Studying the cafeteria weather station and trail closure map before the lifts started spinning, I noticed the temperature at 34 degrees and a howling gale outside. Hmm, Cascade snowmageddon deja vu?
A demo ski attendant told me to start the day at Millie, and luckily I met Lucy the local who led me down lap after lap of luscious Cascade powder for an hour and a half, not quite up to Utah standards. Having to leave for home chores, she advised me what runs to ski next, off lifts over by the main lodge. There I was fortunate to find another local, Adam, who guided me into knee deep untracked lines of tree skiing. The K Wilds and silaswild were loving it, worth the long drive from Seattle.
Unfortunately on the fifth or sixth time through the trees, I found the lightly covered twigs and branches and got some undesired face shots. Into the lodge for a break, I found that I was soaked by the inch and a half per hour wet snow fall in breezy conditions. Shortly after noon, I decided to head down and save some energy for a big day tomorrow with Lucy and her posse, hopefully in lighter winds and more of the mountain open.
Six inches of heavy new snow in four hours made half the drive down Big Cottonwood canyon challenging; but I heard folks who left the area at 4PM needed an hour and a half to make the 15 miles. I got my entertainment on the drive up I-80 to my friend's condo taking an hour thanks to State Patrol checking each vehicle for chains or 4WD.
