November 11 - Stolen Winter Day

Went out looking for snow at Empire in Deer Valley and found all of a couple of inches. The skin up was OK, However, due to the ridiculously thin snow "cover", what was then planned to be a skin down became a ski carry and walk down all but the flattest spots. Although always happy to steal a winter day, this one required enough extra work to make one think one may not be that talented a thief after all... In any way with temps of 18 F at the parking lot and both wind and Dynafit bindings freezing on top of McConkey's it felt like a somewhat legit snow day. Here are the pictures:

Jupiter Peak still needing a few more storms...

Loki in the foreground and Guardsman's Pass in the center-right behind him. 

Sundog is always a good snow trap, you can even see some turns in the lower
part, likely from after the October storm.

View down McConkey's bowl.

Clayton Peak (in Brighton ski resort aka Majestic), elevation 10,721.

Clomping around Guardsman's Pass - The Return

A few days ago we went out with for our objective the Hidden Canyon Saddle (between Clayton Peak 10,721 and Peak 10,420) on the Guardsman's Pass to Clayton Peak ridgeline. That day we didn’t make it all the way mainly because of our route being just enough off that we missed our objective. So, we went back there today and nailed it!

We started the tour with a skin from Empire Lodge up Orion slope and from there crossed over to Bonanza Flats where the Old State Route 152 and Pine Canyon Rd meet. From there we aimed square for Bloods Lake at about 9,500’. After that, we followed the summer trail towards Lake Lackawaxen and about halfway into the trail we took a hard left (west) towards the headwall under the pass, then skinned it up, et voila!

For the return we contoured, on skins, 10,420’ on the Big Cottonwood side and so skinned through part of Hidden Valley, then onto Sunny Glades and into Promised Land which holds amazing ski lines. Once we made it back to the Guardsman's Pass ridgeline it was skis on the back (not enough snow to ski down) down to Guardsman's Pass. After that, still walking, it was down Old State Route 152. Then it was a skin back up a service road to Deer Valley and down Ontario back to the Empire Lodge.

This does not qualify for a glamorous Wasatch bluebird powder day. However, it’s was still beautiful and it’s always fun to figure out the terrain and approach when you make up your own tour!

Here are the pictures (click to enlarge):

The ridgeline.

Mike, Loki, and Skadi at a frozen Bloods Lake.

On top Peak 10,420 dominating Bloods Lake.

The white field in the center is the slope just under Hidden Valley Pass.

View of upper Big Cottonwood Canyon while contouring the "backside"
of Peak 10,420. In the Center is Mount Wolverine with, to its right,
Mount Millicent, and to its left Mount Tuscarora,

Beyond and above Twin Lakes Pass (center) is
Mount Superior in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Mike walking down the ridgeline to Guardsman's
Pass. This was a skin up, skin down, climb, hike up
and down with your skis on your back. Anything
but actual skiing! Time for more snow!

Clomping around Guardsman's Pass - 11-09-2017

We decided that with our really thin snow "cover" we needed to go highish. However, also wanting what could pass for a ski out, we picked the gate where the 224 is closed for the winter. That would be our starting point and how we got back to the car. Other than that the objective would be the Hidden Canyon Saddle between Clayton Peak and Peak 10,420 on the Guardsman's Pass to Clayton Peak ridgeline.

We skinned from the winter road closure gate to Empire Pass and from there on to where the Old State Route 152 and Pine Canyon Rd meet. From that point, we crossed over and into the Bonanza Flats. After that, it was all improvisation.

One thing that surprised us a bit was the one foot plus snow depth on the north facing as we got higher on fairly steep terrain towards the ridgeline. A bigger surprise yet was that the snow audibly settled on that very avalanche-prone terrain. As a consequence, we rerouted towards more benign terrain and made it to the ridgeline which turned out to be an awesome viewpoint for lunch break.

The return started with a walk, skis on the back, on the ridgeline to Guardsman's Pass. After that, we were planning on skiing down Old State Route 152 but the snow was so thin we would have ended up in a protracted stone grinding session of our bases on the pavement. So we walked half of it and glided the rest where the cover was marginally thicker. Then it was a skin back up to Empire Pass and the anticipated "ski out" on the 224 down to the gate.

As you can see this is not your glamorous Wasatch bluebird powder day. was the skiing fun? Nope. Is it fun being out exploring terrain using any excuse to put skis on? You betcha!

Here are a few pictures (click to enlarge):

From Bonanza Flats looking up to Guardsman's Pass

The unnamed peak 10,420. Our initial objective
was the Hidden Canyon Saddle to its left.

Mike breaking trail towards Bloods Lake.

This picture was not taken today but is useful to give a better idea of the
overall lay of the land. The far right of the picture just cuts off Guardsman's
Pass. Going left, the first knob is point 10.200, after that the pointy
on is peak 10,420, then the deep pass is Hidden Canyon
Saddle and then Clayton Peak (center-left of picture) at 10,721'.

PCMR is Getting Ready for the 2017/2018 Season

PCMR has already been making snow. Seeing the temperatures in the forecast they do have some reasons to expect it's not all a wasted effort. The pictures below are taken just below the old angle station so at just about 8,000’ or so (click to enlarge):

Skadi LOVES the snow - even the fake kind...

Dashing through the snow...

Loki & Skadi duking it out.

The snow may be fake but the ambiance is grand!

Snow in the Cottonwoods

Was up on my weekly hike to Jupiter this morning in lower grade stormy weather. Got a peek into Big & Little Cottonwood and the snow is still clinging on to some North and North-East facing slopes. The dogs and I actually got snowed on. It was only flurries but it sure sets the right ambiance.

It is confirmed that Loki is still addicted to trouble. Last time it was a solid gash on his left upper leg, this time it involved a porcupine (see the last picture below).

Here are the pictures (click to enlarge):

In the center Mt Wolverine BCC, in the distance to the left Sugarloaf LCC.

What snow flurries over Park City look like from 10,000 feet.

What Loki looks like after a close encounter with a porcupine...

Mobile Powder Response Unit

Saw this ambulance repurposed as an RV the other day in Park City. Far and away the coolest snowmobile I’ve ever seen! This guy is winning at life. The back and side say, "Mobile Powder Response Unit". Furthermore, the back has an all capitalized “SNOWEMERGENCY”. The front seems to have a SNOWEMERGENCY in reverse just like the ambulance have an "AMBULANCE" in reverse for the benefit of your rear-view mirror. 

If you, the owner of this awesome vehicle, read this, identify yourself, take credit, and tell us about the inside of the vehicle and your travels! (I greyed out you plates to protect what's left of your privacy...)

Here are the pictures (click to enlarge):

Here is the response unit in all its glory. Seemingly in its summer
config with a mountain bike on top (this picture I found on the Net).

The same vehicle from the back. This is the picture I took from my car
last Thursday on the I80 at the Park City (Kimball Junction) exit.

2nd Ski of the Season

Yesterday it was back to the Timpanogos “glacier” (click here for the last post on this). Several people, seeing my skis on my back on the way down, asked if I had skied the “glacier” so I guess that terminology survives the realities on the ground. At 20 degrees, it was pretty cold when I started at the trailhead at 7am.

Within about 30 min of the start, we got charged by a huge and possessed moose. The hero of the day was Loki (Australian cattle dog) that knew exactly what to do to get that thing off of Skadi’s and my back. This was a cow with her calf and eventually, Loki got them to escape down the valley. I am eternally grateful because, for a while there, I could feel this moose’s breath…

This was animal day and we got to see mountain goat too. They, however, didn’t charge us. Later Skadi had an afternoon snack (see picture below) on a goat.

The skiing was less exciting than a powder day but more fun than church… As seems to always be the case for me at the Timpanogos snowfield, the skiing is average but the experience is semi-epic!

Here are the pictures (click to enlarge):

One of the day's goats. There were quite a
few of them but this one was closest.

Loki on top - Skadi just below.

Nice ice falls add to the wintry feel.

My gear and the dogs at the shelter.

The snowfield held a little less fresh snow than
 two weeks ago but is still looking pretty darn good.

It was cold enough to make it, at least in parts, feel like a glacier.

The higher part of the snowfield.
The saddle is at about 11,300'

On the lower field, you can see my up-track (trampled by the dogs). 

Skadi keeping watch over my skis.

Skadi having her afternoon snack...