the vagaries of spring weather

 The light at the end of the ski season tunnel is evident (Alta closing day April 20) but still H persists.  The bus was not crowded on Saturday.  And for good reason: the light was flat and it was snowing a wet, heavy snow all day.  He lasted until the 12:39 p.m. bus - when the snow started edging more towards rain - and then headed home.  With spring season comes the overnight freeze/thaw cycle and the overcast day kept the conditions from fully thawing by the time he left.  And since he hasn't bothered to get his skis sharpened for about four years, that makes for some pulse-pounding moments when you get to a more frozen bit.

Below the Ballroom, looking towards Superior

Down in the valley, Milton and A did their walk, but only did 3.5 miles instead of the usual five since the air quality index in the Salt Lake valley was still "unhealthy" due to all the dust that had been blowing in.  After the walk came laundry, and after the laundry came chocolate chip cookies and an apricot crumble.  Milt wanted to spend time hanging out on his tie-out in the driveway but the clouds kept building and then it started to rain.  At least that cleared out the bad air.

We also got a little social for a change, meeting our friends E and K out for beers/food at Piper Down late afternoon.  Piper Down is an Irish pub on State Street in SLC.  Amazingly, it has a huge plant-based menu and their plant-based "meat" is made by a local company, Vegan Daddy Meats.  H had a vegan reuben and I had the vegan "Galway grilled cheese" with corned beaf, carmelized onions, cheddar and Swiss cheeze and Guinness mustard.  It wasn't at all healthy but it was delicious.  And it was also really, really good to spend time catching up with E and K whom we hadn't seen since Friendsgiving.

springy

This isn't a real post, but I was travelling and am a little light on content at present.  It happens.  I mean, we've been doing this for over fifteen years now.

I guess that March in northern Utah is going out like a lamb.  Earlier this week, it was sunny and nearly 80 F.  Then the winds picked up, blowing in enough dust to make the air unhealthy, and droppnig the temperatures down into the 40s.  But we've gotten a taste of spring and when we walk around the neighborhood, the hopeful little crocuses and grape hyacinth and daffodils and narcissi are making their presence known.  

Forsythia and cloudy skies

remember this day in august

The storm system seemed to be moving out on Sunday, as evidenced by the fact that it was so windy.  A and M did their Dimple Dell loop under overcast skies, mid-high 30s and blustery.  The temperature was decent - not so cold as to get cold, but cool enough not to get hot - but I'm just not a fan of the wind.  We chatted briefly with another dog walker whom we recognize, commiserating about the chill of the wind and she said, "we should remember this day in August," when we're sweltering and begging for a cloud.  Wise words.

There were naps

After our walk, we vacuumed the whole house and cleaned the kitchen, finally remembered to water the plants, caught up with friends via text, did more laundry and made chocolate chip scones.  And finished another library book.  Perhaps not quite as productive as some of our days but hey, we did vacuum.

Backside open for business

Up at Alta, with another six inches bringing the storm total to 42-43", H had another pretty good day.  Not quite as good as Saturday, but still.  It was windy and the light was totally flat but ski patrol got the Backside open.  The snow there was thigh-deep and when he skied it, it puffed up over his head on the turns.  It wasn't blower pow, so it was a bit of a workout, but for those who like to ski it deep, it was skiing deep.

all hail spring storms

 With how the climate/weather has changed, northern Utah hardly gets any early season snow (November) any more.  December's totals have diminished too.  But March and even April?  We seem to be getting more and more spring storms.  Case in point: 37+ inches at Alta from the March 13-15 storm.  445" to date, 149" base.  Great for our water and also great for skiing.  

That looks soft

The storm had eased up enough that they didn't have to close the canyon road on Saturday morning.  H's bus was SRO but not packed like sardines; the lodge was definitely full of skiers and it took a while to get out of Wildcat base on the first chair of the day.  But after that, H was pleasantly surprised that the lift lines were not that bad: he figured that the deep snow was slowing down and tiring out the more inexperienced skiers.  And it was definitely deep.  Nothing had been groomed which meant that the runs got bumped up quickly; the continuing snow and flat light meant you couldn't really see the bumps until you hit them.  It was another day that A wouldn't have enjoyed skiing but H had a great time.  He skied all across the mountain - Main Street, the Ballroom, Devil's Castle and the Backside were closed for avalanche work - enjoying Fred's Trees, Chartreuse Nose, the steeps and trees around Supreme Bowl, the Supreme gullies, No. Nine Express, the 3 Bears Trees ... it was a good day.

Mustache compliment of the day: A local guy with his own, much narrower handlebar mustache, told H that he'd be a shoe-in to win the Alta Snowflake Festival's annual mustache contest.

Meanwhile, A and M were fairly productive.  We did our 4.9 mile Dimple Dell loop, plus another mile or so later that afternoon just because; did laundry and changed the sheets (still flannel); made chocolate chip cookies and an apricot crumble; ground chia seeds for overnight oats and made vegan "parmesan;" finished one library book and started another one.  It was a pretty good day in the valley too.

side canyon exploration

On Saturday - slightly sunnier, slightly warmer but also breezier - H did a 6+ mile trail run on Pipe Dream.  But Milton and I had other plans, namely to check out a side canyon off the Moab Rim jeep trail that we hadn't yet explored.  I didn't figure it would go too far but I wanted to see where it did go at least.  We drove over to the Moab Rim trailhead mid-morning and there were at least seven cars already there.  We usually prefer early starts but I wanted the sun to be as high as possible, knowing how chilly it would be in the shade.

Entrance to side canyon

And the pedestrian Stair Climber trail, between the Moab Rim trail and the cliffs, is totally in the shade in the mornings.  This is fantastic for summertime but in early March, it's cold, even with how steep it is and especially with the biting wind.  We met one group of four hikers and one dog as they were descending; we passed a solo hiker and his dog just before the top of the climb; and as we went left into the wash (doing the jeep road's loop clockwise), we saw two backpackers and their dog bundled up and heading out after a night in the back country.  (I'm not sure you're supposed to be camping back in there but maybe they went way out to some BLM land.)

Pour-over

Milton and I veered left into our side canyon just before the Sand Hill portion of the jeep trail.  It starts wide open but quickly narrows.  There were a few older footprints in the sand at the bottom of the wash so we obviously weren't the only curious ones.  It didn't go in very far but we did have to scramble over a couple of twisted junipers.  The little canyon ends in a bowl with a small spring seepage, enough to feed a few trees, and a pour-over from the higher level.  I didn't see any non-technical way to get up there so Milton and I spent a few appreciative moments in the quiet and then retraced our steps back to the car - and noted another wash for future exploration (5.4 miles roundtrip).

Hiking buddy

That evening we went to Dewey's for beers with our friends C and F, who had managed to score a last minute babysitter.  And that was about it - a quick trip.  Sunday morning was gorgeous: the sunniest, warmest and least windy day of the weekend. We three did a 4.5 town walk, said goodbye to our neighbor A and her dog, and headed back north.  Where winter was definitely still hanging around.

edging closer

 It may technically be spring - the days are getting longer (yay!) - but winter hasn't quite let go of northern Utah yet.  The biggest storms seem to always roll in on Thursdays, which is less than ideal when we head down to Moab.  We lucked out for our early March trip down, however, as the snow stayed pretty high and our drive down was uneventful and of the usual duration: 3.5 hours as opposed to that epic 6.5 hour one.

It's definitely edging towards spring in southern Utah, even in Moab which has nearly the same elevation as Salt Lake City.  There is still snow in the La Sals and it is still chilly at night and in the shade and when the breeze picks up.  But the flowering trees have started to flower and if there's no wind and the sun is out, well, that's just pleasant.

Going to have to start remembering sunscreen

Friday morning, A and Milton headed out onto Pipe Dream/Pipeline for that 7.2 mile lollipop route.  We encountered just a few people on Pipe Dream - a MTBer with a dog, a hiker with two sweet labs and a solo trail runner - and one on the Pipeline - a hiker with a dog - but there were lots of cars at the Hidden Valley trail head, more than we've seen in a while.  Although it hasn't been a particularly hard winter, people are antsy for nice weather.

Love all Moab's murals - this one's by Dewey's

While A and M were doing their hike, H did a short trail run.  He doesn't have a plan for any races yet but he's keeping his running fitness up.  That afternoon we swung by Josie Wyatt's and, as we walked through town, it is obvious that the off season is over in Moab.  Almost all the shops and restaurants are open now and there is more traffic, both vehicular and foot.

in which it is still spring, but perhaps not for much longer

 My dough for the olive bread failed - or rather, I failed it, not putting nearly enough flour in to match the wet ingredients, despite the notations I had left for myself to that effect from the last time I (successfully) made the bread.  So I made wholemeal muffins instead to tuck into the freezer for future snacks.   I also made several quarts of veggie broth for the freezer and a veganized Moroccan "chicken" curry with couscous soup (from The Daily Soup Cookbook).

Milton and I also did our five-ish mile loop under even warmer sunshine than Saturday; we said hi to six dogs (down from the eleven the day before) and M got gratuitious trail snacks from a nice woman who thought he was handsome.  Back home, while I was puttering around in the kitchen, he got some more good driveway time, soaking in the sun and keeping an eye on the neighbors.

Blue and white

Meanwhile, it was gorgeous up at Alta.  The snow had that spring feel to it, though: super firm and crusty in the morning, as it had set up hard after the Saturday afternoon thaw.  H thought he still heard a generator churning away up there but the lifts seemed to be running better.  His mustache compliment came this time from a girl liftie (woman liftie? chick liftie?) so that counts as extra.

The bus driver on the 1:39 down canyon bus was flying - so much so that on one corner, a girl actually slid out of her seat from the centrifugal forces - but even with the quick descent, it was already clouding up by the time H got home.  No more driveway time and no tailgating, alas.  And as the evening wore on, the winds picked up.  Perhaps one should not put the snow shovels away quite yet.

conflicted

 Here's the thing: the mountains of northern Utah need snow (so do the southern mountains, for that matter).  But when it is bluebird skies and almost 60F in the valley - and over 40F up at Alta, which doesn't help the snowpack any - in the beginning of March, it is really hard to complain.  It's just so nice out!  Cool, sure, in the shade or if the breeze picks up.  But in the full sun it is just delightful.  So you can see how we're conflicted: snow means water but sunshine means awesome.  We even managed to get in the first home tailgate of the year (although we were all pretty chilled by the end of it).

I was definitely overdressed for Milton's and my morning five mile walk.  There were lots of other people out too, mostly runners and dog walkers; the cyclists seemed to wait for the afternoon when it was at its warmest.  We got to meet eleven dogs, some new ones/some we've met before.  When we got home, Milton did not need to be asked twice if he wanted to hang out on his driveway tie-out to soak in the sunshine.  While he did that, I dealt with laundry, baked a vegan bara brith (Welsh fruit cake) and got the dough started for a no-knead olive bread.

Tele-fest

Up at Alta, it was gorgeous as well - the perfect day for a telemark ski festival - although the snow stayed pretty firm and H didn't venture off-piste.  Also, for some reason Alta has been on generator-power only, meaning the lifts are running very slowly and stop a lot.  Despite the beautiful day, he got on the 1:39 bus down-canyon, having had enough of the long lift lines.  There was one big bonus, however: a 20-something kid in the lift line took one look at H and exclaimed, "Utah's best mustache!"

sundry

 By Sunday, however, it was back to a ski day that A wouldn't have liked, per H.  It wasn't too cold (in the 30s) and was less crowded at Alta than Saturday, but the light was very flat all day and it was just kind of grey.  Although the YTD snowfall seems a little low, coverage is decent, and H did get into the Devil's Castle and Catherine's Area to check things out.

Devil's Castle scene

And it was business as usual for those of us who stayed in the valley.  Milton and I did our almost five mile loop and then I logged some decent kitchen time, making a white bean and pasta soup for the coming week, a peach crumble using last summer's CSA peaches and a Korean "beef" bulgogi for dinner.   

Catherine's Area situation

Wow, these posts are just not that compelling.  But sometimes life is just getting outside when you able and making your way as best you can.

various

Back up in northern Utah, we got an all day storm on Thursday - like, literally raining/snowing all day down in the Salt Lake Valley.  It didn't amount to much throughout the day, instead waiting until after the evening commute to accumulate much.  We had maybe 3-4 inches by Friday morning, mostly on grassy surfaces as the drive in to work wasn't bad.

The mountains fared pretty well: Alta got three-ish much needed feet of snow.  And, for a change, the storm did not take place over the weekend, which meant that H's bus ride on Saturday morning was on time and, whilst crowded, not overcrowded.  Same with the actual skiing: it was busy, but not overrun.  And with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the 20s, H declared that it was the first day he'd skied all season that I would have enjoyed.  The snow was pretty good, softer off-piste than on the groomers.  They're up to a 120" base, with 348" on the season.  Not great but could be worse.

Sundog over Baldy's Main Chute

M and I kept ourselves busy while H was skiing.  We did our 4.8 mile loop, stopping to meet a 140 lb. Pyrenees mix named Bentley who was just delightful.  At home, we made switchel, infused some rum with lemon peel, made chocolate chip cookies and InstantPot black beans.  When H got home, I walked to the library for more books; then when I got home, H went for a quick run; then when H got home, we three all went to Costco to replace our recently-deceased t.v.  Fortuntely, that Costco is right near a sports bar we like so we were able to fortify ourselves with a beer after venturing into weekend retail.