A week ago the snow really started flyin here in Utah. Before that Salt Lake suffered from a severe high pressure inversion that really stacked up here in the valley. As the inversion shaped up and solidified, all the pacific storms would come in from oregon and washington only to bounce off of us here in utah. A weak storm led the charge and started pushing out the inversion, it didn’t do a very good job and struggled to put snow on the ground…the storm just couldn’t get it cold enough to turn the large amounts of rain into snow.
It continued to rain with an occassional effort to snow on Friday and Saturday. As luck would have it the second, stronger storm decided to do a real job of blowin out the inversion. The inversion started to leave and by late saturday it started to put some real snow down. In the higher elevations it really started accumilating some snow starting on friday. By the time Sunday got here it was really dumping.
Sunday night I got an email, text and voicemail from Dan Gardiner sunday night putting out the notice we were going riding.
YOU BET I WAS IN.
The only thing to deal with next was rounding all my gear up and then containing my excitment as I tossed and turned in bed. The morning took forever to get here but finally came. Got up, ran into work, wrapped up a few ends and ran out to the already loaded truck. Picked up Dan and ran to the Bountiful parking lot. We had to four wheel into the parking lot, got dressed, unloaded and it was time to play.
Fresh amazing powder all to ourselves. As we got up over the ridges and into the main riding areas we really started living it up. 24 to 30 inches of powder untracked and ready for us to tear up…and tear it up we did. Once we got in and found some good areas, I was able to watch Dan lay down some mezmorizing turns in epic powder. Luckily we had the camera out and filming, Dan will be showing us what it’s all about in Boondockers 6.
Obviously, things were great and we were living high on the hog in the amazing powder. You know it had to end sometime, I just didn’t anticipate it ending the way it did. As the day progressed, my M7 started acting up, all of a sudden it was 5:00 and time to go home. On the way out it really started throwing fits.
The second to last hill really posed a challenge and required several attempts and Dan breaking trail. The last ridge to climb was a bit more challening and didn’t offer the approach that the other hills did. The first attempt put me halfway and the numerous attempts following didn’t even get close to that. My cat just didn’t have it in her to make it up the hill. With the daylight gone it was time to leave her behind.
Gardiner and I saddled up on the XP and only made it about a third up the ridge. To my fat tushies surprise, it was time to climb my rear end to the top of the ridge. An hour later I finally made it, I hope it was less than that but wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t. Climbing in the dark, in the powder, a pack full of drinks and gear really posed a workout. After getting to the top, Dan and I doubled up again to start our way back to the truck.
Slowly, surely and coldly we made our way back to the truck, through the drainages, over the ridges and down the trail in fog and heavy snow. Two popsicles arrived at the truck 2 hours after leaving the M7 behind. As I reflected on leaving behind the M7 and the reality of leaving it behind set in, it was a really weird feeling. As I pondered, the plans started flowing and Friday I’d go and get her.

Tags: aaron, adventure, arctic cat, boondocker, bountiful, case, dan, gardiner, powder, ski-doo, snow, snowmobile, surprise, utah, winter