Conditions Report
Report from November 4, 2021
I decided to go for a mellower tour today since my legs are completely smoked from backcountry skiing the past two days at Alta, and I’m outta shape.
A SnowBrains fan wrote me this morning and said:
“I skied Gunsight last night and it was great. You should go ski that today.”
So I said…
“Great, I will!”
…and ran out the door.
This was serendipitous since I had no idea what to ski today.
I usually just go up Mt. Baldy and ski Main Chute or something nearby, but Main Chute is pretty rough right now, and all the other options up there don’t look great.
I parked at the Albion lot and took the long gradual cat track up to where the backside of the High Traverse (Greely?) slopes up and into Gunsight – a gully/chute that goes right up to a notch in the ridge.
There was a skin track at the bottom, and I cruised up in 50ºF+ degree heat.
Once on the bench halfway up, I broke from the skinner and made my own track just skiers left of the Gunsight gully.
The old two inches of new snow we got on Tuesday morning had recrystallized and was much less hooky and grabby than it was and looked like it was going to ski pretty well where it was fresh.
Fortunately, it looked like only about two people had skied the gully before I’d gotten there.
This back side of Alta was desolate today.
I didn’t see a single person out there.
I was meditative and nice.
The snow at the top was scratchy and rough, the middle was creamy and smooth, the bottom was corny and chill.
We’ve got an idea of something spicy and fun for tomorrow.
Hopefully it works out.
AVALANCHE FORECAST:
We didn’t see any avalanche activity nor instability at Alta today.
While the UAC isn’t generating forecasts, former UAC avalanche forecaster Mark White has been submitting great avalanche observations:
WEATHER FORECAST:
BACKCOUNTRY REPORTS:
- 11/3/21: Alta, UT Report: Main Chute Top To Bottom on a Gorgeous Day
- 11/2/21: Alta, UT Report: Embarrassed & Humbled on Day #1 in Main Chute Yesterday
PHOTOS:
My 9 year old said, “I’d be skiing that so much faster.”
He/she would! Have a great winter 🙂