It did not matter which side of the hill you chose this  morning, the Groomers were impeccable with flawless corduroy wall to wall.  The snow quality of the past cycle lends itself well to the machines, leaving a luxurious carpet on which to SHRALP!!  The off trail was getting bit stiffer with age, though there were still soft areas to find if you were so inclined.  With the Tram running on a 15 Minute schedule,  I ventured out to Mineral Basin today, to get that extra lap in that you miss by rushing back to the Tram to wait.  While there, I found the off trail to be quite punchy and breakable overall after all the wind last week, and the Groomers were very nice with zero icy spots anywhere.  I dropped off the groomer in numerous locations  to check the resistance to turn attack, and beat a hasty retreat back to the smooth and buffed.  The coverage back there is quite good, though the wind had scoured off some of the knolls and spines, leaving threads of solid wind slab linked with sections of breakable.  The Cliff sections lower down, facing South, were filled in quite nicely and are good to go.   The Book Ends looked very slabby and uninviting, however, the Sunday Cliffs seemed to have preserved the quality the best, but it had not yet opened when I left at 2 PM.   The Sun started to get obscured by high clouds after Noon and the lights went out for good at 1:30 PM.  I did ski off trail in numerous locations during the day where you can expect to find very good crud with little rumble to negotiate.  The deep terrain features are still not fully filled in yet, so be ready for some abrupt variations;  ie; Black Jack, were there are some sections of willows that are difficult work through once you get to the bottom.  The hill is skiing like mid January, but there are surprises to be found, make no mistake.  Tomorrow,  look for a storm to move in with the visibility being the only real issue.  Great snow conditions continue  wall to wall, just use a bit of caution overall and enjoy.   See you in the AM.   I am vapor!!

Today was the kind of snow that dreams are made of, and if you have been Working Your Angels, they came through with a dose that made the dream come true.  With little pressure on the hill, everyone  seemed to find their  place in the flow and the day moved quickly along with little or no waiting.  The snow got deeper and a touch denser as you got toward the bottom, but it was  not denser per se, it was richer, more luxurious.  Granted, the bottom texture, due to the extreme lightness of the frosting,  was still in play, but the general smoothness of the hill enabled confident commitment to any of the selected descents.  Most of the mountain opened quickly, with the exception of Gad 2, offering plenty of room to explore and find untracked well into the morning and later, if you looked further afield.  The continued cold temps. kept the product soft and explosive all day, and will be great for tomorrow.  This has been such an incredible cycle,  giving us mid January conditions this far before Christmas.  I scoped out the Pucker Brush choke point today and it is still mighty scoured below the drop off with open reefs plainly visible.  There are access sections  to the right and left of center to get you around the dicey area, so just use care before you come smoking off the knoll.   I still have not ventured into Mineral basin, due to the lack of visibility, but I will be getting back there this week.  The Sun popped through the clouds today, now and again, to illuminate some great lines.  I think tomorrow will still be on the slow traffic side, letting you get the maximum vertical.  Here is a shot of my run into Great Scott first tram with absolutely no pressure.  I was able to take my camera out and take this shot and there was still no one dropping in.  Now that is rare.   Great turning!!!!   Peace Out!

Upper Cirque

The flakes were falling with lacy elegance all morning long.  I cleared 2” of fresh from the array so that any incoming downloads would be correctly assimilated into the crystal matrix.  Hard drives are so finicky.  Meanwhile, on the hill, the light fluff was building up slowly on top of the leftovers of yesterday’s wind storm.  Some faces were supportable and consistent, others, well… not so much.  I went for a low altitude, West facing shot in the trees, that I though would be prime, but I was greeted by heinous breakable covered in beautiful light density.  Lets just say I used almost all my bullets on that section as I dodged the oncoming trees without the solid center I usually carry.  I figured I had better stay on the smooth and predictable before I had an unfortunate situation.  It is better to return and ski another day.  The visibility was  pretty good, though the detail was very hard to discern, and the devil is in he details.  Again, after getting severely bounced by hidden features, I made my way back to the smooth.   I have yet to venture into Mineral Basin, but reviews are mixed, so I will wait for a better time to get the first hand look.   The snow continued building up slowly, making each run just that much softer as the day progressed.  Tomorrow will offer some stellar fresh lines, though the bottom will still be in play and the hidden features will still be problematic.  Tread with  a modicum of caution just for drill.  Just a low amplitude rumble is prevalent off trail, making any additional fresh a welcome addition.  This feels like mid January cover and conditions, and I will be soaking up the ambiance of the low traffic, before Christmas, lull in the overall traffic.  See you in the AM!!  IBBY!!

This morning was overcast with flat light and I was on the couch recharging after a big week of charging.  The Chef checked in with a first hand assessment of the day by saying that the ” vicious wind gusts pummeled the west facing slopes” and that visibility was a serious issue all the way to the bottom of the hill.  Mineral Basin opened for the first time this season, with Kazoodi telling me it was very breakable and inconsistent, not worth a second try.  The high wind also dropped the wind chill factor into the uncomfortable zone.  I am still sporting some serious frost bite damage left over from the other day, even though I had covered up, it got me, as the temp was sub zero and the wind was really stout.  The Tram went down due to wind, leaving the intrepid to brave the chairs.  The off trail was getting buffed by the wind, making the surface supportable and smooth.  Oh, I love the wind slab, one of my most favorite surfaces.  It is that surface I try to imagine when ripping perfect corduroy.  Wind grooming is decidedly superior, but our Grooming Crew nails the vintage feel admirably and dishes up some serious quality.   GROOVALICIOUS!!!  Snow is in the forecast for the overnight hours, so the new smooth supportable base will be covered with some righteous fresh for the early risers.  The mountain is filling in beautifully, so you can begin to hit all the lines of your choice with  high confidence and, perhaps some Unmitigated Audacity.  I will be there dark and early,  see you there.   Ciao!!!

This morning was 20 degrees warmer than yesterday,  with the peak even warmer than the bottom of the hill.  The snow we have received is perfect for grooming and ripping.  Regulator was just impeccable and lent itself to full on rock and roll.  There was zero icy spots anywhere top to bottom.  One could Lock and Load your edges, and ride the line with full confidence.  Baldy opened for the first time of the season, offering very consistent conditions.  My good friend B- FLASH characterized the feel as being like a ” silky bed sheet”  I guess we can all read the sub text behind that!  Needless to say,

WITHE DIAMONDS

those that took the time to venture out there were rewarded with goodness.  Field of Glory has released to the very old layer, leaving a treacherous section well down the fall line.  It will take a bit more snow to refill that piece.  The continued refrigerated days are keeping the off trail soft, though the crud is beginning to seriously firm up, with the Upper Cirque getting buffed with traffic and wind.  While I am thinking of it, the Black Ice situation in the Canyon is very severe as of late, and has caused numerous sojourns off the road all the way up  to the Bird entrances, so use caution all the way up the canyon.   The cold temps have been morphing the snow surface in the  untracked sections, creating surface crystals that sparkle like diamonds.  Here is a shot I took off the beaten path to show you how beautiful it was.  Zoom in to get the best view.   Tomorrow is my day off , but you can look forward to continued great skiing and, perhaps, Mineral Basin might open for the first time of the season.. That would be worth blowing off a day off in itself, but…. NO!   My knees need a break for a day.   See you Sunday, but rest assured I will get the low down for you and post, so stay tuned.   I’ll Be Blasting You!!!

The Weatherman was a bit off on the Blizzard, but he got the cold air right.  This morning was , once again, very cold, and the snow was slow and sticky with the frost.  The off trail was setting up a bit with the density and cold, though good turns were to be had  there.  I opted for the perfect Groomers that were just exquisite after the last cycle.   It was so consistent, that I really felt able to lock up the turn and and stick it.  Very nice..  The clear skies and perfect visibility were perfect conditions for the first opening of Little Cloud, which offered a wide variety of consistency from sweet sugar to stiff slab, with the emphasis on stiff wind slab.   The entire intersection of Hoopy’s Crotch had released to the early layers, leaving only exposed scree .  I traversed slowly and carefully across it to get the last North East exposure, that offered very nice sugar fine turns.  MMMM Good..  Thanksgiving desert before noon.   Cold temps and low Sun angle have kept the snow quality high on all exposures.  The wind factor has been the most significant influence  in the snow quality.   Tomorrow look for continued great conditions; conditions that call for the new pair of skis to come out.  I think that it is not out of line, at this juncture, to  mount them up and bring them out. The Upper Cirque is filling in nicely, though you have to walk 10 or 20 feet to get over the rock band, Scott is much more accessible, and more terrain remains to open in the future.  Yes, today is a day to be thankful for.   See you in the AM.   IBBY!!

GAD CHUTES

After all the hype about the BIG BLIZZARD, you would have thought that the snow would have been super deep.  Fortunately, the snow installment was just perfect for the day.  The mountain opened promptly and great snow had been carefully placed on the hill by the wind.  The hollow western exposures had been filled in as the storm approached, making them much more accessible than previous days.  The Peruvian side of the hill had been a bit more wind affected, with a bit of a wind slab to deal with.  The new wide skis were ticket as they make short work of those challenging condition’s.  There was a fair crowd that moved  quickly through the maze.  More lifts opened up, helping to disperse the crowd and keep the ball rolling.  The Cirque Traverse still has some surprises along the way, so be wary of the stray snag or rock pile.  Some of the lower traverses still sport thin areas where scree piles are exposed, that can grab you and pull a piece of bottom out.  Over all the conditions are really incredible for this time of the year. I had a feeling that the cycle would kick in early…. I don’t know why.  After Noon, the sun came out and shone a new light on the situation.  The previously ignored sections were suddenly visible, and the quick were able to get some delightful freshies very late in the day.   Thank You.  I love it when you can go get a line and there is no one to push you into the line.  I love to look at the snow and the beauty of it.  Here is a photo of the choke point under the Gad chutes.  It is still a touch thin, but the apron was supreme, with very little traffic late in the day. Bonus!!!  The Upper entrance into Great Scott benefited greatly from the recent wind direction, getting filled in much more solidly than it was just the other day.  Things change fast, so I will keep you posted as conditions change.  The continued cold temps will preserve the quality going into tomorrow, so you can expect great skiing for your Turkey Day.  See you in the AM. Ciao!!!

The intrepid group of hard corps stepped out on to Hidden Peak to be greeted by a true maelstrom of driving snow and ultra intense wind.  It was NUKIN’!!!.  Visibility was very good….. except for the fact, that the driving snow and super gusts rendered any reference points fleeting at best.  The movement of the snow filled wind gusts threw off your sense of movement and direction, making the conditions a mandatory INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULE situation.  While that is excellent for your overall skill development, the negotiation of the expanse of a nearly featureless Regulator was a serious challenge.  Now the snow was great!! 4 or 5” of nice accumulation.  The grooming job was very consistent and smooth, which was the saving grace  for any level of security.  Occasionally I would get a brief gimps of a snow gun or a thin bamboo marker,  giving a brief sense of location.  The heavy gusts swarmed the entire mountain, shutting the Tram down, with the rest of the lifts following at around 12:00 Noon.  The forklift Chair was, again, the place to be, away from the white chaos that swirled outside as the intrepid eeked out the last couple of Trams.  The Blizzard is on the move, with large accumulations expected.  Be sure to check the Bird site and and the Road condition – both accessible from this site- before heading up.   With this new installment, the goods are here, the base is well established, and it is going to be a great Thanksgiving.    I really tried to get a photo for today, but there was just no opportunity.  See you tomorrow,  I will be biding my time, and waiting for developments in the AM..  No sense  in getting into a frenzy.  I will slowly drive up there and ski it all!!!   Get Ready!!!  Peace Out!

This morning was looking stormy on the hill as I drove up extra early, so as not to miss the first Boat.   Once again the faithful had been paying attention, though the week end crowd was, clearly, not there, with not more than a three Tram wait built up.  The new snow was fully knee deep and much lighter density than  the past installments, making the ride a bit more bouncy as the underlying crud had not been fully buffered.  I am not complaining, just the facts.  The Cirque Traverse has still got some surprises in sections along the length.  Use caution as snags and abrupt woopties can be daunting in bad visibility.  Even though the Tram line was holding solid, the hill itself seemed empty with no apparent pressure to deal with.   Nice touch!!    ZOOM and Little Cloud chair helped disperse the crowd as the Tram Line dropped to  just two. By 1PM. the line shrank to walk on, no waiting.   As the product got skied out, the snow seemed to thicken and require a bit more persuasion.    Charging a more direct line will add more power using the gravity field for FREE!! Speaking of GRAVITY,  what a trip!!!   A major storm is on the doorstep that is going to really put the snow pack in the green zone; good to go!!.  There might be wind issues with operation, so know that options may need to be selected.  Dress for chairs just in case, because this may be one of those great wind events, where the tracks get filled in with each run.  That is my favorite kind of powder day.  See you early to make the first Bucket!!  Ciao!

I got up early this morning in anticipation of a full on powder day.  I had to shovel the walk and knock the accumulation from the array before I could get out of the trailer.  The road was good to go with not too much traffic.  What I did not realize , was that everyone else blew off the shoveling and headed up well ahead of me.  Try as I might, I made third Tram with the line already stretched around by Snow Safety.  The peak was full on blizzard conditions blowing into the Peruvian side, which was only open from the Cirque Traverse.  I dropped the sign line and found exquisite frosting of heavy, dense, cold accumulation that was absolutely effortless to turn in.  Despite the crowd at the Tram, the hill was a bit more sedate, with the faithful going out exploring the further reaches of the hill.  Those outlying areas will be getting better, but the snow snakes still lurk here and about.  The snow was falling so hard that the visibility was pushed to zero zero at times, though that did not detract from the exceptional conditions of the day.   The  faithful were giddy with the product and were getting back in line as fast a possible.    I took the cue to bail for the day in order to get down the Canyon Road while the getting was good.  The uphill traffic was solid from top to bottom.  Where would they park?     More great snow is in the forecast for the next couple of days.  Tomorrow will, once again , be one of those days that they write about, and if you show up , you will have one of those stories that seem impossible to believe, but…. Believe it!!!  This is one of those openers that we can reminisce about when folks get negative about the coming season.  I always try to hold a big idea and see what materializes.   IBBY!!!