[NMCCSC] East Fork/Elk Ridge/Lower Rd: 2020 02 19 Addenda

[Mike Meier]

Fellow Snowgoers,
My Friday trip was somewhat off the "beaten path," so I'm adding some
photos;
Again, here's the track and elevation profile:
[image: Track (2_19_21, 10_57_43AM).jpg]
[image: Screen Shot 2021-02-19 at 5.57.11 PM.png]
The access and East Fork Loop trails had been broken by Tom and Louise
Broadbent a few days before, and there had been no new snow since. It WAS
pretty - on the south leg of the loop, looking east:
[image: IMG_0072.jpg]

>From that same location - the view south - the pumice mine restoration area
is in the foreground, and Los Griegos is beyond. Upper Road is visible
coming into the burned area on LG.
[image: IMG_0071.jpg]

By noon, all sun-exposed snow was very sticky, and maxiglide was frequently
applied. At the EFL/East Fork Ridge Trail intersection, I turned south into
the restoration area. I don't understand, but in spite of its continuous
sun exposure, the snow coverage was complete and very skiable! There's
enough of a grade going down that I was able to get in a few turns. Here's
a view of the area looking east, with the moon in the sky upper left:
[image: IMG_0074.jpg]

After crossing NM4, I followed the road that the foresters had graded up to
a location above Big Pine Canyon and the point where Elk Ridge Trail goes
under the power line. The photo shows Elk Ridge Trail is seen center left,
coming down from Lower Road near Griegos Junction. The herringbone track of
earlier skier is visible.
[image: IMG_3373.JPG]

I followed that skier's track up to the intersection with Lower Road. I was
hoping for a nice downhill powder run, but there were ~10 trees blocking
Elk Ridge Trail on the way up, so I hoped for better conditions on Lower
Road. Others have correctly described what a mess that is, with berms and
many down trees. I won't continue the whining, but I had difficulty finding
a good route, and did some post-holing on the way down to Ladera.

Temperatures are predicted to rise this week, so if it was the end of my
season, it was a good, and frequently enjoyable, adventure.

Happy trails,
Mike Meier
-- 

The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, but stranger than we can
imagine. J. B. S. Haldane
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Track (2_19_21, 10_57_43AM).jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 107577 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Screen Shot 2021-02-19 at 5.57.11 PM.png
Type: image/png
Size: 76677 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_3373.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 536812 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment.jpe>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_0071.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1841652 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment-0001.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_0072.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2805599 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment-0002.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: IMG_0074.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1465689 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.swcp.com/pipermail/nmccscegroup/attachments/20210220/2de8f204/attachment-0003.jpg>