contrast

My Thursday morning dawn patrol was a disaster. I left the house at at 6:15 and planned a quick loop descending the East face into freeze creek. I skinned down the driveway in about 12" of fresh dust with only a light breeze blowing, it was sure to be good. About 1/2 way up the ridge skin track the wind picked up, I thought it was isolated to the ridge and would improve on the backside. I was wrong and the wind continued to pick up until I found myself laying flat on my stomach clutching the ground trying not to be blown off the mountain. I have never seen wind like that and had to crawl down or risk being torn of my feet. When I got home my driveway had filled in with a 6ft drift and I spent the next hour clearing it. My face was numb the rest of the day.

This afternoon I followed Jared's Thursday skin track up Neffs/Thompson for nearly 5000ft of creamy non wind affected snow. The turning was great and when I was on the top looking down on Mt Olympus and across into BC I could not even feel the slightest breeze. Weather changes are facsinating!

Sorry no pics I forgot my camera again, Jared has some good ones.
UC group ride tomorrow