febrrrrrruary

February 2019 has been a very snowy month for much of the American West; this past week has been very cold here in Utah as well, with temperatures in the Salt Lake valley not even getting above freezing.  My ski days are way low these year, however, so despite the cold temperatures, I was determined to ski this weekend.  Saturday was very cold, with single digit morning base temperatures, a high of around 19 F and windchills way below zero.  To compound matters, although there was a little blue sky first thing, the clouds rolled in by the time the chairs started loading so we didn't even get the benefit of any sun for the rest of the day. 

Steep and deep

After only one run on Collins, I knew I needed to do some hiking to stay warm so H and I split up until lunch.  While he ran rampant over the front side, I skied Supreme all morning.  I did two hikes into Catherine's Area right away - which warmed me right up, except for my toes.  The snow was pretty well beaten down, especially in the first meadow, but you could still find some soft spots.  I also did a gully run (huge bumps), picked my way through the trees (one crash as I highsided over a soft bump), went into the low gate into the White Squaw are (huge bumps), and played around in the  low gates off Rock N' Roll.

I am actually smiling here

H and I met up at a crowded Alf's for lunch, then skied together a little bit.  We went into the gates off Rock N' Roll and found some deep stuff in the trees there - as well as very deep tree-wells - and also a porcupine who wanted nothing to do with us. The more open areas were pretty much completed tracked out but I really do enjoy that kind of snow: beaten down but still soft, with bumps everywhere.  If the light hadn't been so flat, it would have been great.

Well-hidden porcupine

By 2 p.m., my feet were very cold again and I was starting to get chilled as well.  I rode up Sugarloaf, around the EBT and skied out through Collins.  My plan was to catch the 2:30 bus while H did another couple of runs before taking the 3 p.m., but just about a minute before my bus came, H caught up with me at bus stop (having changed his mind) and we rode down together.  Despite a shower, hot tea and homemade soup, at 9:30 that night my toes were still hurting from having been so cold.