Almost too much snow!

Ice pillars form columns from the roof of the Kings Hill Forest Service Cabin

Deep powder, empty slopes

Surreal at top of the abandoned lift

So much snow that trail signs are at our feet rather than eye level

Our Wednesday hiking/skiing group thought a short, easy trip down O'Brien Creek was in order this week.
Only we didn't count on so much snow and we ditched the idea once we got to the trailhead.  The new snow was kneecap deep and on the wet side.
We decided, instead to ski to the top of Showdown Ski Area, which closed for the season last Saturday, and try some tele turns.
Lucky for us, a groomer on its way to the top on Tuesday had flattened enough snow that the going was easier than the knee-deep stuff.
But, it was snowing and had snowed over night so even that track had about six inches of new powder on it.
It was great to be out enjoying the quiet of a ghost town ski area.
We started down the Big Seven black diamond run and quickly realized that the snow there was too deep to make meaningful turns.  On me, the snow was now at thigh level!
So, we quickly returned to the top of Porphyry Peak with the goal of the Trail 747 Loop around the backside of the mountain in mind.
We had to keep a sharp eye for the trail sign because so much snow had fallen that we feared it had been covered.  When we got to it, it was at boot level, meaning at least four feet of snow formed the base.
We quickly lost of the trail because of the snow and were pulled to the south by wonderful open patches of snow.  Of course we made waypoints on our GPS devices to help us remember how to get back to this wondrous place.
I had made this directional mistake once before and knew what was in store for us.  We enjoyed a descent of about 800 feet, making soft-as-butter turns in the powder and began searching for a road along the base of the mountain that we knew was there.
Once we reached it, we had about a mile to connect to the base of Trail 747 and the way out.  The Forest Service Road 6413, which we called the "Jumping Creek Road," because traveling south on it would take you to that trailhead.  Again, we made a mental note of that potential route.
The 747 connects to the O'Brien Creek Trail and we returned to the ski area via that trail.  The snow depth on that trail confirmed that we had made a wise decision not to go all the way through.
In addition, the snow had become sticky, despite the 25 degree weather, and was beginning to clump up under our kickers.
I guess I have never thought in terms of too much snow in the past.
That'll teach me.

A week earlier

We wanted to do the Bender-Henn run up the Dry Fork of Belt Creek, but lack of snow stymied us.

Instead, we opted for the only snow available --- on King's Hill.

In driving rain we climbed the hill via the Deadman route and then skied down through the trees back to the pass.

It was plenty icy in the trees and we found ourselves side-stepping considerable distance.

Carefully using our edges across the Deadman route to King's Hill top.