Opening Day '09-10

Hallelujah! The wait is over. Summer is exceptionally torturous for me. Today I got my first turns of the 2009-2010 season. Even though I'd gotten a little spoiled the last two seasons getting multiple ski days in October, today was by far the best opening day turns I've had. It had been snowing on and off all week and I knew that there was a good 45-60cm/18-24 inch base. There was a storm forecasted to snow about 6 inches last night with dropping freezing levels and clearing to sun, so I figured that would be a pretty good day to have a look. Well, the storm came and then the sun came and the freezing levels dropped and the wind dried out the snow brilliantly making it positively non-traditional Island snow, which is normally more akin to concrete than the Utah powder I'm used to. And...to top it all of it snowed 30-40cms/12-16 inches of blower snow instead of the 6 inches forecasted. Needless to say today was a good day. Trailbreaking was a bit of work, but that always means the turns are going to be that much better. I went on a solo mission today and skinned up some of the runs at the local hill so no real skiing or touring photos, but enjoy what I got. GOOD DAY!

Happy to be back in winter and breaking trail.



Gorgeous.



I skinned up to the saddle between Mt. Washington peak and a subpeak and then went all the way up to the subpeak on my second lap. Here's looking down at the Ocean from the saddle. Surreal place to be.



My skin track up to the saddle.



Do I have anything in my teeth?



Great views into Strathcona Park looking at Mt. Albert Edward at left and Mt. Reagan on the right.



The contrast on this photo wasn't the best, but some sweet turns were had.



A look at the rocky NW face of Mt. Washington. They use an avalauncher to control parts of that face and the bowl below it.



Glad I got it when I did, because in typical Island fashion it's supposed to rain 80-90mm in the mountains starting Sunday. YUCK! Fortunately more snow on the way next week.