Outdoor Frank: Mt. Superior

Arose at 4am. Got dressed for skiing, grabbed some food and headed up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Met up with the group. Harrison (the guide) Craig, Frankie and Shaun. Started hiking up the powerline skin track to Cardiff Ridge. We were skinning in the dark with our headlights while a light snow fell. By the time we made the ridge the sun was out and it was clearing into a beautiful spring day. Combination of skinning and boot packing west along the ridge to the top of Mt. Superior. A few clouds greeted us at the top but they didn't stay long. The view from the top of Mt. Superior is quite spectacular in all directions. We eyed our line down. Harrison made a ski cut to test the snow stability. He pronounced it sufficient. He was only concerned about surface sloughing with the new 8 inches of snow that had just fallen. The plan was to ski the mountain in thirds. Harrison skied toward the first stop. As he dropped out of our view we saw a huge plume of snow and figured he had triggered a slide. He eventually appeared and waved us down. Craig went first and then I followed with Shaun and Frankie bring up the rear. About half way down the first shot I wondered where the new snow had gone. By the time I arrived at where Harrison and Craig were stopped I could see where the snow had gone. There was a huge debris pile starting to our side. Our next shot was skiing over the debris and then off to skier right. This next shot was more manky than the first shot with lighter snow up high. Still the snow was very skiable and fun. The third shot was out to the apron and to the road. After skiing though frozen big chunks of avalanche debris from previous avalanches there was easy, low angle turns in the new snow that was warming rapidly. Wow, what a ride. Harrison hitched up to his car and then came and got us. After he dropped us off at our cars he had to split. The rest of us went to Rustler Lodge for a drink to toast our successful and satisfying morning and to plan our next adventure.

Hiking in the dark