Backcountry skiing (100eight) 4:00:00 [3] 15.0 km (16:00 / km) +1400m 10:55 / km
Scott headed home early so just Brook and I today. We checked off one of the zones on my yearly "to ski" list. Every time I drive west towards Three Valley Gap I wonder if the glades I can see just off the little knob above the hotel are skiable. We used the sled to get 6km up the road then headed towards the glades. First run was a little mixed as we were figuring out the zone and visibility was terrible which given that there was a fair number of boulders was not ideal (another meter of snow would help but not absolutely necessary). Didn't love the first uptrack back to the top as a few exposed spots. The climber's left trees work fine for climbing and no exposure. Second run we connected into the skier's left glade. I think if we kept skiing fall line there is a cliff band but it might be skiable into the skier's right glade. As it was we traversed left (and I think skiing fall line from the top into the skier'd left glade also might work if you find the weakness in the cliff). This was a longer run with no boulders so skied very nicely. Kind of like skiing at the Fingers but no one there... it may also be possible to ski from the hwy without the sled climbing 200m vertical on the road and a few hundred through the forest.
Skied my new skis and they were fun though one of them needs the forward pressure increased as I was popping out on aggressive turns. Changeover is slower but that is to be expected given the skis need to come off every time.