14" New Snow!!!

They were calling for only 1-3" overnight. As usual, their forecast was completely wrong. I picked up two freeheelers on the way up the pass who informed me there was a foot up at the main parking area... And that's only at 9,000!! At close to 12,000 there was at least 14". Is it March or May??? Unfortunately because of low light and heavy snow, no pictures of my steezy tracks came out. However, you can imagine, overhead shots every turn on the steep stuff... Uber Steezed after today!!!


Two old dudes and their dog. It's starting to puke now.


I did encounter a minor slide...

I started skiing on a 35-40 deg pitch which eventually rolled over to 50-55. Three turns in and I saw the snow sliding to my left so I instinctively cut a big right turn towards a ridge I noted before venturing down slope. I stopped up on the high ground and watched a 30' wide section of snow rush downhill and continue over the rock face below. Decision time, skier's right is a narrow chute that cliff's out at 15' (which I've skied before) and straight down the gut is non skiable... Chances are this will let loose again, so I opted to not ski the chute (nasty terrain trap). I traversed skier's left and continued until I could ski down safely (i.e. no cliffs to be pushed over if it does slide again). As I was about to pole plant and take the first turn down the fall-line, I saw a crack shoot through the snow, just below me, clear across the slope (80' or so). Normally I'd stop and re-route, however, I didn't. Why? For a few reasons.

One: I was with two guys I met, whom were both above me, equipped with the necessities (Beacons, probes, shovels).
Two: No terrain traps below
Three: If it slides, it'll be the foot of soft new snow that fell in the last 12hrs
Four: Short slope, maybe 300 ft, with a runout that opens up nicely (Hourglass) and gradually decreases from 55 - 25 degs

So I make that first turn and that's when it happens. The snow lets loose all around me and rushes downhill at an amazing speed. I hold my breath. My heart skips a beat. It all happens so fast. The snow is still sliding. Now it's sliding faster. I get on my tails and point 'em. What a rush. I'm flowing through the snow, I'm on a giant slip 'n slide. I can't turn. I'm going faster. Now I can turn. One. Two. Three. Four. Five... A big right turn. I stop. The snow stopped.

Hard to see, but the crown up above the rock face, about a foot or so.


And as we skinned out from the last run, it started snowing even harder...


Hey! Goat. Put up your dukes.


"Baaaaa, we ain't got no stinkin' dukes. Later."