49 Degrees North

Although the forecast called for snow at 49 degrees, nature provided a more nuanced mix of precipitation, which tested my fortitude. Gusty winds made the rain and occasional ice pellets an annoyance on the lift rides, while clouds enveloped the upper slopes, making visibility a problem as well. Despite the less than ideal weather, I enjoyed cruising the creamy wet snow that blanketed the groom, and found myself carving up the trails with abandon.

Aside from cruising the groomers, I also poked around some of the steeper ungroomed trails, where I found stashes of powder and got soaking wet enjoying trails with almost no other traffic. Coverage was better than on some of my past visits, but wet heavy snow required trail closures that limited my options a little. Still, I found myself enjoying both the highly carvable groom and the pillowy powder stashes for a few hours, until I remembered the need to get back to Portland.

With a 400+ mile drive ahead of me, I called it a day a little earlier than I usually would to get a head start on the return trip. The fact that it was my seventh day in a row riding may have been a factor as well. Still, it was a great day, and I felt I made the most of it by beating the rush to get back into town.