Finally getting started in 2025 --- 'Drowning in powder'

This snow ghost reminded me of a giant rabbit in the trail

Gordon Whirry on the Porphyry-Mizpah ridge

This snow ghost reminded me of a giant gopher

 I don't think there's been a year I've had to wait so long to get on my backcountry skis.

It's been a combination of a trip to Minnesota, a cold/flu that followed, and some frigid air.

But, everything came together on Jan. 26 as a high pressure ridge parked itself over Montana after some dumps of snow that deposited about 5 feet of new powder in the Little Belts.

Coming off trail yesterday a skier passed by and noted that, "we're drowning in powder."

We did the 6+ miles 747 Loop that climbs to the top of Porphyry Peak (Showdown Ski hill) from Kings Hill Pass, and drops down to encircle the mountain via the O'Brien Creek trail.

We haven't seen powder sitting on a stable base like this in many years, if ever.

Busting trail was challenging, and about half-way through my quads were screaming.  We sunk into the powder more than a foot.

Lucky for us someone had broken the O'Brien Creek trail.

The ski hill wasn't particularly crowded despite a bluebird day, although it was a cold minus 2 degrees when we started.

I picked up a cold/flu in Minnesota, probably at the Mayo Clinic, which we were visiting for a second opinion on Katie's MDS blood cancer.  It was confirmed. 

My malady went from my throat into my check, deeply enough that I went into the doctor's office and was prescribed antibiotics and an anti-viral, along with a chest X-ray.  It was diagnosed a "bronchitis," maybe viral, maybe bacterial.  

I was pretty flattened for more than two weeks, but decided to give 747 a Try.

It may have been a mistake as I ran out of gas a little beyond the half-way point.  It felt like an asthma.  Besides my quads I couldn't get a deep breath.

I really don't think I'm out of shape, but simply weakened by the infection.

The route was very spectacular because of the deep snow that made even tall trees look like snow ghosts.

We met only one other person on trail, a woman from Bozeman.

I find the frequency of encounters with folks from Bozeman in our Little Belts rather unsettling. That city has been overrun by rich newcomers, which has changed the character of the place.  I don't want it happening in northcentral Montana.