Still good for backcountry skiing. Stay up high. Lots of suncupping at and below timberline. Some sun cups up high but once soft they’re skiable. Traverse around to find the smooth snow. This morning, west facing stuff didn’t soften till late, but your mileage will vary according to night temps and sky clarity. 4th of July Bowl is super tracked up, so you might have to actually hike for your turns instead of working on your contribution to global warming. Snirt is amazingly thin, okay in most places.
Blue Peak, East Couloirs, today June 10, 2011. Mount Champion on skyline. I'd say that was me in the photo and tag it as myself in Facebook, but it's actually Scott Nelson so I'll hold off from the self promotion for now. Click image to enlarge.
WildSnow.com publisher emeritus and founder Lou (Louis Dawson) has a 50+ years career in climbing, backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. He was the first person in history to ski down all 54 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks, has authored numerous books about about backcountry skiing, and has skied from the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest mountain.