Went back to the East Portal to poke around after the Birthday storm. The cover was pretty sad on the South Boulder Creek Trail:
It got a little better on the Forest Lakes Trail:
And a little better than that on the Arapaho Lakes Trail:
And a little better than that up high. There was hardly any base under the knee- to thigh-deep storm snow, which was low density, cold, and very slow. The exit here is always a bit of a chore, but this was the worst exit ever. The sliding was very slow and it could not be skated due to lack of cover and very little traffic. The skiing was better in October.
Met up with another skier and exchanged info. Hope to ski again in better conditions, JS!