The Environs of Box Elder

Oh Box Elder. If only you were this good to us today...

Super variable conditions out there today. Doesn’t matter. I’ve had my week of luscious powder, now I’m (mostly) just happy there’s snow on the ground.

Funny thing happened today. Headed out with Swain and Borro. Miles into the approach, I said nonchalantly to Swain, ‘this is a prime example of Wasatch crowding.’ No tracks, no one around for miles except the three of us. He laughed, we moved on, ever upwards.

A quiet day out with Swain and Borro...

Little did I know we were being chased. But, indeed, we were being stalked. Upon reaching the first real ridge with a view, we looked down and Swain pointed out two people casually moving up the skin track below us. We really hadn’t been dillydallying along, even with trailbreaking to be done. I realized that the party of two was gaining on us rapidly. (Naturally enough, since we were then standing still) Ah, there are only a few people I know who move that fast.. Could it be they? Indeed, the D Bros were on the hunt. Suddenly, we were a party of five. Good times, it’s been a while since I’ve moved in a group that large (aside from the rando races of late).

And then these two ruffians showed up. The D Bros.

What we collectively found wasn’t the pow we’d probably all hoped for. But we had a fun outing nonetheless, climbing up some new-to-us ground and snapping lots of pictures. In fact, I’ll let the pictures tell the story from here, as they do.

Five on a mini summit, eating snacks and dressing warmly.

It's often not ski mountaineering unless the skis come off the feet and onto the pack at some point. Or something like that.

Up, up, up we went.

And more up. Classic butt shots.

How to interpret an artist's interpretation of an artist being artistic?

And some skiing. Andy likes long poles.

J-Bo brings in the hop.

Doc J skips in front of Box E.

However we do it, we go up. J-Bo on the incline.

JD skins into the windblown. And, past it.

Near the next summit, not quite there yet.

Straightlining the summit block. Rowdy group.

After climbing up, and some straightlining, we downclimb.

What goes up, must come down. That's A OK by me.

Usually we don't go this far down, though. Andy wondering about the wisdom of the auto-locking bindings after taking a somersaulting tumble? At least he got some ski release happening. Don't worry, I ascertained that he wouldn't require rescue before snapping the pic. Even if he needed rescue, I would have snapped the photo. He knows that.

The exit, as they say, is dry.