Same as I left it

[William Blackmore]

Monika and I are Pennsylvania residents now. Were helping out with her mom in Holidaysburg and being near her family. We lived at and worked at Blue Knob over the winter. Our go to places were Whitegrass WV and Western New York state, which did not dissappoint. We had a chance to get up to New England this last week. 

This is how we travel. A ski rack for this car is complicated. Just occured to me I should have surveyors flagging on the end. 

            We stayed on Florida Mountain Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I was amazed at the amount of snow in the area. We went to Monroe State Forest and Dutch Hill on monday. The turns in Smith Brook Drainage were really nice, although shorter lines than I remember. Somehow, I did not fall through and the few inches of snow on top were light and carveable. Monika kept up well on snowshoes and the dog did well on the packed snowmobile trails, which were empty for the time being due to warm weather, but had plenty of coverage. 

           We all did Dutch Hill early Tuesday morning. Lots of snow everywhere , but the surface was still frozen from the night before, so it was survival turns for me. Around noon, when things warmed up, I did a solo trip into my old favorite, Basin Brook. I went from the West Hill Rd approach in Readsboro. Got in after about an hour. Some travel on snowmobile trail, some bushwacking. Its grown in a little in the recent years for sure, but still found a nice line and did 5 runs in delightfull spring mush with a fairly sturdy base. I sunk my pole several times to at least 3 feet. I was not concerned at all about hitting anything under the snow. My only concern was falling through in the middle of a turn, which somehow never happened. Still lots of snow in the upper elevation Hoosac area. the remainder of the season looks promising if it freezes up and gets more snow on top. I hope I can make one more trip up here in a couple weeks and do some of the more far flung stuff.