I have a practice of obsessively scouting terrain that I want to ski during the off-season. I like to get a good lay of the land for years before I ever put on skis in a zone. I scouted in the Farmington Canyon zones I love to ski now every spring for a good two years before I ever skied them. Needless to say, I have put in the same kind of time on this new zone I was in a while back. I won't give away the golden goose by publishing the location, but if you want to get into it you know who to call to take you out. However, this year will make three years of scouting this terrain, and I still have yet to place skis into it. I felt like I was ready last winter, but as the elevations of this area range from 8500 feet above sea level to 7000 feet it is a bit lower then most of the zones I get into. Last winter I was ready to go, but the terrible winter with a really high rain line, and my son's cancer fight put the brakes on that mission.
^So with this particular itch still left unscratched I decided to get back out there again this fall before the snow came on to check out a few last areas and perspectives into the terrain. I did still have a few questions about some of the higher up-track routes, and I wanted to get a peek into a few of the spots from different angles. The nice thing about terrain scouting is that I can never do enough of it, and every time I get out to do so I learn more about the zones. I like getting up into this one too cause it gives our old Jeep some time to be the Jeep she was meant to be. The rough gravel road is too much for my little Subaru so I gotta break out the big gun. I like to think the old "Jeepster" likes to stretch out her off-road legs too.
^In trying to find a new perspective coming from the backside of one of the zones I stumbled across this trail that skirted this reservoir and lead me right into the ridgeline that I wanted to get to. Better to be lucky then good any day I like to say. I was thankful not to have to do too much bushwhacking either.
^Yep, those glades will do! I had always wanted to get up on this ridgeline to get this perspective on these glades, but I was willing to get to it on skis. However, now I am able to get the view of it without the avalanche dragon breathing down my neck also. That is always a nice comfort when in a strange area. I was ready to go for it last winter, but now I am thankful for the chance to get more beta before skiing it. There are silver linings everywhere if you look for them.
^Then looking back toward the south from that same vantage point looking at the glades and I got a good look at this chute lurking just above the reservoir I skirted around on the trail I found. That tasty morsel was looking finger-liking good in the late fall sunlight. I am definitely gonna have to put that one on the list.
^The drive home with a half moon hanging just above the ridgeline along the highway and I am all smiles from ear to ear. I have a happy healthy Amos at home and this… yes this… is gonna be the year I put skis on in this new zone I have been dreaming about for three years now. Yes, sir. Yes, indeed. I am the eternal optimist that this is gonna be the year.