Day 83 time for a natural break.

For all sorts of technical reasons I have to go back to the UK for a week to attend to some out standing issues, just like I do every year. The problem is that with two travelling days when heading east and one when heading west this will mean 10 days missed from the season and of course while I am away there will be no blog.

Today was much the same as yesterday, starting at -9 with a bluebird day and temps forecast to rise to plus at the bottom and stay about zero up the hill. This worked out ok but there was a pretty strong wind from the west which is a good sign as that's where the weather if any is going to come from. Once again the sun had almost no effect on softening the snow even when we tried Sunny side early afternoon which had direct sunlight all day. A patroller buddy explained this to me in the pub tonight as the problem being that because it looks and feels like April we expect the snow to have softened as if it is April and not Feb. Given that even in April the snow only softens for about 3 hours a day we shouldn't be surprised that in Feb it doesn't soften at all - makes sense.

Lynda decided that one day off was enough and joined me onthe New side. We had a few runs through the Gun bowl and back by various bump routes to White pass which were all quite crisp before trying Surprise Trees which to put it mildly were a bit varied. After that there was nothing for it but to do the Anaconda loops back through Bootleg just like yesterday. Just like yesterday the snow on the north facing slopes was deep and fresh with some very technical skiing in the tight tree chutes on the far side. Ended the morning with a trek out to Concussion which just proved that the snow hadn't melted.

In the afternoon we did laps off Boomerang either back to the chair via Boom ridge/ Boom bowl/ Bear chutes/ Buck shot etc or into Cedar bowl via Cedar ridge, Gully and gulch or King Fir. This required three runs through Kangaroo which was skiing the ugliest it has all season with boiler plate bumps and white light that meant working out what was in front of you was a challenge at all times.

A few beers in the bar then down the Pub for wings night and watch hockey where Canada stuffed Germany 8-2 to book a quarter final game against the Russians, now that's going to be some game. Last night the Ghostriders won the third game of the best of 7 series against Golden to take a 3-0 lead in the series. Nothing is certain but to win the series Golden will have to win 4 straight including 2 in our barn as all in all I am fairly confident we will be playing off for the Championship probably against the Creston Valley Thundercats.

Off to the UK, wact this space for a half time summary in the next few days when I get over the jet lag.