Well this is it, the only proof that we went out at all.  Many thanks to Wade and absolutely no thanks to me who forgot both a gopro and my camera. doh!

The lack of pictures and/or video are a shame because today was...amazing!  it wasn't the BEST snow, it certainly wasn't the best conditions, it got all the up to a balmy 4 degrees for example (unless the wind was blowing and it got down to -12) but the snow that was there was just right for 25-30 degrees of tree skiing, bouncy, light and damp.  It meant you could really open it up and not worry about scrubbing speed before being pummeled by a tree. 

It ended up being about a 2 1/2 hour tour for 2.5 miles.  So for math fans out there it meant we covered a mile...and hour.  yeah it was slow, but at least it was pretty.

Check out the map here

This Friday I took off work to ski with my brothers at the bird, it was great!  I wont bore you with details but the the snow (about 2-3 feet of it) was light, the sky turned blue and we skied until we blew up.  Ben almost literally when he nailed that rock at full clip.

Anyway, check out the video in the player above or on YouTube for HD and mobile HERE

Normally I would just call it "Davenport" or "flagstaff ridge" but thanks map!  you've shown me the error of my ways!

Wade and I got to get out for the first real ski this year, last time was just too much snow and not enough slope.



We got started around 630, in the dark (and me without a headlamp) and decided that although the snow on the south facing emma ridge was going to be poor relative to other slopes, we wanted to start out on something safe and secure to build up avalanche confidence. 


 I've said it before and I'll say it again.  I LOVE watching the sun rise on the Wasatch!




 It took us about an hour and half to get to the top because of some slipper snow and step kick turns (check out the map)

and once at the tops we went left to get the snow that would, hopefully, be a little more wind sheltered...it wasn't.  On the plus side, it was vary variable so even though it was tough most of the time, it was creamy in a few places.


And most importantly, it was a blast.


Check out this cool jump wade...


...oh I guess you saw it.  Bye wade.

There will be a video on YouTube soon.  I will link to it here.  In the mean time, check out the mytracks.


View Davenport 122112 in a larger map

Stupid title for a stupid post.  This is just an invite to all members of the URC who are on google+ to check out the community I created to do multi-way chats, hangouts and announcements easier.  

Every now and again, cool stuff falls into my lap that changes things a little, the Skidmap project was one of those and now, in that vein, wasatchbackcountryskiing.com.  I haven't had a chance to really explore it as of yet, but it appears to be a complete listing of every known major route in the wasatach AND know avalanche fatality spots.  Pretty solid.  It will be added to the link list so check it out. 

First off, let me hit the highlights:

24 inches in 24 hours
48 base
15% to 8% to 3% density

Thats according to alta.com

What we actually measured was 140 cm to the old snow...on saturday before the storm finished.

140 cm is over 4 and half feet!  55 inches!

And still coming!

Okay so the plan was to do gunsight, like I have done in the past with both great success and great failure.  Its not a big tour, but its tradition.  Every year I've had a good gunsight tour, its been a good ski year, every year I didn't have a good tour, it wasn't great and last year I didn't get to go at all and we all know how that turned out.   Im not a superstitious type but this winter is pretty much down to me having a good season opener.

It didn't start well, Wade got to my place at 9 like we planned but the power just went out and so we had to run to get a generator for my dad who is on a by-pap.  After that we had to clear the driveway so he could get around, so we got a late start.  No biggie.  Wade also forgot his skins, which was very very bad until I remembered my spare set, cut for 169/80's and we put them on his 178/105's.  I was pretty worried about CSF  (congenital skin failure) as it has happened to people in my party more times than I care to count (turns out they killed it!)

So back to gunsight, we started hiking up, past the warning signs telling us not to go up until we were stopped by a patroler on a snow mobile telling us to pack it in or face a fine.  Normally I would blow it off but he said they would be bombing in that area that day (they didn't BTW).  So I didn't get to do gunsight, which was a bummer and we headed down to start up the summer road to try out toms ridge, since that was about all I could handle with my death cough that I had been dealing with.



It worked....sort of.  Turns out there IS too much of a good thing.  Because of the snow was so deep we couldn't break free and just plowed, chest deep, through it.  A steeper slope would have fixed it, but a steeper slow would be a no go because of the amount of snow.  Catch 22.




We still had a great time, as evidenced by Wade's smile, and even made some new friends.  Hey Chris!

All in all it was pretty good for a first outting, no one died or got injured, I got to try out my new custom fit boots

(thanks BTW to Inkline footscience and Chris for putting in the extra hours)



yeah.  It was so good even being stuck was a good time.

Check out the google map here

And download the earth file here