Looking at the pine trees surrounding me I was sure that I was in the forest of Rip Van Winkle. The branches were covered with Grandpas Beard Lichen creating a waving curtain all around. I was looking for a different kind of dance after skinning uphill for a couple of hours. The wind was still rather brisk and chilled even after the exertion so I quickly peeled the skins from my skis and took off on a decent thru the forest. Deep, fresh powder covered everything giving a little cushion over the downed logs and rocks but as tightly spaced as the trunks were the timing had to be perfect. After a couple of rolls thru tight pines, the hillside opened into a gorgeous glade of aspen which gave a little wider spacing , letting me bump the speed a bit and feeling that euphoric flow of fresh powder skiing. Thanks again to the mountains of New Mexico.
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| Ski tracks thru fresh snow and pines. |
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| Oldmans Beard Lichen. |
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