blue and white

We had a bit of a break on Sunday (although the storm system was not quite done with us, coming back in Monday night with a vengeance and staying until Wednesday, its final dumpage giving Alta 79 inches in eight days) which meant blue skies and very cold temperatures in the morning.  It was 0 at the summit and 0 at the base when we got up to Alta.  It was busy too, with as many people putting their gear on inside the Goldminer's Daughter lodge as there were standing in line for the lift.  H was back on his telemark skis and I was back on my little all-mountain Salomons.  I also got a little confidence back as well (which I believe comes from being on those skis) and had a better day of skiing all around, even though I still had to go in mid-morning to warm my ice-cold toes.

Brrrrrrrr - top of first run, Collins pass

The snow was all skied out everywhere else so when it was revealed that ski patrol would be doing routes in Devil's Castle to get it open, people started getting in line to wait.  The line would eventually wrap around the snowbank and back up towards the EBT and when ski patrol dropped the rope, it took no time at all for everyone to churn up that untracked pow.  H and I didn't bother this time. 

The snow elsewhere was staying pretty soft, despite being tracked out; the cold had kept it from getting dense.  I went looking for low-profile bumps on Sugarloaf in the morning while H cruised Supreme.  After sharing our lunch table with a solo old guy (on vacation from NYC, wearing a 70+ years patch), we went back to Supreme.  Catherine's Area was still quite good, especially going out further.  H continues to impress me on his teles: not only is he fast on the groomers but he is much improved off-piste, only getting bogged down turning in the very deep stuff.  I think he's getting good enough that he needs to upgrade his equipment - and even if he wasn't, any excuse to get new gear!