The plan was to meet at either Hill Top Cafe for breakfast for a 9:00 AM departure or at the trail head at 10:00 AM. Thinking on it, Jake and I figured with the roads as icy as they’ve been an hour to get from Hill Top to the trail head wasn’t enough, so we passed on the early breakfast and headed straight for the trail head. Left the house in North Pole at 8:00 and we were still late getting to the trail head, of course we did have to stop for gas and a breakfast bagel, but the road was slick and icy most of the way and slow driving.
The trail didn’t look to bad from the parking area but all the snow had a good crust on it. Everyone was ready to leave by 10:30 with one exception, Dean and company, so Jake and I waited for him and the other 9 sleds headed out. Dean and family showed up about 20 minutes later and after they got geared up we headed out, I was pushing it trying to catch up with the group and we ended up way ahead of Dean, fact is, it was the last time we saw Dean for the day.
Our route was supposed to follow the trail to Colorado Creek cabin, hang a right and head south to Borealis-LeFevre cabin and then Fossil Creek Trail to Fossil Gap Trail. Well as all good plans go this one was modified in route. First off, Nick our leader for the day decided to make himself an official FST ride leader and take a wrong turn to get us just a wee bit lost. But no biggie, we turned around and found the turn on the trail we’d missed. Of course it hadn’t been ridden since all the rain and the trail just past the Colorado Creek cabin towards Borealis goes over the ridge tops and was comparable to riding on concrete. I was think I need to build a retrackable wheel kit with studs for my sled.
At least when we got off the ridge tops we were able to find some snow and a few folks got stuck playing in the powder. So back towards the Fossil creek trails and in towards Caribou Bluff cabin where the creek bed we were planning to follow was under 6 to 8 inches of water, so we changed plans again and headed to Windy Gap cabin. The trail wasn’t as bad as it was going over the tops, but it was pretty solid and then the ice hit; oh joy, a couple miles of ice skating on overflow until we got past the cabin.
The Windy Creek trail is general pretty good, but it was lacking in snow and slick in a few places. Boyd rolled his sled and got pinched between it and a nice little spruce tree, a little damage to his windshield and kill button but no injuries, so all is good. By time we got back to the rigs it was a 90 mile plus trip and after 7:00PM and we still had that wonderful drive back to town. Most of the guys decided to make it a two meal deal at Hill Top and stopped for dinner, Jake I just headed for the barn.
By time I got home I was wiped, it was hard riding and I don’t think this old boy it up to another ride from Colorado Creek trail unless we get a few more feet of snow and the ice melts off the road. All in all it was good day and everyone enjoyed the day with 11 riders (not including Dean and family). Oh yeah, Dean and family made it Wolf Run Cabin and then headed back, probable smart of them, figuring the trail was just too hard packed to enjoy. Of course they did miss our adventure into an inholding cabin area and some powder.
So yeah there is some powder left in the White’s even after all the rain, but it’s a hard ride to find it.
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