A New Year and a Week for the Books

This past week has been special. As Christmas has now passed into history, the last few days in the Wasatch have been remarkable. The cold Winter fluff came in quantity and quality.  Combing the incredible mornings in the mountains, time spent with family and friends and celebrating the past, present and future have made this week one to remember. 

The Best Skier in the World, taming Alta

Morning 1- December 30, 2015- Secret goodies. Bitter cold temperatures combined with 14" of new snow overnight, found Lars, Justin and I breaking trail in icy darkness and into our secret stash of cold Winter smoke. It had to have been -10 F.

The very photogenic Justin, disappearing in the smoke-Courtesy Lars

Morning 2- January 1, 2015-  Pfiefferhorn with Team Green. With our headlamps beaming and temps rising, Justin, Lars and I headed into Red Pine drainage. Crossing the densely frozen lake, we decided to head to LCC ridge and see what conditions looked like. We moved west and found ourselves on the Pfieferhorn in what felt like balmy conditions.  The NE winds were gone and we wanted to avoid western aspects due to loading.  After enjoying the views from the top, we skied the East Face and then down into Maybird. It skied well with chalky powder down both faces.  It was a gorgeous morning! RT- 3 hrs 45 mins.

Justin negotiating ridge

Lars and Justin

Lars and I on top looking 

Me, East Face

Justin, wind damage

Lars negotiating Maybird Headwall

My favorite vista in the Range

Afternoon 3- January 2, 2015-  Wolverine Cirque. I had scheduled to be off this day, but work emergencies had me super busy in the morning, so I resorted to a quick run up Grizzly in the afternoon. I worked my way around TL ridge line and up and over into Wolverine Cirque for some solo laps. While the wind had worked this east aspect, pockets in the trees were amazing. I don't like to ski during the day when my family is awake. I felt guilty being gone for a couple hours.

From Wolverine looking NW

Morning 4- January 3, 2015- Bonkers. Lars and I had planned another early morning. Work kept me busy in the wee hours of the morning.  At 630 AM we left the S curve and cruised up into the TP meadows and decided visibility would not permit a safe descent of one of the greater peaks, so we went Bonkers instead. Tough skinning made for a bit of work and slowed us down, but the skiing was remarkable. The top portion of the drainage was covered in a 2" hard slab but a third of the way down we found paradise. One and two-thirds laps concluded our freedom. The exit down Broads was hateful.  RT- 3 hrs 40 mins.

Lars third of the way down Bonkers

Not a bad day. Lars ripping it.