5 star conditions for race skis today

I had a great morning up Farmington yesterday, and wanted to go back up there today. Sometimes I think I must not have much of an imagination!  As I was loading up my new old snowmobile today, I noticed a ski was busted. Hmmm. Change of plans. Same destination, but different mode of transportation.I decided to have a "time trial" (I wasn't really going that fast, put had a decent pace all day) from Farmington Pond up to the top of Bountiful Peak. I think the snowmobile saves me about 80-90 minutes of skinning, and instead of exploring only the upper elevation goods, my ski day started at 4,500 feet elevation and 6 miles of snowmobile road before 2 or 3 more miles of skintrack to the top of my destination.

Obviously, with all of the skinning, I was taking my race skis. Conditions were great for race skis today--they are fast skinning on the road and they skied fantastic too! Often I survival ski on the downhill but today the snow had a nice smooth supportable base with maybe 3-4 inches of soft settled powder on top. That is my 5 star snow rating for race skis. Powder, but not enough to have to hang in the backseat. Not firm or variable at all.

As I was out, I kept thinking about how I am the only non-SLC based skier that I know that has race skis. Sorta sad really. I've been evangelizing to all of my friends about them. No takers yet though.  Those little sticks are money. Why don't more people have them?  Maybe race skis are an acquired taste? Or maybe all the snow magazines cater only to the park skiers and meat huckers? I for one love them. Not all the time--sometimes they suck. But sometimes they allow you to get back and ski in places that no-compromises-downhill-oriented gear and their owners will rarely, if ever see. I think every self-respecting ski tourer should have a pair of ski tights too. :)

I topped out on my first peak 2:45 into my tour and decided to scratch Bountiful Peak. Well, I'm running out of journaling stamina,  and it's getting boring so on to the pictures!

Map approximation of today.

Route looking from the road at the Farmington Snotel station.

Notice all of the snow between here and Antelope "Island." doesn't look like much of an island right now.

Race skis were the right choice today. Those are my tracks. No one skis up here but me.

Seconds please.

Winter is hanging on by a thread here. Everthing is warm and brown with a little white ribbon of death.

Skiing down the road would be easy right? 4 of the 6  miles were V2 skate and double poling.  But it was totally worth it. One of my funnest days ever on skis. I think I say that all the time.