Last week we enjoyed the best backcountry-ski conditions we’ve had in a while. I am using the editorial we; I didn’t enjoy them because I was sick all week.
By Saturday, I was feeling good enough to venture out to Dewey Mountain for a few hours, where my girlfriend Carol and I explored the ungroomed trails near the summit. Unfortunately, the temperature that day soared well above freezing, and so the fluffy powder that fell last week had consolidated into mashed potatoes. Still, I was glad to be skiing at all.
The next day we skied on a snowmobile trail in Wilmington on the theory that a well-packed trail would beat skiing through mashed potatoes. The theory bore out, and we had a good time. Of course, it would have been much better if there had been six inches of fresh powder on top of the packed base.
On our way back to Lake Placid, I saw the High Peaks plastered in snow. As soon as I regain my strength, up high is is where I’ll be heading. I usually try to ski Mount Marcy at least once every winter, but I wasn’t able to do the trip the past two winters, largely owing to the dearth of snow at lower elevations.
After getting back from our excursion on Sunday, I discovered a ski video I made on Marcy’s summit cone a few years back. You can see the video by clicking this link to my Facebook page. It’s just a minute long, but it’s enough to give you a taste of the experience.
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