Notch(yet)

     So out of desperation, lack of time and the need for sun I headed to Girdwood where webcams showed clear skies up high. I needed to get some vertical under my belt so when the snow flies I can enjoy. After all it is already December. I mindlessly decided to tour up to the CPG hut to assess snow conditions: the cat track is not yet skiable but is skin-able. Up high seems to have enough but I turned it at the hut rather than the peak because I was running out of daylight before I could really ski anything. I think up high would ski well it is just etting there. The view was worth it though, rugged snow-streaked peaks popping out of a cloud-blanketed valley, the Gwood glaciers still visible, the alpenglow and sunset over the arm, ahhhh(like the ahhh after sipping a cold one on a hot day). Refreshing. Near the top I could tell I hadn't been skinning much. We will see what the next few days hold.

 

 

The Notch

     So I got the dynafit FT radical bindings last year which do not have the pin to prevent the heelpiece from rotating the wrong way and cracking it, something they fixed for this years'.  Mine cracked but how it went the wrong way I have yet to figure out, my best guess is some squirrely skinning technique.   Fortunately it was covered under warranty so I spent some time sidelined while that was getting fixed.  Timing was decent as snow conditions were far less than impressive and the cross country ski trails were getting groomed so I diversified my skiing by hitting up the trails and resort.
     Binding: fixed.  So naturally we decided to head out with the usual crew and pups.  For whatever reason we elected to check out the Notch which is CPG's cat skiing terrain.  It is a longer skin in by either girdwood xc ski trails or the winner creek trail by the tram.  Either way it meets up with the CPG cat track.  Normally the cat track is groomed but this years' lack of snow left it untouched but for a snowmobile(that's right I'm from the midwest) track half way.  We followed that half way then started breaking trail which wasn't too bad until we neared the split where trees thin and one can go up to A-1 or the notch. 

     The snow was quite a bit deeper from there to the CPG hut and given the snowpack below treeline (no cohesion) it was like a pit of whipped cream.  The dogs were wallowing in it and making slow progress.  It was bitter cold so I volunteered to break trail to warm up.  After checking out the hut, eating some lunch and taking in the view (one of the best I would imagine) we attempted to go the top.

View from the CPG hut.

     Above the treeline the snowpack changed to slightly windblown slabs and/or a thicker cohesive layer resting on old surface hoar layer or further down the depth hoar.  We noticed wide-spread whoompfing, no shooting cracks though.  Between the whoompfing and some other worrisome snowpack observations we elected to turn around sooner without reaching the peak.  The snow was so deep we couldn't get enough speed on the low-angle terrain to ski anything worth-while.  It was a disappointing ski/skin out but a good day with clear, beautiful skies; good company; and time spent in the chugach on skis.