The age old question of the backcountry for the soap box

It is funny how with all that is going on in the backcountry our age old question of the day usually comes down to "should we follow this skin track or bust our own"  I just had a great day slackcountrying off WH2O with some good friends but the question always seem to come up more often than not, to follow this already trail broken skin track out or bust our own line.  We tend to discuss this at length even to the point of multiple lines breaking out and coming back together.  This conversation usually only happens when following an old ski track and becomes even more amplified, as in our case, when following a snowboarder's line.  I think it is a great example of human dynamics and how our decision making can go in the backcountry.  Everyone has a point and most are very valid.  I still remember, back over 25 years ago, touring up to Black Tusk and an old grizzled ski tourer telling me "if you don't like the line feel free to make your own"  not bad advice but not the best use of group energy in 30+cm trail breaking.  I hope that we still remember in the backcountry we should put just as much debate into our descent lines.  For in reality these are even more important and all points of view very valid.

Well enough from my soap box.   Here are the goods on our line off Black Queen.  Conditions were stellar and the pillows soft and forgiving.  We still found those facets down at around 100cm and got CTM1/NP X1 and a CTE4/NP X1.  CTE4/NP on the new storm snow X2 and got a break on the block at 72 down on surface hoar interface.  HP was done at 2100m on a NE aspect and incline of 20deg.  Road White Queen out and that was fun and fast too. 

Have a great Cold Smoke