part 2




     So after an amazing day out in Turnagain pass "Loving to Ski" and another day off, I had to go back.  I took the dogs and showed up at work for an early morning meeting I thought I had, but didn't, then headed to the pass on another perfect day.  Winds were more calm than the previous day and there was just a hint of occasional clouds blowing through.
     This time I started from the Center Ridge parking lot with the intention of gaining Center Ridge and dropping into the Lyon Creek drainage and then skinning up toward the south-east slopes.  Given that it was a solo exploration day I rock a little more loosely when I am by myself: more time, more flexibility and potential for finding what's good but also what's bad without any pressure.  Off the bat, I found the bad(ish) by getting on the xc ski trail that parallels the highway and skinning for about a mile before deciding it was not taking me where I need to go and a creek crossing to correct it was not going to be on my agenda.  I turned around and got on the correct trail.

     Being on the correct trail, that follows the ridge splitting Lyon and Tincan creeks, I was anticipating a long slog on squirrely Nordy-made trails paved partially by snowshoes and sleds.  This was partially the case, but it was redeemed by the amazing views and winter wonderland-like scenery of trees, rolling terrain, and untracked snow with plenty of knolls for stop-and-gawk moments.



     Center Ridge is a tour I would recommend even to AT folks despite the lack of vertical, it's just gorgeous.  Then I dropped down into Lyon creek for a brief bit before heading up the south-east slopes.  It was a low-angle ascent, but were the snow a little better it would be a fun and mellow ski  filled with rollers, small ski-able drainages, and impressive views.  The upper slopes below  the col had sweet light powder, this turned into irregularly patterned windboard and powder until the lower slopes that were unaffected by wind which were all powder again.  By then it was afternoon and I was in for a perceivably hot skin up and out of the Lyon creek and back down Center Ridge to a point skiable to the road.  I noticed one party climbing Kickstep only because their voices carried so well despite being a whole mountain and valley away.  It's crazy-big out here. 

 



     While down there in Lyon creek I ran into a guy, I'll call him Redbob, who seemed to be in his 50s.  He was non-chalantly practicing his goofy-stance for snowboarding.  Given the time of morning it was apparent he had spent the evening out there so I quizzed him on conditions and what-not.  He is retired, lives in Anchortown but spends much of his winter at one of his 4-5 snow-caves throughout good riding terrain, including the past 3 days.  I liked how he was doing his own thing out there and loving every minute of it.  He had custom-made mittens, a fleece that looked like it was older than I, all the appropriate sunny mountain weather protection I should have had on, and other gear that looked as seasoned as he.  If I had more time I would have loved to stick around and see what he was about.  He didn't bust out a resume of wicked trips or summits or tell me what awesome stuff he had been up to or his latest gadget/gear purchase that was too expensive.  He was just loving to be in the mountains and that was good enough.  He was still lapping the lower slopes, putting lines down almost every gully when I descended through.  He pointed me toward his shelter so I could check it out for my own shelter-building reference and went back to riding.  Maybe I will be that lucky some day. Way to go Redbob, living the dream.



 

 The footage from the past 2 days: https://vimeo.com/89770469