Day 120 back to spring skiing and the Powder Pedal Paddle

Only two days to go and it's all change. It was cold overnight with starting temps of -3 at the base and -8 at the top. However it was a bluebird day and temps in the direct sunlight rose quickly but the air temp never ever got really warm so that the softened south facing surfaces were always on the point of setting up again with an ice crust.

We went to the Old side and skied around Lizard bowl and Cedar bowl finding fresh tracks but with the snow becoming heavier. Kangaroo was particularly ugly even for Kangaroo and we only skied it once. The reason we were on the old side was to watch the start of the PPP.

The Powder Pedal Paddle is a relay race (although you can do it as an individual) were the first leg is a downhill ski to the base followed by a bike race into town then a canoe leg back to the base of the hill then finally a run back up to the base lodge via Timberline Drive. It started at 11 and after we had watched the start we went to the New side,

With only time for a couple of loops before lunch and started with a Knot chute, Anaconda, Bootleg glades run which was like yesterday but just a bit softer and heavier in the warming temps. I then tried Skydive hoping that the lower crunch had softened - big mistake. The upper parts were great soft snow which then slushed up a bit in the mid section but the lower hill having frozen overnight was just ugly.

After lunch back to the New side and hit out along the County line to Easter (Currie chutes on the way seemed super slushy) which was great skiing in soft snow as you would expect from a north facing slope. Next 1-2-3s and then Bootleg which were both good skiing even if Bootleg was a bit chunky. Far side of 3s was particularly nice.

Took a quick run back down White Pass via Knot chutes which was just starting to set up and wasn't the easiest line on the hill. Last run was through 1-2-3s and found a new line via the patrol hut and gun tower at the top of White Pass, amazing that even with one day to go you can still find new lines.

Beer in the Griz, hot tub then buddies round for beer. Bring on the last day which is supposed to be a return to winter.