2 cloud day

Suppose to be an easy day today. Take a trip up to the treeline on Heather Ridge and another trip through the trees for Debbie. She needs a bit more experience to believe she can do it. Oh my, what a gorgeous day. The sky is so blue and so clear. At treeline there is a discussion. Three of us are headed to Mista Vista. Yesterday, C had set a track to the top and it was mostly blown in with snow but it is easier to follow the bits and pieces of the track than break our own trail. M, Debbie and I trudge up. All the way up the snow seems unpredictable. There is 6 or 8 inches of new unaffected snow on top of a fairly but not completely supportive layer. Every tenth step or so I break through.

mistata lodge

It is way more climbing than we had planned but if we are going to get a view from a higher vantage point today is the day.

Top of Mista Vista

Top of Mista Vista

The white mountains with the sky blue back drop is stunning. The sun is out and the heat gain from it is significant. Although it would be a good lunch spot it is a might chilly with the wind.

Skins off, zippers zipped, poles shortened, boots locked into ski mode and down we go. Damn the skiing is great. The snow is fast enough for the gentle slope and turns are easy to make. There are 3 grins as wide as the face they are on. At treeline we stop and find a place in the sun for lunch. It is warm for a winter day but we still have to don extra clothing to avoid getting chilled. It is always amazing, we eat lunch with a million dollar view and we did not have to tip the waiter to get a table at the window.

mistaya lodge

The trees await. Debbie has a little apprehension about the first few turns but after one or two her concentration turns to where the next one will be and progression down happens quite quickly. One kurplunk in the snow and we are at the bottom. This is a rest day and Debbie heads to the lodge. M and I go for one more lap in search of an opening in the cliff band that faces the lodge.

We use the same up track we used this morning so travel is easy. A few extra vertical added to the top of the track and we manage a few more good turns above the treeline. We follow the cliff line to where we thought we should be and we were one gap to far. Six or eight turns and it is our turn to head home.

Short day? I guess so, somehow the skiing is a draw that cannot be passed up. We come home tired again.

 

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