This fall we've been lucky enough to have a few really good snowfalls. However, each time it snowed I had been out of town and by the time I would get back, the snow would be 'old'. My snow efficiendo friends would say that today the snow really really was not worth skiing on; most of it had melted, what was left was stomped on, crusty, and icy, and at 50F it would be like thick mash potatoes and stick to the bottom of one's skis. Yep. I went anyway.
Its a forested area near where I live which is fairly flat and heavily wooded, so my thinking was I would ski deep in the trees on the north side of the slope. I get there are there's one couple leaving - awesome! I walk down the trail and realize the trails are mostly mud with a little snow. OK, off trail I go.
And it was fun! The 2 inches of base meant being watchful for tree roots and such so as I slowly made my way through the brush and over tree fall, I mentally calculated the impact that a ski has on the terrain below (about .6 kg/cm2). A few moments of gliding but mostly I was winding my way along and the trek became a game to find a continuous path snow-covered path through the trees.
A new rule also came into play - avoid open areas with lots of sun - because indeed the snow stuck to my skis with a vengeance. And the sudden stops and slow downs were just part of the challenge. Today slow was good as I was figuring out how to weight my edges and snowplow.
On the way home I popped into Mud Lake - the snow was just as bad - so I walked in and clicked my favorite sculpture and afternoon light on the pond.
And so I have happily lowered my standards about snow conditions and looking forward to more fun skiing this season! Now I just need to re-learn how to turn and to stop :)
Peace
