Day 37 Everything open, everything awesome

Of course I can't vouch for the Old side as I didn't go there but various buddies who I trust assure me that Snake Ridge, Steep and Deep and and the Fish bowl were truely awesome having been closed for 3 days.

Facts first. Deck temps this morning were -16 and during the day they may have risen to -10 at the base but at each loop through White Pass it was -15 or less and as we left the hill at the end of the day it was down to -18. It was a blue bird day with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and angel dust in the sky. The snow base was 206 cms (so Lynda still relaxed) and the lower temps meant that the stuff skied over yesterday was abit chunky but still pretty good.

Yesterday's ridge line heli bombing helped by a little of the same this morning meant that everything was open so we went to the New side to sample the delights of Currie bowl for the first time in three days. The high traverse of the County line was open but with the Saddles closed. The traverse was through some of the roughest avi debris I have seen but got better as the day went on although the far side of the traverse deteriorated so that it kept out all but the most enthusiatic devotees of the front side runs. Strangest sight was two boarders deciding to drop off the traverse in the middle of the avi debris and ride down it - whatever thay had been smoking must have really been good.

We just looped all morning -
Cougar Glades - first tracks ( well second but the first soon disappeared) great tree skiing in the 50 cms or so of fresh that we have had since last opened all the way down.
Skydive - about three tracks in front of us so stacks of untracked all the way down
Stag Leap - not many tracks through the trees at the top and plenty of fresh on the left side after that.
Easter bowl - funnily enough a little crusty at the top with the better snow in the lower sections before hitting Lizard.
The Brain - arrived to tie for first tracks with some boarders who were calling to each other and calling it "run X". They took the stream bed so I took the right trees which were mostly untracked. Almost got to the cat track before having to cut out into Skydive.
Window Chutes - Top of Decline quite skied but good then untracked to the log drop which was in great shape and only about a 5 ft drop. Ski out was in great shape.
Secret Chutes - as always mostly untouched then a right hitch into Spinal Tap which had been skied but tons of soft had dropped into the stream bed making for great soft deep snow all the way down to the cat track.

This led to a late lunch when we linked up with buddies to go back for New side loops all afternoon. We just had time for Cougar and Stag which were more skied but still in pretty good shape. We tried a run back off Timber through Mars which proved to be very scraped and was only just about worth while because of the cut back into soft just under Hells Gate. Final run down Skydive which as always in soft tracked snow was just awesome.

Beer, followed by more beer, followed by hot tub followed by Irish Whiskey. Temps tonight due to fall to mid minus 20s but as it is clear I suspect it could go lower. Certainly beer was freezing to the inside of the bottle in the hot tub tonight and the moon and stars were stunning. Four days of significant snow forecast from Wednesday - bring it on.