First backcountry ski of season

Wind-crusted early snow on top

While I was spending 10 days in Chicago, it got really cold here and snowed enough to entice to do my first backcountry ski of the 2014-15 season.

It was a beautiful day Wednesday with clear skies and temperatures in the low 20s at Kings Hill Pass in the Little Belt Mountains.

My trip was simple and quick, about 3.5 miles round trip and 800 feet gained and lost climbing up the Showdown Ski Area runs to the top of Porphyry Peak with an elevation of 8,186 feet.
There was about 9 inches on top and 5 inches most the way.
In the wind, the snow was crusted, and soft and faceted most elsewhere.
I got my first turns of the season.
It was minus 37 for a day here.
I'm glad I missed that.
Snow returns this weekend.

For maps, graph and more detail, click here: Porphyry Peak

Golden Goose was skiable, but you had to watch the small trees sticking out of the wind crust

The Porphyry Lookout on top