OK, it might not be exactly backcountry, but since it was my first
Adirondack high country winter attempt I figure it's worth a post. Thursday
the 29th looked like a good day. The weather reports forcasted a break in
the weather and there was fresh snow the day before. I arrived at the toll
gate at 9AM, I was the only car. No one else joined in all day. The wind
howled the night before and it was probably about zero with 30mph winds when
I started out. It was tough solo skiing. I was breaking trail through deep
powder. As I got higher the temps dropped and the winds increased (I
checked afterwards with the ski area and their summit reports were -15 with
70 mph winds gusting to 90. Winds were so high they closed the lifts). I
made it to just before the summit, but the winds were too strong and the
snow blowing into my eyes was blinding (sort of like being on the wrong end
of a sand blaster). My goggles had frozen up, so they were useless. BTW,
anyone have a trick for keeping goggles clear? Mine kept freezing on the
inside. I made 3 attempts for the summit, but when my eyes froze shut I
decided that was probably a signal to turn back.

Unfortunately, the trip down wasn't much easier. The trail I broke had been
blown away and the road alternated between white crud (it's white like snow,
but has the consistnecy of ice) and deep powder. I did one major face plant
after a long fast section of white crud ended in a deep powder section. I
was skiing on Karhu Pinnacle's (fairy narrow but steel edged BC skis). My
mounts were NNN-BC. I have to admit that I was terrified when I took my
skis off (there were a few sections of the road that were blown clear of
snow) that the mounts would freeze up and I'd have to hike down). All in
all it was 4 hours up (to about 2-300 yards past the 2nd hairpin turn) and
1:45 down. And 2 days to defrost.

Maybe I'll try it again in the spring when conditions ease up.