January 18, 2003, Green Mountain

A late evening phone conversation, guilt over neglecting ski partners from past trips and an understanding wife all coalesced into a bleary-eyed 4:30am start with steaming Drug Mug in hand.

Road bare to ~2800'.  High clearance 4x4 could probably get you pretty stuck at ~3200'.

Trail in trees bare with occasional patches of snow.  Hiked to about ~4400' level then skinned through open slopes with low coverage and avalanche debris to ~5000'.  North facing bowl at lake filled with nice powder.

Southern slopes below Green Mountain summit suitable for skiing.  4" - 6" of new (from last storm) snow on thick ice crust easily dislodged.  Wet snow slides triggered by carving turns on steepest portion of slope near summit.  Snow sliding on ice crust and very slow moving.  All slides easily stopped by any terrain variation.

Lower slopes great skiing!!  Yo-yoed 2500'.  Snow on lower slopes beginning to from crust after sun down.

North slopes all wind loaded and slabby (but, great powder).  No skiing attempted.

Temperature on summit 45 degrees F.  

This trip in January.  Never would have believed it!  Snow is very thin on southern aspects below 4500'