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| A nice spot right on Rattlesnake Creek |
Sometime in the previous week and one half I decided that the weekend of January 6th and 7th would be the weekend I would propose to Carrie. After running my plan by a trusted female friend, I decided to set it into motion on the 4th. I set out in the afternoon, after teaching, and headed back to the Rattlesnake. I turned off at the first trail that leaves the main stem trail heading toward the creek. My goal was to find a good spot a little off the trail but near the creek. Eventually I had taken every trail near the creek within the first mile and one half from the trailhead. Before heading up the hill to the main trail, I decided to check the last little loop that heads down toward the creek and then switchbacks up to a spot only 100 feet from the end of the other side trail. Once I made the first descent I came to some flats and saw some old tracks heading through the snow toward the creek. I skied through the old tracks and came to a nice platform above the creek. I took off my skis, walked through the drooping brush and came out right on an open spot on the creek. I had found my place.
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| Snow pile in its infancy |
I took my avalanche shovel out of my pack and began scooping snow into a large pile. I knew that the snow was not deep enough or consolidated enough for what I had planned, so I piled snow from a large area around me. After some time and effort, I had quite an area cleared of most of its snow and a large pile of snow ready to set up overnight. I looked around at the creek and surrounding terrain and was pleased with the spot. I looked at the cleared area and pile of snow and was pleased with my effort. I put my shovel away and climbed up the small rise to my skis. I stepped back into the skis and skied back to the trail and then followed the remainder of the trail, up the switchback, to the main trail. From there I skied happily back to the trailhead.
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| Snow pile ready to set up |
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