May 3, 2008, Dead Tree Route, Front Range, CO
5/3/08
US elsewhere
1650
1
Day 45
May 3rd, 2008
Snow pack: 66, 4-6 windblown on frozen corn.
Vertical skied: 2,300 VF
The Most Beautiful Spot in all the Front Range
Its funny how things work out.
Destiny, karma, fate, No Bad Days On Skis¦whatever...making lemonade from lemons, now thats the story of my life. The skiing was looking so bad how could one of the poorest ski days turn out so damn good in the end? Dont know, and more importantly, dont care; the sticky sweet elixir of the gods is not to be questioned, only enjoyed. Selah.
I arrived at my usual spot brisk and early, and also as usual, had the place to myself. I imagined myself pushing through a foot of new snow from the snowstorm at the end of the week, but the bare ground of the parking lot and the sustrugi on the snow banks brought me back to my reality on the Front Range: while there may have been a foot of snow yesterday, it is all in Kansas today, and any powder hold outs will be hunkered down in the trees. Par usual.
I plod out of the lot without enthusiasm, following routine more than ambition, and enjoyed the blue sky and calm winds of another day on¦crust. Sun crust, and wind scour. Nice. I smile ruefully and duck into the trees; I feed my head¦
Better now; And look here - the snow in the forest holds no crust, or at least a soft crust. And is that fresh snow down in that gully? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. I ease back out of the dense forest onto the concrete trail no, this wont be that easy.
I have no destination, but seem to be pulled unwillingly up the trail. I think about the possibilities, the areas I have not skied, and weigh my choices. Turn soon and head there or maybe there or - ¦. Damn. I continue to climb my usual trail, perhaps out of morbid habit? The snow along the trail is frozen crap, covered with an inch of powdery dust. Wonderful. But at least the travel is fast. Fast. Good travel snow¦Thats it! The route above the Dead Tree trail a perfect day for figuring out that last bit to¦the ridgeline?
Well, lets find out.
Waynes voice enters my mind from his January trip: You find the route to the ridgeline, His eyes looking above the Dead Tree knowingly, ¦and let me know what you find.
I pass the Dead Tree, and a foot of the skipjack leaning against it has been exposed. The climax of the snow pack has passed, but well over 5 feet of snow remains. I stop again and enjoy the top of the route. Some 1300 VF below me stands the car. Im guessing there will be no more yo-yo skiing this year. Sad, but how this trail has provided this year!
I continue uphill, following the open spots Ive become familiar with on a few forays above the Dead Tree. After a couple hundred feet of climbing, the slope eases off and Im at another junction. To my left are the thumb rocks that ended my travels to the ridgeline in the past, to the right, unknown. Onward into the unknown!
Soon enough (too soon!), and the forest above the flat opens, and the skyline beyond appears on my left holy cow! I reach the ridge crest and turn slowly to take it all in¦above me, a 500 VF bowl rises above the trees, split down the middle by a ridge. Safe in the winter for ascent with two descent options holy cow! The bowl is choppy on the right side where the wind had blasted it, but I can see the south side is a white velvet blanket where the wind has deposited. This is magnificent. I pass a rock outcrop with a few boulder problems, (can it get any better?) and arrive at the steep summit cone. A finger of snow reaches to the rocky top, and I front point it to the summit.
I throw down the board, mute in my revelry. To my right an endless wave of mountains, to my left, another wave. And behind me, the rolling foothills disappearing from view with the plains beyond stretching toward infinity.
No less than 25 times Ive climbed the Dead Tree route, and never would I have thought it could get better. But here, 800 more VF of excellent skiing; all this time!
The most beautiful spot in all of the Front Range, Wayne thats what is above the Dead Tree.
May 3rd, 2008
Snow pack: 66, 4-6 windblown on frozen corn.
Vertical skied: 2,300 VF
The Most Beautiful Spot in all the Front Range
Its funny how things work out.
Destiny, karma, fate, No Bad Days On Skis¦whatever...making lemonade from lemons, now thats the story of my life. The skiing was looking so bad how could one of the poorest ski days turn out so damn good in the end? Dont know, and more importantly, dont care; the sticky sweet elixir of the gods is not to be questioned, only enjoyed. Selah.
I arrived at my usual spot brisk and early, and also as usual, had the place to myself. I imagined myself pushing through a foot of new snow from the snowstorm at the end of the week, but the bare ground of the parking lot and the sustrugi on the snow banks brought me back to my reality on the Front Range: while there may have been a foot of snow yesterday, it is all in Kansas today, and any powder hold outs will be hunkered down in the trees. Par usual.
I plod out of the lot without enthusiasm, following routine more than ambition, and enjoyed the blue sky and calm winds of another day on¦crust. Sun crust, and wind scour. Nice. I smile ruefully and duck into the trees; I feed my head¦
Better now; And look here - the snow in the forest holds no crust, or at least a soft crust. And is that fresh snow down in that gully? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. I ease back out of the dense forest onto the concrete trail no, this wont be that easy.
I have no destination, but seem to be pulled unwillingly up the trail. I think about the possibilities, the areas I have not skied, and weigh my choices. Turn soon and head there or maybe there or - ¦. Damn. I continue to climb my usual trail, perhaps out of morbid habit? The snow along the trail is frozen crap, covered with an inch of powdery dust. Wonderful. But at least the travel is fast. Fast. Good travel snow¦Thats it! The route above the Dead Tree trail a perfect day for figuring out that last bit to¦the ridgeline?
Well, lets find out.
Waynes voice enters my mind from his January trip: You find the route to the ridgeline, His eyes looking above the Dead Tree knowingly, ¦and let me know what you find.
I pass the Dead Tree, and a foot of the skipjack leaning against it has been exposed. The climax of the snow pack has passed, but well over 5 feet of snow remains. I stop again and enjoy the top of the route. Some 1300 VF below me stands the car. Im guessing there will be no more yo-yo skiing this year. Sad, but how this trail has provided this year!
I continue uphill, following the open spots Ive become familiar with on a few forays above the Dead Tree. After a couple hundred feet of climbing, the slope eases off and Im at another junction. To my left are the thumb rocks that ended my travels to the ridgeline in the past, to the right, unknown. Onward into the unknown!
Soon enough (too soon!), and the forest above the flat opens, and the skyline beyond appears on my left holy cow! I reach the ridge crest and turn slowly to take it all in¦above me, a 500 VF bowl rises above the trees, split down the middle by a ridge. Safe in the winter for ascent with two descent options holy cow! The bowl is choppy on the right side where the wind had blasted it, but I can see the south side is a white velvet blanket where the wind has deposited. This is magnificent. I pass a rock outcrop with a few boulder problems, (can it get any better?) and arrive at the steep summit cone. A finger of snow reaches to the rocky top, and I front point it to the summit.
I throw down the board, mute in my revelry. To my right an endless wave of mountains, to my left, another wave. And behind me, the rolling foothills disappearing from view with the plains beyond stretching toward infinity.
No less than 25 times Ive climbed the Dead Tree route, and never would I have thought it could get better. But here, 800 more VF of excellent skiing; all this time!
The most beautiful spot in all of the Front Range, Wayne thats what is above the Dead Tree.
thanks for the great TR, and hang in there! - the corn will be here soon.
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