Crusty Cross Country Ski

 

Yesterday Nora and I took the doggies for a cross country ski along the Upper Buskin River.  The snow was crusty and fast and while we skied it softened up in the sunshine.  There was not a breath of wind.  It was pretty perfect.  I also realized that these days the sun is much higher in the sky than it was earlier this winter.  Back in December when I was skiing every day on the Upper Buskin the sun never cleared the Barometer Mountain ridge.

I'm not sure if the extra sunshine is such a great thing because it means the snow will melt more quickly.  But for the next week or so I'm not so sure the extra sunshine will matter much. It is supposed to be extremely warm, wet and gloomy.  We'll probably lose all of our snow in the Upper Buskin River valley.  So good thing we caught the sunshine and the snow while the getting was good!

Patrick

Back to the other side

 Yesterday Nora and I drove with the dogs to the pass and found breakable crust.  Yuck.   Horrible ski conditions.  So rather than climb up Pyramid and ski the steeps, we opted to basically go for a cross country ski on the more gentle slopes on the other side of the road above the ski chalet.

This is where I used to take Nora and Stuey when they were learning how to ski, but Nora and I had not gone over there for downhill skiing in almost 2 years.  It is where I like to backcountry skate ski when the conditions are right.  We had a low key ski with amazing views.  The snow might not have been good but there was no wind and the sun was shining.

It was also a trip down memory lane.  Nora commented on how 'small all the hills looked'.  Back in the day the hills were big challenges, but now they were basically bunny slopes.  Then for our descent we basically had to ski like beginners to negotiate the breakable crust.  Lots of snow plowing, pizza turns, and long traverses.  But these days those ski maneuvers represent advanced backcountry ski technique for negotiating breakable crust.  

Patrick

Sunshine and Snow

 

I love it when it snows and does not rain at the end of the storm.  Then the sun comes out and it is clear, cold and bright.  That happened this week.

It means I do not have to go very far to enjoy the snow.  It is light and fluffy right in my front yard.  I took the dogs for a walk in the park and brought my skis along with me.  There is not enough snow to ski on the hiking trails in the park, but there is enough snow on the frozen lake for perfect cross country skiing.  I skated around the lake in the sunshine with the dogs chasing me.  Then we walked back through the spruce forest - all the trees covered with new snow and the sunlight filtering through.

Patrick

The wind was blowing the new snow off of the trees and it caught the sunlight

Eagle nest along the shore of Buskin Lake

Doggies checking on the 'p' mail at the park

Weekend Skiing

 

This past weekend on Pyramid the ski conditions were not all that good.  On Saturday we had hoped for snow at the pass and ended up climbing up in the rain and skiing in a whiteout.  Then on Sunday it was pretty icy.  But it was skiing and there is enough snow that you can ski to the road.  I can remember winters when we never skied all the way to the road, and had to hike up to and back down from the snow every time we went skiing.

And despite the conditions I was happy to be up there - even in the rain!

Patrick

Doggie Conditions

 

I try not to take the dogs skiing when the snow is soft and deep.  In soft snow the dogs post hole and get bogged down. I worry that they will hurt their knees (blow their ACL).  I do take them XC skiing in deep snow because then they can just follow in my tracks.  But chasing me downhill and struggling in deep snow is something I try and avoid.  

So basically when the downhill skiing is good the dogs do not get to go. This is not totally true; in late spring when the snow pack has settled we do get good corn snow conditions that is also good doggie snow conditions. But mid winter - good doggie snow conditions means bad skiing snow.

Yesterday was definitely doggie snow conditions.  It was solid ice on the mountain top.  I rattled along and endured it while the doggies loved it!

Gloomy Walks

 

After last weekend's sunshine and crisp weather it has been a pretty wet and gloomy week.  Some snow, then rain and fog, then more rain.  But I don't really mind because we've been getting snow on the mountain.  We need the snow.

In the evening I've been taking the dogs for walks.  Yes the walks are a little dark, but I kind of like the moodiness.  It is beautiful in its own way.  When you go for a walk in the rain and fog in the summer it has a totally different feel - it's warm and green.  Winter rain is stark and bleak.

Patrick