Went for a ski with Jim, who lives at the trailhead, and Niko. Was looking at getting some uphill in and then out for a quick day; Jim had other ideas. We skinned up the winter route to the big meadow and then Jim led beyond that. After going up a treed ridge, we began to approach an open basin and heard a loud crashing tumbling sound. We quickly popped out the trees, where we could see the debris of several recent wet slides.
Fortunately we designs on skiing the open slopes below that were not quite as steep as the ones below the cliffs. However Niko ignored these considerations and once I let her off the leash, she made a beeline for all the debris and then started heading up a chute. At the bottom of a nice open run, we couldn't see her and only heard the rockfall she kicking loose, the same type of event that set off the wet slides. After a period of wondering if I'd ever see the pup alive again, not the first time I've been in this situation, she came bounding down the slope to us.
After that we negotiated a few open areas and then went into the trees pointing towards the trail. This is when it became teh suk and the rain began; tight in deep heavy wet snow with the wrong skis for it, being hooked up to Niko didn't help. Eventually we made back to the trail, the big meadow and the bobslead run down the creek bed. Finally made it back to Jim's place, where we had a couple cold beverages on his deck: in the rain. Still one of the better days of the season.
Conditions - Nice on the way up, then devolved into deep heavy wet snow for the way down in the rain
Ski - Karhu Dorado 195 - Worked real well on the way up with skinny skins. The way down was another story as they are not suited to tight turns in crap snow. The second time these skis have let me down.
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