03 Jan 2012 - perfect run?

Skied alone today and forgot my camera, which is pretty typical. I really do not get any buzz from taking pictures, so you'll have to just live with the results, if any at all. Personally it matters little to me as today I stood alone and quiet atop of one of my backyard hills with filtered sunlight passing through the trees, bringing the snow surface to life. Some areas were smooth, others had been rippled and fluffed by the wind. Every inch was soft, though perhaps a bit too dense but only by fractions. Not one other track on my ridge, perfect pitch to 35 degrees with its and texture along the way, great powder, best single run of the season so far, just sitting there unwanted. All that is required is the right gear, a little walking and backcountry knowledge.

After yesterday's touchy storm snow had settled overnight and into today I became happy with stability below tree line on shaded aspects where there was no buried suncrust. The storm shear from yesterday had gone, and the new snow had made friends with the crust where I was, though I still wouldn't trust it on steep convex terrain and as planned, left it alone in favour of the north.

That low is set to spin some more anti clockwise Siberian goodness down our way starting early on the 4th. Conditions are still a bit too scrubby in places, however I'll take these small regular top ups over erratic giants dumps any day.