Day 26 getting a bit colder

First thing is news on the guy we dragged out of Fish bowl yesterday. Reports tell me that he may have broken his back which is a strike against us for letting him ski out but on the other hand if we hadn't been there he might still be lying in Fish bowl.

This morning started cold (-14) with no new overnight snow so as we headed to the hill we were happy to see a bluebird day which you might as well have if you can't have powder. The crowds were way down in the cold and even though we arrived 10 minutes later than yesterday (still well before first bell) we were further up parking lot 2 than yesterday.

We went to the New Side and stayed there all day. First run down Surprise Trees confirmed that there had been massive wind overnight so we had soft wind grooming, wind crust, wind slab, mini cornices and blow in sometimes all within about 50 metres of each other. Surprise Trees was sheltered so the snow was soft but the ski back from the far side on Trespass Trail was very sticky on the super cold snow.

We then just hit out to Window Chutes to get my buddy who refused the log drop last night to have a go - failed again. Next time round we climbed Knot chutes which were really soft in the first chute. Somewhere in there we did Stag Leap which had some good soft blow in dropped on it to generally improve things.

Just before lunch went for another drop in Window chutes but on the way my buddy got frost bite on his nose (the things some people will do to avoid a log drop). In the end I did the jump on my own which was still good even though the ski out was a bit scratchy. Final run before lunch I got tempted in to Low Saddle which I realised one turn in was pretty icy but after about 5 turns I was able to hit right into some untracked powder and had awesome turns all the way down into Easter bowl. We then went to lunch.

After lunch I hitched up with my buddy again and had an awsome drop off the near shoulder with tight powder in the trees at the top, deep powder below and just plain powder in the trees on the right of Bootleg Glades. I finally dragged my buddy into Window Chutes and got him to jump - he fell but what the hell it's a start. We then looped Cougar glades where the blow in had piled up and had given good almost untracked skiing. Finished with a rip down Skydive which was much improved but a ton or two of more blow in.

Beers, quiet night in. Temps on the way back from the hill -18 and forecast to go lower.