Perley Rock part deux

A nice day on Sunday and we opted for Perley Rock. Most of the terrain here is north or north-west facing. We hoped this would help us to avoid the nasty crust. It worked for the most part but it was amazing how even a tiny change in aspect would make a huge difference. You could be knee deep in lovely powder on one turn and then fighting for your life in death crust on the next.

Occasionally, just occasionally, I question the wisdom of telemark skiing. Tight trees in breakable crust is one of those occasions...stuff'll make Donald Rumsfeld cry.

We traveled as far as the last slope just below Perley Rock proper where we kicked off a small slide and called it a day.



The most open and direct run down was crusty and so we were forced to ski a line to skiers left from what would have been optimal. Still it was all good fun and we each took a turn entertaining the others with good skiing punctuated by spectacular face plants.

I don't think I'd venture up this way with any less stability than what we had today. From a distance the trees tend to suggest a somewhat safer route but in reality there are broken off stumps and every tree has had it's uphill branches ripped of.

Sir Donald (r) and Uto (l). We've climbed Uto. Sir Donald awaits


Ross near our high point