Snowbird Secrets Available at Amazon Today

6-26-13

Snowbird Secrets: A Guide to Big Mountain Skiing by Jackson Hogen and Guru Dave Powers
A Guide to Big Mountain Skiing by Jackson
Hogen and Guru Dave Powers


Snowbird Secrets: A Guide to Big Mountain Skiing is available for you to enjoy right now.


Get it at Amazon today.


SPRING BREAKING

3-18-24

It was cool this morning, with a light wind, bright Sun, and lots of amazing prepared machine worked lines that were steep, long, and velvety for the morning session. Lone Star and Silver Dipper had been tilled from the top of each, which made them the go to lines that let you feel each turn’s sweetness. On the front of the hill, Anderson’s Hill and Lower Primrose Path were offering real dry chalky textures with no one around. Walk on Trams were on tap to let you do hot laps and get as much vert as possible. Pipeline opened today and there were a few takers, who were able to find some of the best quality I have every seen to work the descent.

Mark Herath working each step up the spine to the East Twin
Mark Herath making his first turns in Pipeline and finding perfect dry chalky quality top to bottom.

The day warmed up as the Sun rose up in the sky and revealed a blue bird day with total resolution.

A long shot of Pipeline looking fat and challenging.

Tomorrow, look for more great industrial smoothing to be on tap on all sides of the hill. I expect some real crispiness on those direct facing lines, so follow the Sun for best results. The Front side of the hill will be offering the top to bottom lines that will test your stamina in a non stop effort. I expect continued light traffic and good skiing. I skied with the top down today and was very comfortable and I was loving that Spring feel. Stay Frosty!!!

FIRMING UP

3-17-24

With these warming days and the high moisture content of the last cycle, the pack is really beginning to firm up. The direct aspects that see the Sun are very crispy in the AM, and lower elevations are seeing very firm lines that require a full edge set to keep things real. The prepared lines on the North aspects are still holding the dry cold chalk, but there are indications that even these will be becoming much more slick as days progress. Not as many smoothing efforts were on tap today, but there were enough lines that were fresh, fun, and carvacious to keep the turns working top to bottom.

The real look of an intense scouring was evident on many exposures as the wind was relentless last week.

With today’s bright Sun and afternoon mild temps, I expect there to be a lot more crispiness on tap for tomorrow. Look for the freshly prepared lines to still be offering some good top to bottom fun, but expect some kitty litter and slick sections to be in play. Mineral Basin will be offering the Sunshine and hot laps to start the day, and the front side of the hill will keep for a bit so working that back bowl will pay off on both accounts. Look at the grooming list to plan out a morning of ground pounding fun.

I have been peering into the Quantum Foam quite a bit as of late, trying to suss out the prevailing flow lines.

I’ll be on deck dark and early for more smooth lines, hot laps, sunny faces, and lighter traffic for the coming week. Stay tuned for more Quantum insights. Remain Standing!!!!

SMOOTH SLIDING

3-16-24

As anticipated, the hill was offering a lot of really amazingly smooth sliding today with a combination of machine worked lines and a huge selection of wind buffed lines all over the hill. That wind buffed texture was like a fine carpet, letting you feel every nuance of the turn. I just had to slow down and dial in deep to extract as much juice from each turn as possible. Bright Sun was illuminating the dance floor and all the details were in high resolution. Getting eyes on the hill was a treat and the only question was where to start and what line to choose next.

Mikey M sent this shot of The Mother Ship parked over the range this morning presenting a Cosmic presence to start the day.

Some of the prepared lines were cut on seldom treated slopes, offering some super steep, long drops that make you turn, and had that soft velvet feel that make them soooo wonderful. Tomorrow, look for more smooth lines on the hill, fresh machine worked lines that will be feeling great top to bottom. I expect there to be some crispiness on those direct Sun aspects, so go in ready to deal. I am going after those rare drops that have been prepared as they are so steep and demanding. See you there for the carving fest and bright Sun. IBBY!!!

WIND BUFFING

3-15-24

The high wind has been buffing the pack, which has offered some of the best feeling pack of the season. There are different kinds of perfect, and this is one of those instances where you just have to stand back and say “Oh Yeah!! Amazing prepared lines were on tap, and, with the wind working the surfaces, these lines were truly epic and as good as it gets. It gets deeper, but it does not get better.

Wind just does some amazing things to snow surfaces that can not happen any other way. Oh Yeah!!

With the wind, also come areas that were scoured, so looking for the goods can be found with just a quick look around and some inner Groking. Tomorrow, look for more great lines to be happening as the winds begin to subside, but they will still be working a bit overnight, so keep your eyes peeled for smooth goodness. The machine worked lines will offering great carving as well. It is like a back country experience when you hit it just right. Lay it over like Ligety!!

EAST WIND

3-14-24

A very stout wind was blowing out of the East as a low pressure passes South. The clouds were hanging on the peaks and higher elevations making visibility marginal at best. Staying with the trees was helpful, but going into wide open areas required Spidy sense to navigate. There were some great lines to be had with all this new accumulation.

Professor Tom power blasting Hoopie’s and experiencing full platform engagement!!

Tomorrow, look for sweet carving lines on all the prepared surfaces as the new snow gets tilled into the mat. Look for wind worked areas for some smoothing on favored aspects. There can be hidden gems. Wind will still be in the mix, so scope out the options on ascent. The coverage is amazing, and the mountain is good to go. Straight Ahead!!!

DEEP & FLUFFY

3-13-24

The Faithful were on deck dark and early for the deep and fluffy installment that was delivered. Areas opened, and more terrain was keeping the stoke full on and blasting. The substrate was echoing here and there, but a direct approach mitigated much of the variation.

Tomi McCarthy doing some serious blasting in the white room!!
Mike McCarthy driving the line in a full on powder extravaganza!!

The snow remained soft, but was heavier at the lower elevations. Tomorrow, look for some amazing machine worked runs, lots of lines still to be had and great base to have accumulating. I think visibility will be much improved and am looking forward to getting a look at it. See you there dark and early for some ground pounding fun. Dial it up, Dial it in!!

SLEEPER DAY

3-12-24

It was a sleeper day with fresh Essence, very light traffic, great cover and fair visibility to make it a rippin’ fun day. Again, the prepared lines were offering the consistent smooth that you want when the vis is marginal. With walk on Trams, it was a back to back, non stop extravaganza and no pressure. Those wind buffed lines from the wind going into this build up, are still offering steep smooth goodness and I have been keeping all my mental notes close to the top of my mind for quick reference.

The front is still on approach and will be rolling through around 7PM tonight.

Tomorrow, look for more accumulation to be on tap, with continued stormage throughout the day. Could well be a free refill kind of day. Visibility is going to be marginal, so I will be hitting the known, smooth, steep drops that have been really happening all week. Though those direct aspects got crispy with the bright Sun, this slow work up to the front will afford some good cushion for a softer feel over all. Still, expect some variations and slick spots at times. With luck, traffic will be low again for maximum vertical. Keep it tight!!

GETTIN’ READY

3-11-24

Wind and overcast skies were on tap today as we get ready for a series of precipitation events in the next while. Visibility was fairly good with the clouds staying off the peak for the most part. The prepared lines were offering the best bet for the dry chalky feel, but that Sun really worked the direct aspects, which were quite crispy indeed. The High North was still holding the cold and, even lower on the hill, the tilled sections were feeling like velvet and had plenty of traction.

Perfect carpets of AHHHHH are a wonderful thing!!!

Tomorrow, look for an active weather day, with wind, precipitation, and marginal visibility. The off trail is quite stiff and the rumble and static are widespread, so sticking with the prepared lines will offer the consistency you want for dialing in the turns without interruption. This next installment will refresh the pack and offer more great snow sport sliding, with a full on Winter feel. Straight Ahead!!!!

COLD WIND

3-10-24

There was a stout cold wind blowing this morning, but the Sun was shining and visibility was 5by5. Dry chalky prepared lines were on tap on all sides of the hill, letting you dial in your inner Ligety. With the majority of The Faithful headed to Mineral Basin’s bright Sun, I was working that Primrose Path line, which was vacant lap after lap. The Tram line shrank with the interest in Mineral, and the choices were fast fun and soooo dialable.

The smooth cruisin’ was so fast and fun all I could ask was……!!

Tomorrow, look for high clouds to be in the mix as the next front begins it’s approach. The light will be flat, but visibility should be good with lots of detail. Those machine worked lines will be offering more of those ground pounding workouts, so look to those for the smoothest lines. With the wind we had, there has been some transport happening, with the North East aspects picking up some very nice wind buff. Interference patterns continue to intensify with higher amplitude as the high traffic areas get the pounding. With the Sun working those South and West faces, expect some real crispiness to be happening in the AM and not budging much with a lack of heat to soften the pack. We’ll see how that pans out. More on the way in the next couple of days. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!!

PERFECT DAY

3-09-24

It was a perfect day on the hill, with cool temps, bright Sun, totally buffed machine worked lines on all sides of the hill, and some powder stashes that were opened for the intrepid folks who just gots to have it. Traffic was surprisingly light, with walk on Trams by Noon and back to back laps that were smooth and feeling like crushed velvet. Interference patterns are beginning to build up again with the traffic hitting those favored lines, but the Grooming Crew has been doing an amazing job of returning those steep long pitches back to their back country goodness. I always slow down to extract more juice from each turn when I encounter those rare and perfect lines.

The Jazz Man working one of the real rarities at Alta, bagging Perla’s Chute which had that exceptional North East aspect that was dry, cold, and perfect.

Tomorrow, look for more great lines to still be happening all over the hill with numerous levels of amazing that you can hope for. I will be looking for those smooth, buffed machine worked lines and top to bottom hot laps that just get my motor running. The Sun should still be working it’s magic, with high resolution visibility what will restock your inner memory with data that will come in handy when the vis goes South. See you there for the ground pounding fun. Each Moment Counts!!