Wine or Champagne?

Champagne powder that is. I missed four inches of fresh snow yesterday because of too much wine on Saturday night (not a lot, but just enough that I didn't feel like getting out of bed early). But today made up for it because it was a champagne powder day in Steamboat, I was up early and in the gondola line when it opened.

I started out on upper Vagabond where I got fresh tracks to Surprise and the BC Chair. On Sunnyside I got fresh tracks again in six inches of fresh snow over the top of perfectly groomed corduroy.

Then on to the Storm Peak Express for the fun to begin. The mountain report said ten inches, but in places it had drifted and was closer to a foot and a half. I got first tracks on Kuus' Cruise and then across to lower Three O'Clock. Back up to High Noon and Two O'Clock then through the trees to lower High Noon. Once more on the Storm Peak Express and into the trees of Shadows and Lights Out.

Then from the Storm Peak Express I decided to take Hot Cakes into Morningside where I did a circuit and then down The Ridge to Big Meadow. Then down lower Buddy's and Tornado Lane to the BC Chair.

Then my favourite bumps on Norther, across Rudi's to Vagabond and Betwixt to Mother Nature which is normally the mother of all bump runs but was groomed two nights ago and with the fresh snow was a delight. Lower Concentration took me to the Thunderhead Express and then upper Concentration where I still found plenty of fresh powder lines on the right hand side under the chair. Finally, Between to Shortcut and the Green Line bus which I managed to time perfectly to end day 25 of my 2005-06 season.

Monday mornings don't come any better than this!