They travel in packs, it seems.

Two groups of people, some with snowboards tucked under their armpits, others with skis draped over their shoulders, trickle out of the forest with big smiles on their faces and with even bigger stories of deep powder.

One group pops out along Lake Parkway near the Heavenly Village. The other group emerges in a residential neighborhood off Kingsbury Grade, then makes its way to the highway and throws a thumb in the air to catch a ride back to the Heavenly Gondola.

It certainly makes for a puzzling sight for vehicle traffic, trying to figure out why snowboarders and skiers are appearing on the sides of the roads when there isn't a ski run in sight. Both groups began from the same spot - a ridge near the top of Heavenly's Olympic Chair - but their journeys were much different.

From the ridge, there is a decision to make. Go down or traverse left. Regardless of which line is taken, a symphony of hooting and hollering ensues. After all, hero snow and legendary turns have a tendency to make adults scream.

But when these two groups reunite, the conversation boils down to this: Which is better ... Palisades or Fire Break?

"I prefer Palisades, because less people go there because you need a car to get out ... or you have an awfully long walk in front of you," said 53-year-old Steve Evenson, who has skied both areas for decades. "The snow gets deeper in Palisades, too, but Fire Break offers better lift access.

"I just think it's awesome Heavenly put up these backcountry gates. There is enough fresh snow for everyone, and now you don't have to worry about a cop sitting in his car out here waiting to write you a ticket."

When Heavenly opened Sky Chair for the 1964-65 season, it provided instant access to some of the best tree skiing in the country. It didn't take long before South Shore locals Austin Angell, John Gianotti and Jim Palmer became Heavenly's original powder hounds.

They used Sky Chair to traverse to three regions that now are accessible via three backcountry gates Heavenly installed before the 2004-05 season (Fullstone Canyon, Raley's Bowl and Fire Break).

The trio used the chair to descend into Carson Valley, experiencing the steep and deep for 5,000 feet from the top of Killebrew Canyon to the intersection of Kingsbury Grade and Foothill Road. They traversed through Von Schmidt's Saddle and shredded Raley's Bowl. And, of course, they skied Fire Break, a 3,000-foot fall line that ends at the Stateline casinos, where a cold beer awaited.

"It was a great time in our lives," Angell said. "There are still parts of the mountain that people don't ski, but we were smart about things. The problem got to be is when we started skiing out of bounds, other kids would hear things and wouldn't know what they're doing."

When Angell and Co. experienced these areas for the first time, they'd get fresh lines for weeks. Those days are over.

Before Heavenly installed the backcountry gates, it was illegal to duck the resort's ropes and access these areas. County sheriffs issued citations to those caught poaching. That limited the number of violators.

But once the backcountry gates made it legal to ski Fire Break and its neighbor Palisades, it's not uncommon to find more crowds there than on nonpowder days in Mott Canyon, Heavenly's most popular in-bounds expert area.

Still, Palisades was enough to impress one North Shore snowboarder who usually doesn't have anything nice to say about Heavenly.

"That's the best run I've ever done at Heavenly, that's for sure," said Tahoe City resident Ming Poon, who swears by Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows.

And so, the debate continues ... Fire Break or Palisades?

Breaking it down

<b>Pitch</b>

Advantage: Palisades. Although a bit shorter, it has a more consistent fall line.



<b>Views</b>

Advantage: Fire Break. The entry has one of the best views of Lake Tahoe, and the lake stays with you the entire way.



<b>Freshies</b>

Advantage: Palisades. Less people equals less tracks.



<b>Safest line</b>

Advantage: Fire Break. If something goes wrong, there are more points of reference for lost skiers and riders as well as easier access for rescuers.



<b>Lap potential</b>

Advantage: Fire Beak. Once you reach Lake Parkway, you're a short walk to the Gondola, a ride on Big Easy and a traverse to Olympic Chair before the next run.



<b>Verdict</b>

There is no such thing as a bad powder turn or a bad view of Lake Tahoe. Now go get one.