Day 70 not what we were promised but still pretty bloody good

Lets start with last nights hockey. Just as I predicted the score was of no account (the Riders won 8-4) but markers were being put down for the play offs that start next week. The result was that over 300 penalty minutes were awarded (a franchise record) and at the end the two teams only had two and four players on the bench instead of the usual ten due to game misconducts and the game didn't end until after 10:30 instead of the usual 10 due to fighting. Can't wait until next weeks play offs.

The forecast was for temps to drop to -5 overnight with snow. In the event we got temps that never went below about +1 and the precip was rain with a little wet snow but by the morning it had turned to solid rain. The report from the hill said 16 cms of fresh, the base up to 252 cms, wet granular at the bottom and powder at the top. With a report like that there was only one game in town, go high and stay high - we went to the New Side.

First run down through Puff trees felt a bit heavy and with White Pass closed for avi control a further run through Black Cloud confirmed that the powder was indeed heavy. Next loop White Pass had opened and we had a straight run back in surprisingly soft powder and pretty deep, and so firm that you weren't touching bottom.

With a lot closed we did many loops through Surprise Trees getting further across into the boonies each time and having to hike back a bit further along Trespass Trail but for fresh tracks it was well worth it. Late Morning Anaconda Glades opened and we were tipped off by a patroller buddy we were riding the lift with so we grabbed very early tracks there plus first tracks in the trees to the left of Bootleg Glades. Another lap of that and we were ready for lunch but then they opened Currie bowl.

We just hit the top of White Pass as the fence dropped and as usual the big crowds dashed for 1-2-3s and Currie Glades. We kept out nerve and although the County Line was close the low traverse was open so we hit out as far as we could. Two patrollers were cutting their way up the Easter so that left me with first tracks in any of the front runs of my choice. I chose Cougar Glades and had what to date is probably the run of the season. Deep untracked tree skiing all the way down and really fast. After that loops of Stag Leap (two tracks ahead of us) and the Brain (on track ahead which disappeared soon after the start) it was time for a very late lunch.

After lunch it was back to the New Side for a drop down the chutes on the right of Easter from the top of Skydive and then a right hook into Spinal Tap which was very deep and easy skiing all the way down. Next the Brain but this time staying hard left and left of the creek bed. This gave very tight steep tree skiing particularly on the final section down to the cat track which was just awesome in the hero snow and best of all untracked even that late in the day.

Of course we then had the final rip down Skydive which was a bit bumpy in the top but then tracked but great soft snow for a maximum speed rip for a finish.

Great day - temps +4 coming off the hill, a cool down and rain turning to snow in the forecast so tomorrow could be a repeat performance. One of the best days so far all the better because expectations were so low.