Neighbors Plow A Parking Space
Two weeks and at least a couple of decent snow-falls since the December 16th
trip. Well actually we had some snow almost every day for a while. Peter doesn't think that RC had that much but I'm thinking that there should be another foot on the ground.

Once again, having the benefit of leaving from Madison, I arrived before the
crowd on Friday night and in speaking with John Hoffman, I learn that the folks next door (east of Reinharts) had used their 4x4 ATV - with plow - to clear a parking area just down from the road at the Land.

Deepest Snow Ever at The Land?
Encumbered with overloaded backpack, guitar and newly acquired snow broom with extending handle (purchased at the RC Ace hardware on a hunch, just before heading out on hwy Q), I walked down the 50 or so yards of cleared driveway. As I hurdled over the plowed bank into untracked snow, I sank up to my thighs in the white stuff. The accumulated snow since the previous two weeks turned out to be around two more feet! Perhaps more snow than I had ever seen at the Land. There was so much snow that the turkeys - which had formed a virtual city in the trees - merely vocally complained as I passed instead of flying off - because there was too much snow for them to negotiate should they land in it!

After making the required second trip (water, food, BEER - for three nights) we watched Steve set up his tent Peter make snow-shoe trails to the Metro, the stream, and generally anywhere we would have to walk to that week-end. Walking off these trails would not be an option this trip.

Enjoyable Skiing, but Hard Work, Too
The next day, we took turns breaking trail going up the hill - sometimes going through waist high drifts. Fortunately, the weather had remained cold and once again there was no crust of any kind. The snow had settled but it was consistent thick powder - almost too much of it. One had to point the skis straight down to get enough speed to turn and when you did your skis would only cut through about half of the depth of the snow.

Dinner was a rib roast - done to perfection by chef Pete and the evenings activities included a nice jam session, fine wine and sheepshead - without Doug Wright who, it was rumored, might show up.

After such enjoyable but taxing skiing conditions and late night cards, getting up the next day was understandably delayed. However there were still two untracked runs that demanded our attention. Jim got a run in on the main chute before Pete and I could get moving and our trip down Hangman's felt more comfortable than the previous days runs (despite my face plant coming out of "the plunge").

Steve Makes an Expedition to the He-Man Camp-Site
Steve's snow-shoe trek all the way to the meadow He-Man Camp seemed to take longer than Byrd's expedition to the pole, but he eventually returned in time for quesidillas.

Doug's cell phone call to the White House (not taking reservations, expected to be very full on this New Years eve) caused us to change plans but there was plenty of food, more wine and more music as Doug had brought an array of instruments with him. No tent for this boy, he spent the night camped out in the bed of his truck - parked in the cleared area of the driveway.

Even Record-Holders Found the Snow a Challenge
The next day Doug took a couple of runs. A couple of runs was all it took for this record holder (Doug holds the record for most ski runs in a day at the Land - I think that it's fifteen - done many years ago) to realize that he, like the rest of us, has seen his energy level diminish through the years ("What, you guys only took three runs in a day?")

Yes, but they were very good runs and the season tally is now Unicorn 1 - Erik 1.

Erik