BIG WINDS, GUSTING over 50 mph, kept a lot of people out of the backcountry. In fact, on our way up Power Line from the Alta Access Road, Brad and I climbed with three other skiers who returned to the road from the Power Line saddle.
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| [hiking back to car; happy] |
We continued over the ridge and skied a near white-out down into the Benson Bowl area, and then did two laps before turning back to the ridge line for the drop back into Little Cottonwood. Several days of accumulation had been redistributed into natural collection points, created some wind-loaded slabs that appeared stable, with only a few cracks and short releases. A warm flow brought in surges of pellet-like grauple, propelled by fierce winds that several times sent us into drop-and-cover mode. Later, when we got back to home base, Brad checked reports from the Superior weather station which clocked wind gusts of up to 100 mph before it crapped out.
But the unqualified jewel of the day was our home run back down to the car which was about 1500 feet of consolidated but creamy powder. Later, on the phone to my girlfriend in New York, she asked about the day. I told her: probably a walk through hell for most folk, but heaven for us backcountry people.
Day's Vertical: 3,200. Season to Date: 5,700.
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