Downing Mountain Lodge, 2018

Powder, stable enough snow, and good weather were on tap at Downing Mountain lodge this year, and a great crew of revolving characters made for a memorable trip.  Thanks to Katy and Doug for organizing, and to everyone for all the great turns and laughs in the lodge.

Good skiing.

Day 1  Leah and I had the day to ourselves and were excited to wake up to clear skies.  After dropping our stuff at the lodge, we immediately headed way out to the less visited south facing terrain.  We skied the upper half of Fallen Jewels, a long peak to creek gully dropping toward Sawtooth creek before starting a bowl bounce home.  We skied mint powder in the Barley bowl, Ninas, the Wave, and the avalanche bowl on our way back to to the lodge and returned even more giddy than our little one.

Leah, dropping into Sawtooth creek.

And climbing back out.

Returning to the lodge under a crescent moon.

Day 2  I had excellent sunrise and sunset avalanche bowl runs.  Did a mini-interval workout on the second climb to keep things interesting.  The rest of the day was spent with babies.  Everyone else skied all day and had a blast.

Good headlamp time contemplating rabbit tracks on day 2.

Day 3  We all climbed and the Wave and Wolf glades before the group fractured.  I was lucky to be able to stay out, so Natalie, Russ and I skied a trio of perfect runs around the Crown before rendezvousing with the rest of the group for an evening avalanche bowl return run.  Trailbreaking was fun, the group logistics played out well, and all of the skiing was impeccable.  It was hard to leave.

Natalie and Darcy getting things rolling on the last day.

Natalie skiing the Crown.

Russ skiing the Crown.