Go find something silk, anything. Touch the silk very lightly to your cheek, stroke your cheek. Soft and smooth. The snow today is that smooth. Boot top deep and silky. The skiing is tremendous. J, T and I uptrack on Mohawk today with the knowledge the sun has not been on the slope, there has been no wind and it has snowed 20cm since yesterday. No one has skied there in two days. We win. 5 trips up and 5 outstanding runs.
On the way up we talk. It is funny but both J and I remember driving through mountains, staring out the window and wondering if this snow patch or that would be skiable. At that time there was little back country activity. We both knew there were people out there that did such but it was a very small group who ventured off the piste. Occasionally I would hike up Parker’s Ridge in my alpine boots with my skis over my shoulder, but skiing was mostly done at the resort.
The backcountry gear is much more accessible these days. There are many more folks participating in this fringe activity. I’ve done it for about 15 years and there has been a significant increase in the numbers on what was once an almost private paradise. Most still have no idea why I would walk up a mountain to ski down when I pass several chairlifts on my way to the uptrack.
Today is the reason why. 5 runs on wonderful terrain in boot top powder so soft you could blow it away with a good puff of breath. Ya it is a lot of work to climb a mountain 5 times in a day but the downtrack is worth every step.
