Gradually, however, the forecast trended worse and worse, which made us hopeful. Several more inches of snowfall would actually give us some good turns!
We met Doug, Chris and Andy at the Wolverton trailhead on Friday morning under a
threatening sky, and after checking gear and talking about skinning techniques, we were on our way up the hill.We made it to Emerald Lake just in time for one last glimpse of Alta Peak, before it was engulfed by fog -- to be seen only once more peeking out of the clouds on the last day. Visibility would be quite limited the whole weekend, but just enough to be awed by the spectacular peaks and chutes looming above. An extreme skier's paradise, but not our agenda.
The second day, we covered basic avalanche safety, practiced searching for buried "victims" with our beacons, and hammered out the ever-elusive kick-turn. Traversing over to Pear Lake, we found some excellent snow on the north-facing slopes, and got some sweet turns in on the LFP (see previous entry: LFP=Lame Flat Powder).
Pear Lake hosts one of the Sierra Nevada's few backcountry ski huts. We skied down to it and popped inside to check it out. The caretakers, Miles and Jess, were there tending to the fire and keeping it warm and cozy inside for the skiers staying there. It sleeps about 10, and costs $40/night -- but you'd better be lucky and have your whole winter planned out in order to score a spot. They hold a lottery in November for every weekend in the winter, and they fill up fast.
I asked if there were any plans to put in another hut; after all, they promote enjoyment of our natural environment and help to preserve the wilderness by concentrating camper use to the hut. But our wilderness system does not allow any new structures to be built, and upkeep costs must be exorbitant -- something our meager wilderness budget couldn't possibly support.
Use is a delicate issue for our National Parks and Wilderness Areas -- but I can't help but think of all the huts in Europe, how they teach people to appreciate the natural environment, allowing them to live in harmony with nature, and thereby developing a profound respect for their wild lands. This is reflected in their public policy decisions, in their diet, and society's overall health. Think of the French paradox. How can they eat such a high fat diet, smoke, and still be so healthy? Well, I would argue it is in fact because they eat rich foods, but also because they walk. To the metro, to work, back home, and for the pure enjoyment of it in the mountains.But our wilderness policies focus on keeping people out, further forging a divide between humans and our natural environment. Of course, we don't want overuse to degrade our wild lands to levels beyond repair, such that they are no longer healthy, functioning ecosystems. But a binary solution to a complex issue is wholly inappropriate. "Open or closed" seems to be the management scheme, further dredging the gap between humans and wilderness. A complex issue deserves a complex solution, and with the massive amounts of creative energy at our fingertips in our society, why can't we find a happy middle ground? Our State budget is certainly one problem, but a lack of appreciation is the bigger issue. Our population is growing at staggering rates, and these numbers are reflected in the use of our Parks. Let's go way back to the basics, educate people on the value of our wild lands, and enforce, with a certain conviction, restrictions that have been deeply researched and proven to be of high priority. It does not suffice to lock the gate and simply restrict permits. It is a quick fix that may have further-reaching and more long-term consequences than we can yet recognize. I realize I offer no solution, but with enough thought, I think we are inventive enough to find one that can work for all.
Enough from the soap box.
We managed another lap on our north-facing slope before heading back to camp and holing up for the night as the storm blew in stronger and stronger.
The next day, we started up a west-facing slope, but it proved to still hold a certain crust under the new snowfall, so we headed for a north-east facing slope on the other side of the lake, and managed some stellar, steeper turns in excellent snow, despite the low visibility.
The group excelled on the kick-turns, and acclimated quickly to the variable nature of backcountry skiing. It was a fun, athletic group to ski with -- the guys all had a very healthy respect for the seriousness of skiing in the backcountry.For me, it was fascinating to see the artistry in ski guiding. Climbing is much simpler -- you must move safely and quickly, keeping out of harm's way at all time. But the nature of skiing forces you into harm's way, and you must learn to manage it. When climbing, you avoid avalanche terrain as much as possible; but the fun part of skiing puts you square in the middle of avalanche terrain, and you must learn to manage the risk -- quickly. Make your assessment of the stability, keep your eyes open to changes, get yourself out there, and have fun.
It is an art unto itself, and one I look forward to learning more of in the years to come.
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