Facebook Twitter Instagram
    FeedTheHabit.com
    • Home
    • Gear Reviews
      • Mountain Biking
      • Road Biking
      • Bike Commuting
      • Trail Running
      • Skiing
      • Outdoors
      • Water Sports
      • Vehicles
    • News
    • Trip Reports
    • Videos
    FeedTheHabit.com
    Backcountry Skiing

    The Way the Wasatch Was

    Kendall CardBy Kendall CardApril 29, 20093 Comments3 Mins Read

    Like just about everyone else in the Wasatch and across the country for that matter, the 70 degree temps we had last week melted away nearly all thoughts of winter and sliding on snow. Bikes were ridden, climbing gear sorted out, tee times scheduled and the only trails that were sought out were those of the dirt variety. Such was the mindset of most Utah skiers when a nice little storm rolled through Utah leaving 8-15″ of new snow over the weekend.

    Despite the blanket of white, I still wasn’t motivated to get out and ski. That was until my friend Matt phoned me up Sunday night at 10pm to ask if I was up for a dawn patrol. I ho and I humed and mentally sorted through my pile of somewhat valid excuses but in the end I had a hunch that it would be good.

    Time to Drop in? I think so.  My Bluehouse Districts are ready.

    As good as advertised - Kendall Card making the mos of April Powder

    By way of review it was extra cold on Sunday and had snowed all day and this after a somewhat slightly warmer Saturday storm.  The skies were clearing meaning the cold temps would suck even more moisture out of the snowpack.  Conditions were pretty stable.  All thing pointed to it being good but I just didn’t know it would be that good! The alarm went off (Mission Impossible alarm on my iPhone) at 4:45am and I staggered out of the wrapper to make our 5:45 meet time at the Little Cottonwood Canyon Park and Ride.

    Had it been a February morning the lot would be a frenzy of dawn patrollers meeting up and rallying for a few precious turns before the man had his way with them. Aside from a white shuttle van Matt was the only car there. A deserted Park and Ride was evidence of a Monday morning and lack of motivation. Upon reaching the upper reaches of LCC, we soon realized that on this Monday morning there were just a couple of people ahead of us. In fact, we’d put in skin tracks up Flagstaff, Days and Toledo, skiing until noon while only talking to 3 people on what is easily considered the most popular backcountry ski spot in all of Utah. Half way up the skin track on Flagstaff I realized that if it weren’t for the lone snowcat making its way up Chips at Snowbird the entire canyon would have been dead silent.

    kendall-card-west-flagstaff-pow

    matt-rink-powder-altabackground

    Yes, it was quiet, very quiet in the mountains today. Typing that indeed sounds odd, but in what some consider to be Wasangeles the drone of the lifts, snowmobiles, traffic, etc combine with what is typically enough skiers to make a slope look like a resort run by 11am, this day and the silence was an anomaly. I suspect that this was how it used to be when a crowd of skiers meant sharing Days Fork with one other guy, and the number of people you’d see in a day could be counted on both hands, or perhaps one.

    In all we counted 8 people and miles of untracked lines that also are usually tracked out by mid morning. As for the snow?  Well, it was smooth, fast and as dry as mid February. What made it even better were the bluebird skies with views of the entire range and the Uintas to the east.  The calendar may have indicated that winter is done but Monday in the Wasatch I had a date with winter and it felt like old times…it felt good.

    —images by Matt Rink

    ShareTweet
    dawn patrol powder skiing
    Previous Articlenuun Introduces Banananuun Flavor
    Next Article Goodbye for the Summer: Last Utah Avalanche Report
    Kendall Card
    • Website

    Kendall has long been known for his passion of the outdoors. In the past 10 years his love for skiing, particularly backcountry skiing, has defined his pursuits. He's also been active in trail running, mountain climbing, rock climbing, ski mountaineering, cycling and has recently taken up backcountry bow hunting. Aside from writing reviews on FeedTheHabit.com he also reviews products on Gear.com and is co-founder of Camofire.com

    You Might Also Like

    Arc’teryx Rush SK 16 Backpack Review

    March 20, 2023

    Arc’teryx Rush Bib Pant Review

    February 6, 2023

    SBT GRVL Blue Course: Equipment & Tips

    August 17, 2021

    3 Comments

    1. Adventure-Some on April 29, 2009 4:39 am

      There’s nothing like hitting a popular spot in an “off-season” and having it all to yourself. My wife and I prefer camping/backpacking during the fall & winter. There are less people and no bugs (we hate mosquitoes& ticks!) Just because we have to pack more to stay warm at night, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.

      Glad that you had such a wonderful trip, and thanks for sharing it with us! Those are some beautiful pictures. I can’t wait to go skiing again, it’s been far too long.

      Reply
    2. Kendall Card on April 29, 2009 7:23 am

      @Adventure-Some – thanks for chiming in. Yea, the “off-season” is an amazing time to recreate. Road biking in October, skiing in May, camping in September…they all yield an experience unique from the main seasons.

      Why skiers will go crazy to ski on 4″ of new snow with no base in October but will abandon a 100″ base and 10″ of new in late April/early May is and may always be a mystery.

      Reply
    3. Jason Mitchell on April 29, 2009 8:04 am

      You got after it man! Love the pics… wish I would have joined you!

      Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Most Popular

    Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Multisport GPS Watch Review

    March 9, 2022
    8.9

    Zipp 303 S Carbon Wheelset Review

    November 4, 2021
    9.2

    SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS Groupset Review

    August 12, 2022

    Montec Fawk Ski Jacket and Bib Review

    February 28, 2022
    8.5

    Canyon Lux Trail CF 7 Review

    November 28, 2022

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    September 17, 2021
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 TLR Wheelset Review

    June 18, 2020
    9.4

    Roval CL 50 Disc Wheelset Review

    September 13, 2019
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 TLR Wheelset Review

    September 9, 2021

    Review: SRAM Force XPLR eTap AXS for Road?

    October 5, 2022
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Advertisement
    Our Latest Posts
    • Black Diamond StormLine Stretch Rain Shell Review
    • Pearl Izumi PRO Barrier Jacket Review
    • Fresh Goods: Redshift Arclight PRO Clipless and Flat Pedals
    • Velocio Concept Merino Long Sleeve Jersey Review
    • Arc’teryx Rush SK 16 Backpack Review
    • Giro Montaro MIPS II Helmet Review
    • Outdoor Vitals Vario Jacket Review
    • Santini Gravel Bib Tights Review
    • Sportneer K1 Massage Gun Review
    • Review: Giro Latch Mountain Bike Shoes
    About Us
    About Us

    Since 1999, we have delivered in-depth gear reviews, articles and content. We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.

    External links to Amazon, REI, Backcountry and other retailers include affiliate codes that give us a small commission on each sale.

    To contact us or learn more, go to our About Us page.

    © FeedTheHabit.com 1999 - 2023. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.