2-8-05 LCC Dawn Patrol TR- it did not suck!

[powstash]

LCC - Upper Days and Toledo Bowl
Xover, Powho

Needless to say, it did not suck to get up early and hike for Utah cold smoke. What did suck was if you were one of the many lemmings standing in line at Collins lift at 9:15 while I punched the virgin solo line down Toledo.

As we pulled up to Alta and parked next to the Alta Lodge at 5:45 this morning, it was apparent that it was on. There were about 6-7 other cars there with guys busily donning gear for the assault, most of which were Black Diamond employees, famous in these parts for an intensity for the skin track and hunger for untracked pow before the sun comes up.

Sunrise on Superior - I heart this peak


Getting ready for the first lap



Well the skin track lived up to BD standards. What is typically a 12-15 switchback skin track up Flagstaff was the steepest friggin' skin track imaginable with only 7-8 switchbacks. The firm sun-crust under the 14-18" of blower wasn't helpful either.

Once we reached the top, having been passed by almost all the BD crew, we witnessed and participated in a free for all in Days Fork with multiple laps, chest and face shots and cliffs to be hucked. I was getting anxious to drop in as the pre-dawn alpenglow was in full strength and the pull of the pow was too much. (and I was friggin' cold!) Powho snapped some pics as I dropped into what was likely the 2nd best pow I've skied this year. Deep, light, and blower. I ran it all the way down to the meadow. As I arrived to a few BD guys getting skis ready for the skin up I exclaimed, "That did not suck!" to which we all laughed. Xover followed with a huck of a sizable cliff at the top and Powho arrived at the meadow with pow all over, a product of deepness not a digger.

Heading back up for round 2


We headed back up for round 2 and I snapped some pics of the free for all - BD employees spotted hucking and getting some sicky pow. I missed a couple of great hucks as I skinned up but also got some cool scenery shots.

BD Brad


Got this huck - another BD fellow


Powho stopped mid skin and snapped some pics as I got immersed in Utah's finest dry reserve. OH THE LOVE! After I hit the meadow I was in a hurry to skin back up and drop back to the car so I could make it to work in good time. When I got to the top of the skin Powho was waiting there while Xover was below on his way up. As we looked across Toledo Bowl to the west, the untracked bowl was calling. Powho asked where I was headed and I said I was thinking of just dropping Flagstaff back to my car but that Toledo looked ripe. That's all it took. He responded, "Go ski that line and I'll take pics from here."

It took me 20 minutes to skin up, accross down to the saddle and then back up to Toledo Peak. I looked down at all the folks in line at Collins thinking what Toledo and my soon to be solo line would look like from thier vantage. I suppose a bit of pride creaped in as I gloated to myself the untracked love I was about to devouer. After getting things ready and a wave of the pole across the bowl I dropped into knee to mid thigh blower while Powho snapped away.

So you see the lemmings?


Solo line


I didn't stop until I was just shy of the car. My quads screaming, the stoke meter amped! I watched for a moment at the many people just starting up the skin track. As I pointed for the final turns to the car, a guy skinning up said to me, "You goin' down already?" Already? I guess he thought I had only spun one lap. "Gotta get to work" I tossed over my shoulder as I headed down.

[AltaPowderDaze]

hey how did the car trouble go? i tried to call you back around 11 but got no answer. i think the phones around here have been screwy. your phone was busy all am before i skied down and my uncles phone wouldn't pickup my calls. anyone one else with verizon have problems checking their voicemails today?

[Squirrel99]

what was likely the 2nd best pow I've skied this year. Deep, light, and blower. Powho stopped mid skin and snapped some pics as I got immersed in Utah's finest dry reserve. OH THE LOVE!

Ohhhhh the pain....<smacking head on desk, looking outside at brown mountains, shaking head again> <knee-jerk kick to face>

Nice report. At least I can relive a winter that rarely visited WA vicariously through stories like this from good friends getting after the goods!

Way to git after it! Wish I could join ya <smash head on desk again> <looks up, sighs, checks office calendar, no days off until March> <grudingly returns to work>

[Buzzworthy]

anyone one else with verizon have problems checking their voicemails today?

Yes, screwy in Logan too.



And that was such a killer read Mr. Pow!! I needed that!

[CS]

Xover followed with a huck of a sizable cliff at the top

This TR lost all credibility at this point.

But a good yarn nonetheless

[Vinman]

that did not suck, get er done!!!!!

Pics please

[Lurch]

Nice, I hope some of that snow is still around when I get out there this weekend. The SLC weather report is calling for temps in the mid 40s. I don't know what that means for the temps in the BC around Solitude and Alta but I hope it's significantly lower.

[Telephil]

Kicking myself now for not heeding powho's invite.

[bcrider]

Nice report powstash!
Sounds like one to remember and I can’t wait to see the pics.

Ps. Nice verbiage too…I especially like the part about the lemmings in the lift lines.

[CS]

Kicking myself now for not heeding powho's invite.

You suck.

.

[comish]

Telephil,

Don't worry, everyone sucks in CS's book

[Telephil]

Telephil,

Don't worry, everyone sucks in CS's book

Yeah, he kind of sounds bitter doesn't he?

[snorkeldeep]

niiiiiiice.. so jealous.

wish i was there with you all!

[comish]

Yep, he doesn't get away from his desk enough. (thready hijack) CS, got those picts developed?)

Now back to regularly scheduled Utah pow thread:
Nice work Utards!

[AltaPowderDaze]

powstash is slow on the upload so here's some of the views from the morning to hold you over.

dawn's a comin'


benson and reid


cardiac


big sup


pfeiff


lil sup

[AfroMullet]

Nice read, way to GIT IT!

[freshie247]

I'm dyin over here,Everybody's comin down on me.Leon,Utah is not a foreign country.

[Trackhead]

Glad your camelback didn't explode this time Powstash. Can't wait to see the pics.

I think tuesday is official recon day in Utah. It's the day you try to ski something big, but get skunked by weather. Then friday comes, and you get it.

[powderwhore]

No it did not suck this morniing, but I'm freaking spent!

After Powstash left X and I decided to ski either Toledo Bowl or Chute. We decided on the chute and it was a little exiting. X dropped in as I snapped away just as I took the camera down the sluffalanche started to gain speed. X exited stage left and the whole chute ran to the apron. I then made my way down on the leftovers to X's safe spot. We then traversed alittle right to ski one of the smaller chutes to the west. I dropped in and about the third turn in I took a peak over my shoulder to see the sluffalache gaining speed, ducked into the rocky outcrop and watched it run even further than the first. X dropped in right of my tracks and the thing went again, imagine that!

We then traversed over to Cardiff pass and met up with Cletus just as he was gaining the bench. Made three laps over there then down to the car. I took lots of shots today, hope they look as good as they did when I was shooting them! I don't know how much vert we skied today but it was alot!

[CS]

Yep, he doesn't get away from his desk enough. (thready hijack) CS, got those picts developed?)

Now back to regularly scheduled Utah pow thread:
Nice work Utards!

Pick up the 1st roll tomorrow. 2nd still in the camera, needs to be finished, hopefully from a dawn-patrol bike ride (doesn't sound nearly as cool, but it's all I got).

And yes, I'm a bitter desk jockey.

But Telephil still needs to be smacked upside the head for being too lazy to go out this morning.

[phUnk]

But Telephil still needs to be smacked upside the head for being too lazy to go out this morning.

Does that guy even ski any more?

PS. Sweet action up there today boys!

[Trackhead]

Looks like your weather was better than ours today. Bastards.

[StroupSkier]

Nice TR! I was one of the lemmings though At least DC was sweet!

[splat]

Beeeyatches, each and every one of you.

(green with envy)

[Trackhead]

I see some Lemmings.



Looks like a great morning P-stash. Way to get, and stay motivated.