Recon of Arctic Valley

I didn't get done with work and school stuff till 2pm on Saturday, and Ry was at home studying all day, so when I walked in the door, he was like, "lets go skiing!" The obvious place is Arctic Valley, or the rest of the front range, but we have a favorite couloir that is north facing and tends to get filled in. So away we went.

Ryan Skinning up the Valley to Gordon Lyon

 

There was obviously not enough snow up there, our usual path was nothing but bushes. Ryan was his usual optimistic self, "this is awesome, its going to be great up there" as we skinned over grass, wind slab, and breakable crust, the mountains around us scoured by the wind. "uh huh, I think the snow is going to be shitty" I keep repeating. But nonetheless we did agree that it was a beautiful day and that it was worth the excercise.

Our Favorite Grass Skinning

 

We got to the top and looked over the edge with great anticipation...it was filled in....at least for 300 feet. Two thirds of the run looked bare. Ryan was still game, "its going to be sick powder", I threw a rock over the edge, and it sank, the third one made its entrance through an obviously crusty layer.

Our Shadows

 

Unfortunately it wasn't fluffy powder, but variable breakable crust. Out of all the possibilities for snow to lay, this is my least favorite. Ry turned and tumbled, rolled, and made another turn. "Its kinda shitty down here" he says. "Yeah I'm definitely not going down that" I say. "I don't want to go down either" he says. "Come back up" I say. And thats how the day went.

Ryan Skiing

 

Its snowing right now though, and when its good up there, its so worth it. Super fun lines.