manitoba delivers

     So no change on snow conditions up here, however, I did manage to put a favorable tally for skiing on the board.  Hatcher is still too thin for my comfort level.  Alyeska is too pricey.  People ski in the Front Range?  Turnagain is still hike-to and with the recent loading of wet-and-heavy with wind, I didn't feel like climbing up to a mysterious snow pack just yet.  Solo means low-angle and Manitoba delivered as much as it could today.

     I could skin on ice from the car: acceptable.  Evidence that new snow did indeed fall was seen a few minutes beyond the hut and the sound of skinning on ice was dampened.  From the traditional cut-up points I felt better as I knew I could ski back down to the ATV trail without too much discomfort, and maybe even to the hut

     The conditions improved as I ascended: from a fresh 1" at the base of the meadows to 4" by the treeline and plenty to make me smile above the treeline.  Not to mention the sun was shining: no rain, no wet snow, just a good genuine winter day.  It's always weird coming down from good sun and snow and skiing up high, back down into clouds and dim light, wet roads and bare ground.  Today, up high was the place to be.

Stay........strong.

     So reports of decent snow up high and the possibility of sun was enough to get us to hike to it.  Despite the dismal ski season thus far, it is still ski season, so ski we did.  Honestly my ski-spirit is weaker after a second winter with a painfully slow start, and as we approached Turnagain Pass under flat light and cloud cover with no sign of ski-able snow below the clouds my pessimism grew.  There were cars at Tincan and even more at Sunburst, a bit surprising I guess.

December 11, 2014.

     We hiked in boots for awhile, transitioned to skinning on slick/packed snow/grass, then started skinning on just firm/icy/crust with a hint of hoar on top.  Near the alder line we busted above the clouds and were greeted with bluebird skies: a much-needed reward for our efforts.  Roller-balls visible on all slopes within sight were a bit discouraging considering they were likely death-cookies after temps cooled.  We saw some going up Magnum, Pastoral was too far for today, but we skinned out to the pass to have a look and hoped the snow improved from the firm/supportable crustiness of the valley bottom.  The views were great and the snow improved in quality and depth, the roller-balls turned to fluffy pillows.

Death-cookies at lower elevations, fun gates higher near the pass.
     People were getting out today, we saw 5 others in our valley and 4 up on Magnum.  The skiing was plenty good up high and we did several laps and enjoyed the sun on Sunburst ridge while we could.  A top-to-bottom without crust was not possible though but the upper 75% of the run was worth it.  Not everyone had a good day though.  One party turned around after encountering the unforgiving snow conditions and one guy was walking down with a dislocated shoulder: quite treacherous conditions to descend in, especially with an injury.

Just beyond the rollover the snow got primo.