Mark Renson
New member
In the parking lot in the woods at 8:30, <BR>we gathered and assembled for a big day. We <BR>shared beta and I was disappointed to learn that <BR>wind slab had plagued the other side of the <BR>mountain. But, I had to show the other 2 some <BR>gems and I had to check out some work I had <BR>performed last Summer. <BR> <BR> Up the gentle slope we skinned with Aaron <BR>and Jim setting a blistering pace. I was <BR>astounded at how quickly we got to the sacred rock <BR>high above our starting point. We set the skin <BR>track for the day, as well. It was also very <BR>cold at our high point - some "warm spell". <BR> <BR> I did find our well hidden entrance ..... <BR>that was also untracked. WOW!! .... what wind <BR>slab? Great turns were had and Jim really <BR>ripped. I was "The Guide" and I did something <BR>dumb - I got greedy. I suggested taking a right <BR>turn in order to find the work I had done. Bad <BR>move. We got caught up in schwack and had to <BR>bushwack back to the left. We found a line and <BR>kept up some great turns in the untracked, <BR>finding some snow in spots to be a bit "grabby" <BR>down to a James Bond Traverse back to the skin <BR>track. Not much time was wasted as we got the <BR>skins back on and charged up, showing no weakness. <BR> <BR> Being the Purist PITAs we are, we adhered <BR>to local custom (or at least what we perceive as <BR>local custom) and went the extra 100 yards to the <BR>sacred rock. <BR> <BR> Temps seemed even colder. We got greedy again <BR>and went for the same chute we took on our first <BR>run, but did not make the same mistake as we <BR>zoomed past on some sweet very light untracked on <BR>a firm edgeable base. This time, Jim suggested <BR>taking a right and whaddya' know, we somehow <BR>found what I had tried to bag before. Our <BR>spirits picked up even higher as we found even <BR>better snow with none of the slight grabbiness we <BR>encountered before. <BR> <BR> Back to the uptrack we went after the <BR>powder party and we had one more ascent to cram <BR>in before we had to go back to the parking lot <BR>far below. Greed was driving us, again as we <BR>stormed up to the top. This time we eschewed <BR>going to the sacred rock in order to stay <BR>warmer. Again, we used the same starting point, <BR>but as the descent went on, Jim's powder nose and <BR>powder greed brought us to the finest line which <BR>had the finest snow of the day! The problems of <BR>scratchy surfaces, variable conditions and wind <BR>slab that had been plaguing Vermont were not to <BR>be found and instead, we had stellar powder <BR>conditions. <BR> <BR> At the James Bond Traverse, we considered <BR>dropping into a line below, but opted for some <BR>glades on the side of the established trail, <BR>instead. We had enough steam, determination and <BR>greed surging through our veins for another <BR>ascent (probably 2 - we were on top of our game, <BR>today), but reality dictated otherwise. Found <BR>some nice snow in the glades below and schussed <BR>out to the parking lot. <BR> <BR> In the lot, Aaron's altimeter cranked out <BR>a 4600 foot day reading. Our only disappointment <BR>was that we didn't have enough time for 7000 feet <BR>and I'm sure we coulda' physically done it and <BR>loved it.