Report from August 23, 2023

Yesterday was one of the deepest days we’ve skied here in Patagonia.

But it was still weird…

It was deep and slow and stiff – but also light.

Some of the strangest “good” snow we’ve ever experienced.

That said, it was truly good.

You could charge and jump and crash and recover.

It snowed about 2-4 feet in the past few days depending on your elevation and location.

We started off the day yesterday with a line I hadn’t skied in years.

It involves 4 fun airs, all pretty blind, in a spire-filled, gorgeous zone.

From there we went back up to one of my favorite lines, “The Southern Drifter.”

We were wary of the avalanche danger.

We dug pits.

Those results plus the skiing we’d just done gave us the confidence to drop in.

I gave it a big old ski cut just to be sure.

After my ski cut, I dropped in.

The snow was deeper in this higher zone.

It was popping off my knees and hitting me in the chest.

It was wind-pressed but still deep and light.

It tried to throw you off balance but it didn’t try that hard.

After taking a small air I laid into a speed check turn designed to line me up for the bigger air at the bottom.

The snow absolutely exploded in that turn.

The wind caught hold of the explosion and stuffed it in my face and it followed me for about 10 feet as I pointed it toward my exit.

A shock of fear ripped up my spine as I gained speed with no vision.

Just before my launch, I emerged from the smoke and was fortunately in the right place.

The air went splendiferously and I screamed for joy in the runout.

Scott called the snow deep and slow and he loved it.

We went back up for one more in a lower zone and the snow was even more bizarre down there.

I ended up taking a healthy tumble at the bottom and literally had to swim to get my missing ski.

It was waist-deep and unsupportable in every way.

Just the weirdest possible deep snow.

Once I got my life back together we cruised downmountain shrouded in glee.

The adventure skiing to get out of this zone was of the highest class.

Bamboo, stumps, dirt, rocks, streams, and sludge.

Thanks, Patagonia!

Photos