Dawn Patrol!

Finally got out for the first dawn patrol of the year. I guess we started hiking about 6:30. Maybe it is just because a woman was killed at Snowbird last week, but people seem to be very aware that the avalanche danger is pretty high right now. Several people asked about it at work. We chose a safe slope through the trees and felt reasonably safe.

Met a guy named Rob Sunderlage in the parking lot and climbed with him for a few minutes, but he decided to take a little slower pace so we did not get to ski down with him. His brother Rick is an avid MTBer whom I've met a few times over the last couple years. I found their names amusing since my name is Rich and my next brother is Rob.

Apparently Rob (Sunderlage) turned around before we did because we did not see him on our way down. I don't like to leave people behind like that in the snow, but owing the to safe slope and the number of people we saw today, we were not too worried about him.

The skiing was pretty good. Snow was surprisingly heavy and slow, but this helped keep us off the bottom, which I felt maybe twice the whole descent. It is always great to get out in the mountains and the snow.