Finally !!! Backcountry skiing

First tele turns of the season down former Poma Lift run at Showdown

I can't remember ever having to wait so long to begin my cross country ski season.
I finally got out Thursday, Dec. 8, but for only a short run.
Normally, we can get out as early as mid-October and surely in the month of November, except for this year, because of no snow.
We've been pinned down by ultra cold weather and I figured that a good soak at the White Sulphur Springs Spa would cure what ailed me (i.e., cabin fever).  So, I packed my ski gear in the car hoping the snow would be good enough for a quick run.
It was minus 3 at Kings Hill Pass when I got out of the car, where a Showdown cat was clearing the pass's parking area.
Showdown delayed its Dec. 9 opening for lack of snow and the area was a mess of groomer tracks, working what little snow has fallen.
There is about 8 inches on the pass, but no base.
I decided to try it anyway, and went as far as the former Poma Lift area and took two runs to about a 100 feet above the bottom when I hit too much rock.  Luckily I was wearing my rock skis.
I also went a little more than half way up Golden Goose, a Green run, before I decided skiing back down on the chopped up, thin snow would be suicidal.
It was still great to finally get out on skis and I hope enough snow falls in the next couple of days that the skiing will be better.