A Photo Essay

After a week's worth of "intensity" training and a race yesterday, Coach Andrew thought the team might find a little change of scenery refreshing, so we joined forces with the UAA alpiners to go backcountry skiing today at the UAA Ski Team's secret backcountry skiing spot. After seeing the weather report, I'll admit that I thought it was unlikely that we'd even put skis on our feet because it was pouring rain near sea level with heavy snow up high. I figured we'd have a washout / avalanche situation. But I'm usually game for a nice ride in the team van, so I was happy to come along.

Steady rain at the parking lot at 1,000 feet elevation. Many times I've seen this sign completely buried under snow. Not today.

The biggest challenges of the day involved boot packing up ice and slush over rock. 

And bushwhacking.

But we did reach snow eventually. By the way, those aren't ski tracks in the snow; they're rain runnels. This stuff was heavy!

Things looked better the higher we climbed...

And better...

Removing the climbing skins.

The heavy new snow provided soft landings for Davis and me.

The Black Knight in his natural habitat.

Smiles all around.

The heavy wet snow kept us off the steeps and kept the speed low. But Kathi wasn't afraid to huck some major air off this rollover in the trees.

UAA skiers don't walk if they can ski instead.

But sometimes walking is unavoidable.

No avalanches.  No drownings. A successful outing.