Pre Season Games

Some like to wait for the season to start in earnest before they show any interest at all.  Some of us, though, almost prefer a good pre-season game.  Even when there is just a few inches on the ground, we start to seek out those places where it seems to collect and fall the deepest, hoping for a foot of supportable snow to feed our addiction.  Well, Halloween delivered a cool eight to ten inches at Kirkwood, and I knew a route nearby that would have enough for a slow descent, so I took a walk through the snow.  The skinning was nice, and the skiing was passable.  Just enough to get out and stretch the muscles and help break in the new boots.

Took a drive through the valley.  The resort was blowing some snow at the top of 5.

Chair 10.  Some crew already laid tracks down Buckboard.

The Palisades look pretty with a little coating of white.

Glove Rock.  The deeper drifts were about 14" deep.  The shallow spots, maybe two.

Looking out toward Desolation.

This trip up was really about getting wood up, split and stacked for the winter nights.  But it is hard to look at a hillside of snow and not at least poke around a bit.  Things were certainly pretty thin, and not really conducive for opening it up, but I was still able to find a bunch of areas to connect and link a few turns now and again.  Besides, it just felt good to get up to elevation, put on some skins, and start climbing.  A little more snow, and I will be looking to put in some more miles, and get the heart, lungs and legs ready for the coming season.

Chamiox looking like it still needs another round of snow or two.

The view from the ridge line is always something to appreciate.

Round Top and her Sisters.

Kirkwood Meadows and Red Cliffs.

Kasula Pows ready to float some snow.

Outlook looks promising tonight.  Another dusting coming later this week, and perhaps a string of storms lining up for next week.  Fingers crossed.  The taste I got earlier this month left me wanting more.  A lot more.  I'm done with the crappy start to the season.  I'm ready to get back to those years when we were seeing lift served turns off the top of the hill.  I ready for some fun.

While thin, the upper mountain was plenty deep to make some fun turns.