Started out at Paradise with my snowshoes on but took them off about 20 minutes later, the snow on the trail is very compacted- no post holing. Made it to the steep snow slope by mid morning, the snow still had a nice crunch to it. I choose to ascend with crampons versus snowshoes, choose your own adventure I saw a little bit of everything.
If you haven't done this hill before it's pretty steep, going up I saw one skier loose footing on a traverse and slide quite a ways before arresting. On the way down the snow had turned to soft serve ice cream. I was very secure plunge stepping with crampons. About half way down I saw another mishap. Someone was going up the hill, this person had snowshoes but had taken them off and his boots looked like very basic summer hikers with no traction. Shortly after we past each other I heard him fall, he slid uncontrolled until the slope moderates toward the base.
Other than that bit of excitement the view were amazing!
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