Thunder Mountain

I planned to meet up with a group from the Wasatch Mountain Club for a ski tour today. The intel I received said to meet at the BCC park and ride at 9:00. I got there a couple of minutes early and waited till 20 after 9. Didn't see anyone that looked like a forming group of ski tourer. I must have got my details wrong. I then drove to LCC and parked at the White Pine parking lot and started hiking. After I got in about 3 miles I followed a skin track off to the right. I could see some turns on the apron to the west below Thunder Mountain. The turns were on a north easterly facing aspect. As I got closer I saw 4 skiers coming down and a couple of other skiers going up. Since I was solo I thought it best to stay around people. I was hiking about as fast as the group in front of me though they did put a little distance between us as we skinned up the last, steepest part. 2 of the skiers that had just come down transitioned and started back up and man they were fast ascenders. They passed me before I got to the top and by the time I skied down they were on their ascending again - their 3rd lap. The ski down was a nice powder stash about 800' of vertical. You could at times feel the rain crust below on some turns. I transitioned and started back up just as the fast boys were coming back down. It was a beautiful bluebird day. When I got to the top again the sky was so clear and nice. It was so quiet other than the occasional sound of other hikers/skiers a couple of miles away. I didn't feel as in control on the descent the second time. I was pretty tired from the climbing. But it was still a very fun and satisfying ski run. I got a little too low on the initial part of the ski out and had to climb a little in ski mode - never fun. After I could ski again I couldn't believe how fast I got out to the car. I got home at about 2:45.