Rusty shoulder

     So yesterday I went out and did a partial peak 3 lap and due to pretty much everything going sour from start to finish I won't mention any more of it.
     So today I tried to redeem that experience.  It's my last day before returning to work: sunny, clear, calm, and upper 20s.  A perfect day for a ski.  The Front Range is looking near it's worst for the year after that last wind came through.  When can I catch a break?  Where are these spring dumps I have heard about?  Anyway, I had no idea what to do, too few options.  I wanted to go back canyon road but our jeep is broken and the front-wheeler wouldn't make it. I definately wanted sun exposed slopes for softness and joy for the cheeks.  Glen Alps it was.
     I could head back by hidden lake, or little omalley, but I love doing the new and noticed the southwest face of rusty looked coated with the whiteness and I had never been.  With no companions to annoy with my personally guided alder-bashing sessions I thought it would be a good recon/exploratory effort.  Rusty is also on my list of to-do's in the front range.
     In about 45 minutes of easy skinning from Glen Alps I was at the base.  I believe I followed the middle fork trail? the one that splits and heads west from the williwa lakes trail.  Anyway, I did alder-bash for a little while but not bad at all.  I linked clear patches up then headed south and crossed the gully splitting the west face and headed up looker's right for the best snowfield.  There was about 4 inches of good stuff on an icy base: too slick to skin so I booted most of it above the alders.
     It was probably the 2nd best run to be had today in the front range with the 1st best being that someone had nicely skied the looker's left gulley of Wolverine.  Good idea, I wish I had thought of it yesterday.  The view from the top was great, a new one I had never seen which allowed good view of upper hillside and the Williwa drainage.  After the satisfactory run down I was able to ski the trail back toward prospect heights all the way to bridge (the ski and hiking trails were all slightly down hill).  This was much appreciated.
     Given the ease of access to this run I will definately keep it on the list for when the snow improves.  The easy ski out was also nice but arranging one car at glen alps and one at prospect could be a future challenge.  Or like today, having someone extra made it happen (thanks Sarah and friend).  A bonus is that the line can be seen from much of Anchorage for those who look for it and can appreciate it.