I had high hopes this morning as I rolled into the Manning Park area with skis, snacks, and dreams of a scenic ridge traverse from Mount Kelly to Nordheim Peak. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans,mostly involving minimal snow, maximum alder, and a harsh reminder that skiing isn’t just about gravity, it's about dignity too.
The snow was, in one word: garbage.
Skinning up felt like dragging skis through a wet rug mixed with frozen cornflakes. I gained the ridge with hopes the traverse would open up, but after a bit of poking around, I bailed. The terrain ahead looked just as grim, and honestly, I was already mentally preparing for the descent trauma.
I wish I could say it was a graceful arc down sparkling powder fields. Instead, it was more like a woodland limbo through tightly packed trees, over crusty snow, and a spooky abandoned communications tower that added to the whole “lost Soviet outpost” vibe.
I dropped into the south gully, hoping for salvation, but instead found steep, hard, compacted snow that made me genuinely question if I’ve ever known how to ski. The last 100m to the highway was steep enough to keep me humble and crusty enough to keep me awake.
To top it off, the "exit trail" had alders poking through like they were trying to start a fight. I had to navigate the logging road like a slalom course designed by someone who hates skiers.
  |
Summit |
 |
| The Three Brothers Area |
 |
| Nordheim Peak from Mount Kelly |
 |
| Impressive but not sure what mountains |
Well done on getting out. The peak in your last picture is Hozomeen Mountain.
ReplyDelete