Winter 2006
What a winter.
New job, new skis, new places.
And an above average snowpack.
A Picky
Retrospective
Early Season,
Lake Martha/Catherine Backcounty
Saturday,
December 3
This was a quick trip up into the
Negotiating the early snowpack above
Digging pits, getting the skills
in line early above
Maybird Fork and Hogum Divide, Little
January 14
This was an excellent trip into Maybird Fork and onto Hogum
Divide ‘Peak’. The skin and boot up was
quick enough- apparently everyone else had the same locational
idea as us, and there was a fat skin track and boot pack up to the summit. We skied off the NE corner of the peak down a
relatively tight, steep, chute, complete with windpack. My new Carbon Surfs resisted the chatter and
soon we were snaking down the long meadows and glades of middle Maybird. Oh
excellence. The lower exit wasn’t as bad
as it could have been, and Kevin, posing as Fidel, quickly picked up a ride
back to the car from a communist sympathizer.
Kevin and John booting up the toe
ridge of Hogum Divide
The obligatory shot of me atop
the obelisk. Pfieferhorn behind.
Descending the rounding summit of
Hogum Divide,
heading back to our skis and hopes of
deep pow.
Kevin feeling out the first turns
in Hogum Divide’s NE ‘chute’.
White Baldy, Red Baldy, and Red
Top in the distance.
And diving into the depths with a
humble dropped knee.
Soldier Fork,
January 21
After a dastardly early car
shuttle, dreams of puiking on the bus, and finally albertos trauma, I was ready to be
skinning. Getting to
Aaron and Hunter all smiles at
Double A-Ron and Breckner on the final approach to Soldier’s head.
Kevin pinning with authority.
Face shots in the lower reaches
of Soldier Fork.
Thomas Fork,
Neff’s Canyon
January 28
After a couple years absence, I
headed with Kevin up into this SLC hidden gem.
Unfortunately the gem must have hit the pawn shop as there were several
other parties shopping for white gold.
Avalanche conditions were spicy, leading to several wide, but shallow
slides breaking out beneath us.
Fortunately we knew where the danger lie, and were able to enjoy the
extra flavor.
The lower reaches of
A young Fidel with Triangle’s
short but tempting chutes.
Kevin swabbin’
the deck with Wildcat Ridge just behind. We topped
out on the ridge just east of
Thomas Fork,
Neff’s Canyon- Round Two
February 18
With such optimal conditions
encountered in round one I couldn’t resist another twinkie. This time Aaron,
Aaron and
Out of the depths and onto the
upper reaches.
The ski out was awesome with a
capital O.
Wolverine
Cirque, Little/Big
February 11
A fun trundle down into the
depths of the Wolverine. A skin up from the north
placed us at the summit in hope of finding some sheltered powder and safe
avalanche conditions. Matt and John
opted for the Pressure Drop Chute, while Kevin and I took the shorter Ragtime
Chute. Both proved to be exceptional. It seems like we skied something else… but I
just can’t remember… I wish I could forget the descent down Patsy Marley
West. May soft powder boards chattering
down windboard left me with permanently quivering
thighs.
Blasted blasting wind… the top of
Roman’s.
Matt and Kevin contemplating the
middle Wolverine Chutes.
Kevin, John, and Matt booting out
of the Cirque via the Ragtime Chute- Kevin and my chosen descent.
Scotties Bowl,
Little
April 1
A quick Saturday morning tour
reaping 8 inches of new spring snow. Great skiing down one of the Wasatch’s most
accessible backcountry areas. The
upper bowl was steep trees, followed by a glade-like middle section, and
finally finishing in the mini aspen remains of last seasons
large slide. It was my first trip in…
and not too shabby at that.
John,
April 29
A classic trip with Aaron,
Kevin dropping the knee on our
initial folly.
The unaware crew on the summit.
Bluebird day.
Another crew shot… with poor
lighting… Our ascent ridge behind and Flattop in the distant
south skyline.
For more
pictures of this superior adventure please click here…
All photos and
content © 2006 Arie Leeflang Collection