View of the Martial Glacier where we skied yesterday.
Took the shuttle bus up to Cerro Castor in a light snow- the roads were very icy so the trip took a little longer than usual, but we enjoyed trying to chat with our driver Frederico.
Being a weekend day, there were lots more skiers than last time. We headed straight for the summit patrol hut where pisters Juan and Faco shared some mate with us.
Then we headed out into the cold to climb the ridge looking for off piste snow.
Patrol Hut in the background, and also a view of the hike we did at the end of the day.
So beautiful with the sun so low in the sky- this is about 12 noon.
Lots of good potential out there, but not much snow.
We poked around for a while on the ridge until we found our way into the chute we had spied the previous day. The snow was boilerplate at first but gave way to some softish breakable crust and then even some wind packed powder. Very fun!
Powder!
Not sure how to get back around to the resort, and having left our skins in the hostel, we side stepped back up to the lifts. It was a shock to get back onto the ski area, which is completely in the shade on the south facing slopes (south is essentially north down here).
We had lunch in a really nice restaurant with sheepskin covered benches. We bought a hot chocolate, which is served as a cup of hot milk and a bar of chocolate to stir into it. Sadly, we were asked to leave. Couldn't read the 'no brown baggers' sign...
View from the top of the other upper lift. you can see the line we just skied in the background.
Cerro Cincos Hombres and Monte Olivia looking fine. Ushuaia is on the other side.
then we headed for the eastern hike to skiing we had done the day before.
Found some decent snow- about an inch of powder on predictable windpack. Very fun to ski in the low light over the vast expanse of mountains. It will be dark in about an hour.
Some photos of the lower part of the resort, with trees.
Then we had some cervesas and tostados (toasted ham and cheese sandwiches with the crust cut off) with Mariano and Andreas at the bottom lodge.
Tonight there was some kind of celebration- a torchlight parade and free vino (wine) and sushi.
Back in town, we went out to dinner and then to a club where there was another event- free champagne and various food samples- from mussels to king crab. Juan Pablo, who we had met on the chairlift that day was there to help us with our terrible spanish.
