Fir, Pre-Dawn Patrol

1 lb organic free-trade coffee: $12.95
1/3 a tank of gas: $14
storm skiing by headlamp: sublime and priceless
(cliche, but so true).

Due to an early morning meeting, a planned dawn patrol got pushed back to early-early. Left Seattle at 2:30am, hit heavy snow squalls just past N Bend, and parked at the Silver Fir lot by 3:45am, to find 2-3" inches of fresh sugar snow. Skinned up, to find 4-6" at the top, and ran a lap back to the car to get goggles (doh!), then back up and relapped the upper section (climbers far left) a couple of times. The snow switched to very heavy pellets and then large flakes, winds of 15-20 mph probably. Skiing with just a cone of light and lots of back-lit snow has to be one of the best things around- I was giggling like a schoolgirl the entire time.
Another 2 inches at the car by 6am, and lots of avalanche control, so today could be pretty epic if you are lucky enough to be out.