What a difference a few inches can make...

This is my 20th outing of the 24/25 season, and the few inches of snow that fell between Christmas night and Friday completely transformed the Williams Lake trail. What was once rutted and rundown now feels like a magical winter wonderland. With five to six inches of fresh snow, everything around you is pure white and glistening!

Check out some pictures from yesterday. The first two? Let’s call them: “Find the avalanche path...”

Looking over Williams Lake to Lake Fork Peak, elev. 12,881'.

View of the southern ridge line.

Wind plume over Wheler Peak, elevation 13,161'

Lake Fork Peak through the trees.

The bog above and south of Williams Lake.

Frozen lakes and rivers, known as the "Highways of Winter," 

were used by Stone Age skiers. Thanks to these natural 

pathways, they could often travel farther and faster 

in winter than during the warmer seasons.

12 days of skiing so far this season, and I can't wait for the next storm!

Saying that backcountry snow conditions are "variable" right now is putting it mildly. That said, getting 11 ski days in by November is definitely a privilege, so there’s no room for complaints.

Here’s the breakdown of those 11 November days plus one in December: 10 backcountry days, 1 resort day, and 1 mixed day (backcountry in the early morning, resort in the later morning).

The first two pictures are from Thanksgiving Day at the resort, and the other three are from today in the Wheeler Wilderness.

View up the glacial moraines below Lake Fork Peak.

More moraines.

Picking a route through rocks and rock wells...