Snow conditions were great but visibility wasn't. Freezing fog made the goggles clog. After searching for a no fog area, I ended up in the trees @ Snorting Elk Bowl. The snow was creamy good. After doing the bowl, I stayed on a high traverse to catch more vert in the mini bowl below the GV Chair.
This is were I did the dumbest move ever on skis. I traversed skiiers right, high above the usual traverse. The snow looked great, but I knew there were some small cliff bands in the area. (50') I stopped, hesitated, was going to turn around, traverse low, and check out the line and recon and go back if it looked good. Like an idiot, I went forward on what was an old traverse track, with fresh snow on top. My right, uphill ski hooked a slab of crust, popped out of the ski, lost my balance , spun me around, falling backwards.
At this point I'm in shock, because I know I'm going over this cliff, falling backward, rag dolling, seeming like I'm not going to stop, the other ski gets ripped off, just hoping nothing breaks or a cracked skull. (Time to invest in a helmet).
I finally stop. In a sitting position, face full of snow. I first check to see if I have my goggles. They are still there. Poles still strapped to hands. But skis are way up the hill. The top ski above the cliff band. I start laughing , happy I'm not banged up. But then realize, it's going to take a while to fetch my skis. About an hour. Climbing back up a steep cliff band, sinking in 4' of snow, I learned a good lesson. As I climbed this chute through the cliff band , I was hoping I wouldn't fall again. Trying to climb through rock, some packed snow, loose snow in alpine boots in kind of scary.
Lesson learned: Recon your route first. Be patient. Don't jump in without assesing the situation.
When I got home my right wrist started to ache. A little Bayer Back and Body Pain Pill and some Ben Gay did the trick.
