Flat Light

Nora on the top half of the 'Waterfall Run'

Back from Fairbanks and back skiing with Nora!

I got back Saturday and on Sunday Nora and I went for our first ski in a few weeks.  I was hopeful that we would find powder, and we did find some pockets of the stuff.  But mostly everything has been blown away or is a little crusty.  Nora and I were just glad to be on the mountain again.

On the way up we saw a snowboarder doing jumps off of a cornice.  We stopped and took his picture.  I think he was excited to get his picture taken and we later emailed him some photos.

The top of the mountain is all blown ice so we opted to do the 'Waterfall Run' from the top of the 'Jibber Bowl'.  Nora has never done this run before and it is also the steepest run she has ever done.  In the end Nora did not mind the steepness at all and did not even slide slip any sections.  But she did not like the 'grippy' crust and flat light.

Welcome to flat light!  Flat light conditions is when you are happy to be skiing through alders.  They give a sense of depth and perspective.  Alders provide something dark in a white world.
Patrick

Skinning back to the car - that's the waterfall run on the left