I have been having trouble with the input signal, so I am just winging it here. The messages I have received indicate a nice day, with strong South winds and rising temps. The High North was benefiting from the wind, smoothing the dance floor, and keeping the product soft. After Noon the temps. began to morph the lower elevations, creating a thicker consistency, which may prove to be a tad on the crusty side for the first of the AM. session. Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to provide the high octane shred fest, though the High North will still be holding the smooth. Reports were also indicating some good conditions on the far reaches of the Cirque Traverse, so do a lap and get an eye on the possibilities before a full commitment. Mineral Basin should also be worth an early look before much traffic gets to it. I am still being buffeted by the Home Planetary disturbances, but I am making headway in my attempts to return ASAP. I will be posting again tomorrow, though Saturday looks dubious at best. Until later, Peace out!!!

THe TRANSMISSION channel is not cleAR.  However, I was able to get some scraps of data that might be useful.  A rime ice precipitation was working the hill inside the cloud layer that hung, obscuring the visibility  both outside and inside the goggles.  That is no fun at all, except if the snow is excellent and you are motivated to charge to lines with no pressure and no hype.   Today was one of those days, where you were free to choose any line and get the goods.  The hill is still in great shape, having dodged the lion’s share of the Sun damage, though those pesky direct shots did not entirely escape the heat.  There is still plenty of big mountain smooth to keep you going direct to the fall line.  Tomorrow, look for some great Groomers to be provided for the morning high octane push, then look to the High North aspects for continued off trail lines.  The weather is going to improve, with the Sun coming out, so the snow pack will again be taking a beating as the day progresses.   I truly miss the hill, with every cell of my SPACE SUIT  screaming to get back, but soon enough!!!   I will reestablish the CHANNEL at the best opportunity.   IBBY!!!

I arrived safely from my trip through the Portal, where one travels without actually moving.  At the Bird, the faithful did not respond to the short total report, thus leaving the wide open expanses for the few who made the effort.  They were treated to Essence that brought out the HERO in each seeker, with creamy desert topping wonder.  My inside source told me tales of fresh lines left well after 2:00PM, which , as this season will attest, is unheard of.  Powder Paradise and Little Cloud opened, offering a tasty treat wall to wall.  The big mountain smooth, that has been holding up for some days, made the full charge lines good to go.  The Sun and ambient temps. began to set the product up later in the day, so the high exposure shots will have felt the damage of this time of year.  Tomorrow, look for some more flurries to move through, so keep in mind the Sun exposed shots to avoid the crusty rumble.  The Groomers will be kicking it for carvacious fun top to bottom.  This Galaxy is a long way from The Bird, but I will return soon to be among the faithful.   I will post again tomorrow, if I can get another clear Portal.   IBBY!!!

I got up the Canyon a bit early this morning, in an attempt to beat the front that was moving in from the West.  Walk on Trams were going off with very little traffic, as the hill offered some stellar frosting that had been smoothed by the wind, and felt yet like another kind of perfect.  At 10:00AM a Wall Of Voodoo moved up the Canyon reducing visibility to nearly zero, with high volume precipitation in association with a dense frontal cloud kicking in with a vengeance.  I ventured out to Old Ladies to sample the wind filled gut, only to get totally lost in the milk bottle.  The consistency was excellent, so I trusted the inner vision and began my traverse over to Gate 10, but once again I got lost thinking I was where I was not.  It was a trip trying to maintain balance with such minimal references, and I must admit to have got a bit of vertigo going.  Fortunately, I was able to get myself safely to the Forklift Chair where the visibility was 20 20 and a calm ambiance settled me down.  It is hard to describe just how hard the snow was falling, but suffice to say that all reports coming off the hill did not indicate any improvement in the visibility.  The Essence was getting deeper with every passing minute, filling in the tracks as fast as the tracks were made.  Tomorrow, look for a real treat for the faithful, who are sure to be in full attendance, so plan on using the chairs as a sure way to maximize the up hill access.  I did that the other day with great results, while the faithful were stuck in the Tram line.   I have been called back to the home planet for the next few days, so I will try and get the posts out through the HYPER SPACE CHANNEL as best I can.  There  may well be some gaps in the TRANSMISSIONS, so please understand the vagueness.  I will return ASAP.   IBBY!!!   Here is a shot of the WALL OF VOODOO that was moving up the Canyon this morning; big, black, and packing a punch!

WALL OF VOODOO

The Canyon was very greasy this morning, as the heavy snow fall really came fast and hard.  The 8 to 10” of Essence was perfect,with just the right amount of density to make the ride soft and blastable.  Mineral Basin and Little Cloud were held off for a bit, but the front of the hill was sufficient to keep everyone occupied until they got open.   The Tram was backed up, but the chairs were walk on free, providing rapid access to the hill, where I was able to get untracked run after run, as everyone was stuck in the Tram line.  The Sun was out in full force, but the cold temps. kept the snow from going South, remaining soft and resisting the Harbor Chop build up.  That was a nice treat indeed.   After 1 PM. the clouds moved back in ahead of the next installment, further preserving the quality for any additional accumulation we might receive. Tomorrow, look for another exceptional day, with some new accumulation and very fat coverage wall to wall.  The old crusty layer is now only minimally felt under foot, so any shot you choose will be good to go.   I did not personally get into Mineral Basin today, but all reports I got were glowing, with some folks saying it was the best of the season, and who can argue with that, considering how great the Essence was feeling.  Face shots were not at all uncommon, and the energy level was very high.  The next few days will be Utah

SIGN POST

perfect, so be there for the Goodness.  I will be there for the first bell.   Peace Out!!

Today was a transitory day, as the next system moves in.  The wind was working the hill, slowly filling and smoothing the dance floor.  It was 9 Degrees on the peak at 7:30 AM, so the day was not going to warm up too much, as the Sun was shrouded by the high cloudiness.   The Groomers were carvelicious for the folks who were streaming up the Canyon in droves hoping for the deep Essence.  The accumulation from yesterday did not hold up, and was still fairly skied out, though the softness factor was still in full effect.  The forecast is looking for, perhaps, as much as a foot, so tomorrow will be looking good.  The crunch layer will still be in play, though the severity will be mitigated greatly, so expect some variability to the full drive line.  That should not present any real issues, but  just adjust for the possible encounter.  The hill is still holding the smooth overall, but the lower elevations have developed some high amplitude interference patterns, but these zones may be circumvented if required, or charged fully for the Hot Dogging inclined.  Look for the Grooming crew’s handiwork for the big mountain smooth, which , for me, is a treasured feature, as my knees are really feeling the strain of the seasons heavy ground pounding.  We are holding off the relentless march toward Spring, so take advantage of every day of this Winter blast that helps to keep time in the hold pattern.  See you in the AM.   Ciao!!!

Over night the wind worked the hill, filling in the High North aspects as well as creating some breakable wind slab to deal with.  The low overnight accumulation did not signal the faithful, who once again had to be cajoled into action by the Tweets, Texts, etc. to get them motivated to partake of the serious accumulation of the Essence.  Though there was a few inches of fresh to begin, the front brought a deluge, which began stacking up as fast as it could get skied out.  The far reaches still were being ignored, as the easy pickings were focused on, leaving face shot deep sections open for the taking.  The density was fairly light, though it did begin to cushion the ride over some of the crunchiness on the South and West faces.  Fully 10” of accumulation was around my car as I left the area, with still heavy snow fall continuing till the closing bell.   Tomorrow, will be one of those Powder days that magazines portray, and the early risers will be treated to Utah’s finest product.  I, however, will be taking the day off to rest up for the next few storms that are lined up for the coming days.  The lack of sunshine, and cold temps. will have spared the snow pack from deteriorating, so tomorrow will offer great lines no matter where you point them.  You just can’t miss!!!  Powder Paradise and Little Cloud remained closed, so those areas will offer some of the deepest runs of the season, and I am not exaggerating.  If you happen to miss out, more is on the way, and the hill is prime for greatness, so your patience will be rewarded.  Stay tuned for the updates as we move through the next few days, and the subtle changes can be accurately articulated.  As you know, things happen here on an hour by hour basis, as today’s rapid accumulation will illustrate.  See you Sunday!!! Have Fun!!! IBBY!!

Ok, this was one of those days that a Powder Seeker treasures, where there is a report of a trace, the first Tram gets 4”, and by the time I leave the Planetary Office at 11:30 AM or so it is knee deep in the Upper Cirque.  The South wind, combined with the ultra heavy precipitation, conspired to create a day of blower, all to yourself fluffulecence, with No pressure No hype perfection.  The snow fall began as medium density, cushioning the ride before the colder air lightened the Essence, which continued to stack up at an incredible rate.  As anticipated, the crunch factor was in play on the aspects that saw yesterday’s Sun, making those shots a bit tricky despite the fresh Essence.  I stayed with the known smooth lines of the High North, though I did venture out to those zones just to see “what for”, and I got exactly “what for” with the screaming pain in my knees as I bounced, deflected, absorbed, and generally survived the pitches, even though I was getting face shots in the process.  Tomorrow,  more snow is predicted to be on tap for another Double Powder day.  SHHHHHH!!! With the traffic working the product into the old layer, new Essence will only make most aspects a ” Back to Winter delight.  There may be some lift and area restrictions, so the Tram line may be a bit more populated.   The High North is still holding the best big mountain smooth, but the Grooming crew is working hard to provide additional smoothness for the ground pounding pace setters.    Yesterday, I had the sublime privilege of accessing the far reaches of the Wasatch.  Here is a shot of a huge giant pitching section, where I was able to pull into the Pit and ride the Giant.  Epic!!  Peace Out!!

POWER ZONE

It was a bright and sunny morning, with a strong South wind blowing in another system for the next two days.  The wind was working hard to fill in the High North aspects, which were smoothing continually as the day progressed.  The Sun, being very high in the sky now, was beginning to heat the snow pack rapidly, especially the most direct aspects.  The heat even began to affect the lower elevations, where things started getting a bit stiff.  The Groomers were particularly smooth, with the fresh snow tilled into the mat, providing a dance floor to RUMBA on.  Tomorrow, look for more of the High North lines to have remained soft, but be aware of the Sun affected aspects as they will be tricky at best, so choose wisely.  The other consideration is the storm that is moving in, which , by various forecasts, is slated to begin at some point tomorrow. Some say early, some say later, but in any case the light may be a tad on the flat side, so be there early for the best shot at any glimmer of sunshine.  The interference patterns are beginning to develop in the high traffic areas, which combined with the stiffer product will be somewhat problematic as the morning begins.  With more Essence on the way, the conditions will improve once again , getting us back in gear.  This time of year the quality factor goes with the territory, so plan accordingly.  See you there early for the low traffic, high energy vertical assault!!!

" HIS STEALTHACIOUSNESS"

The Canyon opened a bit earlier than anticipated, and the faithful took full advantage of the slack to be present for the 4” report.  The 2” report of yesterday seemed to have caught them napping, so it was not going to happen again.  With Twitter, Texts, Face book, etc. the word got out, so there was no excuse to be left out of today’s festivities.  Needless to say, that was the deepest 4” I have seen in some time.   The medium density Essence filled and cushioned the lines, leaving them shredtastic, with folks going full out, full blast, sliding as if it was the last snow of the season.  The Tram line was backed up, but the chairs were fairly accessible, with very little wait at all.  Mineral Basin opened, offering some of the smoothest lines imaginable.  Though the wind was blowing at a gale force, the consistency was STUDIO!!!  The only drawback of the day was the visibility, which really tested your inner vision.  I was working with my knowledge of the pitch variations to gauge where I was  as I moved down the hill.  As there are few trees in Mineral, and none where I was working,  that was the only reference that I had.  Fortunately, my inner guidance, and some help from the TRANSMISSIONS, got me down the pitch without incident.  Tomorrow look for a bit of clearing ahead of the next installment, and with the approach will come the wind, which will have plenty of product to transport to the obvious aspects.  The snow was still falling as I left, and the few rays of Sun that peaked through the clouds did not affect the freshness.  The mountain is in fine shape with barely any hint of the crusty layer, though there may be some wind scoured sections that may reveal the crust, but just keep your eyes pealed for that.  As the visibility was not conducive to great photos, I did manage to get this shot of ” His Stealthaciousness”, just after re entry from the depths of the OVER HEAD ZONE, where one can only imagine the intensity of that run.  No doubt he was fully immersed in the ESSENTIAL PIT of BLISS!! You just had to be there!!! Peace Out!!