Peter Grubb Hut--Donner Summit area, January 2001
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There is however something to be said for packing in a relaxed manner
instead of in a last minute rush...a house outing to see Andrea's friend's
band The Animal Liberation Orchestra was planned for Friday night, expected
time of return 2am, departure for the snow 6:30am...even I could see it was
time planning ahead became more than a never achieved ideal. A trip to the
city to climb with Magdalen at Mission Cliffs on Friday afternoon--emerging
from beneath the ground at 16th and Mission I was thoroughly disoriented--then
a leisurely pack, finishing the job started the night before, while Andrea
cooked us pasta with asparagus and mushroom sauce. Hans was feeling sick and
devoted girlfriend Miki stayed behind to look after him, so in the end only
Andrea, Anya and I crossed the bay to Amsterdam Cafe in Marin. ALO were
great--"You're gonna be a baby soon...you're gonna be a baby just around
June" "She's a sweetheart...even when she's on the privy" (a touch of 
bluegrass there)--and as I watched guitarist Dan's fingers I despaired that
mine could ever move that fast. A short night's sleep...a drive about as
long...then at last the ex-rental skis that had been sitting in my room
ever since I bought them at the end of last season--well, with the exception
of a trip to Yosemite, where they never saw the light of day--touched snow.
Amy, Pinar, Lab Eric, Noky, Magdalen and I, led by Douglas and Lizzy and
joined by Candace and Eric, skiied and snowshoed up and over the ridge
leading to Castle Peak and dropped down into the vicinity of Peter Grubb Hut,
where we packed snow flat and set up our tents. A leisurely second stage
lunch--at least partly because I missed the first round of water for hot
drinks--then I skiied around the edge of the meadow and a short way up Basin
with Noky, Eric and Candace, where E and C gave N and I a short lesson in
telemark turns. The blue and white world gradually turned pink with the
lowering sun and wisps of spindrift danced just above the ground on the
wind as we descended through the deep powder. Dinner in our pairs in the 
kitchen Eric R had made for us then by the late late hour of 8:30 we'd 
retreated to our tents to escape the plummeting temperatures and wait out the
long night. Toasty in our sleeping bags and assorted extra layers Magdalen
and I woke to find a lining of ice and water on the inside of the tent. Loth
to leave our warm if slightly soggy homes we let part of a lovely morning
slip away unseen...Later skiing a little further and a little further than
I'd intended up towards Basin a snow covered tree, blue sky and white ridge
behind, struck me as so beautiful all I could do was laugh at the sheer joy
of it. On my descent I received a not-undeserved scolding from Magdalen
for going further than I'd said and alone. Eventually it was time to pack
up and ski out and at the early early hour of 8:30 I was back in Berkeley.

on Georgia O'Keefe's White Flower