Cinco de Summerland

Lightweight Dave and I met up eary at the Starbucks in the "claw" for a bike-ski adventure to Summerland.  At the snowpark/NPS gate, we met three youngsters heading up with bikes to do liberty ridge; too ambitious for this old man.  Dave and I liberally duct-taped the skis to the bikes (road, not mountain, asphalt all the way to frying pan crick).  After 9 miles of riding, I sure didn't envy the liberty ridge folks with their 60 pound packs.  Next time I'm taking the Burley trailer (I thought I retired that thing after the kids outgrew it).  The riding was hard , but so cool, empty 410 with the snow from last night falling from the trees, Elk skittering in front of us, glorious views of Crystal Lakes Peaks and Tamanos. 
Dave and I arrived at the Summerland trailhead and switched over to skis.  We were able to skin from the road, although some of the creek crossings were a bit sketchy. It was uplifting knowing we were all alone in this section of the Park.  After reading about the hordes about to descend upon Paradise, it was clear we chose the right trip for us.  Arriving at Summerland, there was clearly some avy problems associated with the foot of new snow in the past week.  Many pinwheel slides and significant releases off of Frying Pan Glacier.  My god, there is so much skiing up here, reminds me of the north cascades.  Dave ran low on gas, and with the avy danger considerable, I did some laps on tree covered ridges above summerland While Dave took a well deserved nap.  I really want to go back for a full weekend to do Goat Island, and maybe even little T (Dave and I did that about 8 years ago, it was fabulous).
With time running out, Dave and I did the carnival ride down the trail, back to the road.  Crazy high speed forest skiing, it was a hoot.  At the trailhead, tape the sticks back on the bikes and ride on back to the truck.  total trip 27 miles, lots of peace and quiet, great views.  Oh yeah, we did some skiing as well.  A great 104th month for me!