April 20, 2008, Tatoosh

After a disappointing report that the gate at Longmire wouldn€™t open until 11:00 AM, Brenda and I decided to go for it anyway. What else would two skiers with no life do on a Sunday afternoon? Yard work? Arrived at Longmire at 9:30 AM and just as we ordered breakfast they announced that the gate was opened.  9:45,  not bad. Canceled our order and off we went. Arrived at Narada to 22F and what appeared to be about 12€ of very light fluff on a very strong crust. Besides another group of 7 skiers  and a small group of snowshoers, and the few overnighters, things seemed very quiet for a Sunday powder day. Lapped the Castle saddle to the road a couple times, with amazing snow quality everywhere.  Pretty much dumped snow most of the day, so visibility was a bit of an issue at times. Stability was good except on steeper angles, as the fluff would slide very easily on the warming crust. I discovered this on Narada face where, after poking out for "better snow" on far skiers left, I suddenly found myself perched on nothing but steep hard crust, with all the good snow below me. Not a pretty sight. Brenda just kind of acted like she didn't know me. At the car the temp was only 26F. Pretty amazing.

We stopped in at the Copper Creek Inn on the way out, and one of my informants reported of some weekend party  in the Paradise parking lot. That explained the lack of interest in skiing the Tatoosh on Sunday. Can€™t wait for a more detailed report.