Feb 12-13: Choose your own adventure (Burn Ck, v2)

If you're looking for unlimited untracked lines in the backcountry (and aren't all TAY-readers?), have I got a plan for you!

First, pull out your copy of TOPO! or navigate to mapper.acme.com and find a spot that you've never heard of anyone skiing before.  Perhaps you've hiked there in summer months (er... heard about people hiking there - you personally wouldn't ever go anywhere without boards on your feet, would you?).  Perhaps you've heard it's pretty.  And look, there are lots of slopes on various aspects, some with trees, some without.  Plenty of fun could be had there.

Of course, this spot should require some amount of slogging to get to. Otherwise everyone else would be skiing there.  To get far enough out to make sure other yahoos won't be around, make sure you need an overnight pack.  Don't forget to pack some chocolate, lest your ski partner need a pick-me-up mid-slog.

Other people might be willing to slog too, so if it's solitude that you're truly after, make sure that carrying skis on your back for at least a few miles is necessary.  Bushwhacking at this stage is optional; a forest service road ski-carry will suffice.

After leaving the road, you'll want to make sure that your route crosses at least 37 creeks and streams that aren't covered with snow.

And just to ensure that you'll really have first tracks for yourself all day long, make sure that a storm is forecast for the weekend.  Forecast winds of fifty miles per hour or so at 5000' should suffice clear out the riff-raff.

Now that you've got your USGS quads out and have picked a pretty lake to camp next to, I should warn you about a couple of things.

First, Dynafit posts break, sometimes at the most inopportune times.  Like, say, halfway into a two-day ski trip.  If your ski partner has qualms about Dyna-tele'ing with a large pack on her back, she may convince you that traversing over to a forest service road will be the best way to return to the car.  This process may consume such a large part of your day that your dreams of lapping on any tasty slopes may evaporate.

Second, heavy packs, traverses, and sore knees are great materials for f-bombs.  Your best defense may involve hiding a safe distance behind a tree and throwing chocolate at your ski partner.  So pack lots of chocolate.

On the other hand, sometimes things go much, much better than expected.  Storms sometimes hit at night and clear out for bluebird skies in the morning.  And sometimes your ski partner is still talking to you after such an adventure!

An example of such a silly route: http://www.flickr.com/photos/susanashlock/5445971058/in/set-72157626049382418/lightbox/