I rested on Sun. and yesterday skied Alta on a warm sunny day. The powder was cooked and the groomed didn't interest me. Instead I skinned up a bit into Patsy Marley, then discovered that my bindings were iced up and wouldn't go into ski mode. Instead I descended on skins in free pivot climbing mode. But I did get to reconnoiter some interesting terrain. Today I skate skied at Solitude Nordic Center, a small but very pretty layout. I really like skating although I am not exactly in my aerobic prime.

Had a very nice lunch at a lodge just below Solitude, the Silver Fork, or something like that. A couple were there celebrating their 55th anniversary. On the drive back to the valley I drooled on my steering wheel looking at all the great backcountry lines in BCC. Unlike LCC, much of it looks safely skiable by mere mortals. Perhaps another day.

Spent a second day scoping out BCC backcountry possibilities. I used my waxless XC skis so I could travel light & fast. I explored good looking bc access points, Cardiff fork, Mill D North Fork, and Butler Fork. All are accessed from BCC. Then I went to the Porcupine Grill for a late lunch. There were 20 people waiting to be seated so I grabbed a seat at the bar which turned out to be a good move. The bartender asked if I'd been skiing and I said not really just scouting possible backcountry routes. He lit up. He is a ski tourer and climber. He had climbed this AM before work. He pulled out a book, "Wasatch Tours, Vol 2, The Northern Wasatch" by Hanscom & Kelner, and went over the places I'd scouted. I went to REI after lunch and bought the 3 volume set which was on sale. Have been reading it for a couple hours now. If you have any interest in Wasatch ski touring these books look like a must.