backcountry skiing with the foothill freak

 

Antelope Island Recon

March 7th, 2004

I came with my snowboard and snowshoes, but upon arrival I quickly realized that exploring Antelope Island and it's summit, Frary Peak is definitely a job for skis. The north side of the range didn't offer the skiing I'd hoped for, but the bizarre scenery, the gazing across the sparkeling lake, and the surreal isolation of the island makes it a ski destination not to be missed.

Antelope Island ski recon

Antelope Island, the holy grail of foothill freakin.

ski slope on Antelope Island

This is probably one of the best slopes on the north side of the ridge.

Sastrugi on Antelope Island

Sastrugi formed by salty winds from across the lake.

panarama from near Frary Peak

This little rib that extends into the lake on the west side of the island had me dreaming of skiing steep powder chutes down to my sailboat, resting at the dock. Caviar anyone??

Frary Peak Summit Photo

descending Frary Peak on the north ridge

Antelope Island north slopes

This is looking south, from the north tip of the island to the north faces of the range. Buffalo included for scale.

Before your ski attempt of Antelope Island

A couple things to know about the island before you go:

  1. No dogs.
  2. You have to stay on trail. How your supposed to do this when the trail is under a couple feet of snow is moot.
  3. The park closes early, so don't plan on watching the sunset from on top, like I've always wanted to...

Alas, the holy grail is rarely perfect.