A beautify coating of the Essential substance covered the hill for the first Tram this morning.  The medium density seemed to bond to the old layer on the low angle aspects, however, the steeper shots still was sporting the crust.  With high winds pounding the peak the consistency was slabby up high, but lower down the frosting was feeling luxurious.  It was such a treat to lay into a turn instead of drifting on the hard pack.  Snow kept building up all day long, and there was fully boot top goodness happening when the Peruvian Gulch opened.  The density cushioned the interference patterns as well as much of the gnar that had been exposed by the heavy traffic as of late.  Tomorrow, look for additional accumulation to grace the hill, off trail sections to become much more reliable, and great sliding finally getting up and going for the season.  This high density snow was exactly what we needed to build the base for the holiday rush.  I was still hitting the tried and true, but I think it will be time to begin venturing into a wider spectrum of terrain without to much concern.  Nice to have the hill shaping up.  Check the road conditions and access in the AM as I think there may be some issues.  We will have to wait and see.  See you there for the morning freshies.    Here is a shot a good friend of mine took the other day when the atmosphere was creating these very rare effects.  Trippy.  Peace Out!!

After a nice sunny morning a cloud deck moved in later in the day making the light go flat.  There are fairly enthusiastic  predictions about the possible accumulation over the next couple of days.  The Cat Crew did a nice job of getting the dance floor ready for today’s rock and roll festival.  It was easy once again to hit the back to back pace and the core morning crew was hitting each boat in a tight pattern as they all hit the skier’s bridge within seconds of each other.  That is telling indeed and I did not feel up to keeping such a blistering pace.  As sections got skied off, looking to the sides of the runs was paying off with some built up softness that let you bleed off some of the juice before  hitting some the steeper sections.  Once again there had been a fresh Cat Track up the Peruvian side of the hill which offered a very sweet line after the tiller had turned the frosting.  Nice touch and very unexpected.  Traffic was light on the hill and that made the atmosphere much more relaxed.  Tomorrow, look for precipitation to have fallen overnight, and more accumulation all during the day.   It will be good to stay with the tried and true until things get a bit worked over, as any slope features may get covered up again.  I have been keeping a mental note of the larger areas, and as such I will be staying close to what I know has the smooth. The interference patterns are still offering some upper end amplitude, however, there are still those lines available to circumvent the worst of the rumble.  Here is a shot of the new/old Mercedes 1968 4X4 that was parked on the Plaza this morning.  What a beautiful example of restoration.  Sweet ride.  See you for the freshness in the AM.  Ciao!!!!

A beautifully smooth treat greeted the crew for first Tram this morning and it was a rock and roll delight.  The Grooming Crew had worked wonders on the hill, pushing snow and detailing the spots that had been problematic yesterday.  Back to back Trams were easy to get with just half filled Trams going up the cables.  The snow guns had turned out some sweet sections for those who got the early lines, making it well worth the effort to get on it for the first bell.  It was a dance fest where we were all twisting and fruging all morning long.  Here is a shot of the lovely MIA getting in on the groove in a scene from Snow Fiction as the rocking vibe was spreading.  Tomorrow, look for more excellent Cat work, but there are high clouds in the forecast that might make the lights go out as the next storm begins to move in.  Perhaps the murk will get flushed from the Valley with the changing pattern.   Firmness is still deepening, but it is nicely offset by the velvet that is still holding on the hill.  Interference patterns are still building, but there are some smooth sections in between that can be worked for some variation.  We will have to wait and see how this next storm shakes out.  They are anticipating a Mineral Basin opening on Saturday for the season and any additional accumulation will be a welcome addition.  See you there for the opening bell and the continuation of the rock fest that is ongoing.  Stay Frosty!!

It sure was nice to drive up the Canyon and leave behind the air quality of the Valley.  The mountain was beautiful this morning with balmy peak temps and a much lighter wind.  There was not as much wind transported snow available as I had hoped, but the Gun Powder offered some very sumptuous lines on both sides of the hill.  As we get to the shortest day of the year, it seems a bit darker a bit longer before the Sun gives the hill some detail.  Regulator has been skiing very nicely, with lines of Gun Powder stretching out way beyond the guns.  I was looking for as much of those sweet lines as I could locate all morning long.   Some of the high elevation off trail did get some of the transported snow and were beginning to offer some alternatives to try out.  Tomorrow, look for another balmy morning with light traffic, great early morning corduroy, and an excited group for the early morning lines.  Here is a shot of Mineral Basin which is getting ready to open soon.  I will keep you posted on that.  Enjoy the quiet time of the season before the crowds hit after the holidays.  See you there for the first Bucket.  Peace Out!!

There was no sign of any cloud deck this morning, with the first Tram docking to clear skies and a very stiff Northwest wind.  The traffic was moderate all morning, but began backing up around Noon, with the choke points on the hill getting congested.  Fresh Gun Powder was on tap for the morning crew, and there were some sumptuous sections to sample on both sides of the hill.  More terrain has opened over on Gad 2 and it has been getting worked soundly, revealing much of the early season features.  The consistency off trail is quite stiff, but it has that dry chalky feel free of some of the slick spots that are spotty on the main runs.  Caution is the order of the day when going off the beaten path, however, the cover is better than I thought is was going to be.  Tomorrow, look for another clear and rocking morning, with light traffic and the wide open back to back pace easy to keep.  Look for the sweet sections of Gun Powder during those early runs and get as much of that goodness as you can.  Interference patterns are becoming more defined as the traffic has worked the popular sections, but there are some wind deposited lines in the troughs that are worth looking for.  Look for some over night transported snow to be filling some of the off trail, but that will have to be assessed from the Tram on the way up in the AM.  Here is a shot of the upper section of the newly profiled section of lower Bananas looking very dry and chalky.  That chair is soooo fast.  Nice.  Stay Frosty.

The inversion continues with beautiful skies in the high elevations with the Valley covered in the murk and clouds.  I kept looking up to the hill from the Trailer today imagining the Sun and clarity of the mountain tops, and I did get to see some glimmers of Sunshine as the high deck parted from time to time.  Up on the hill conditions are still offering good fun top to bottom, especially with the addition of the new Gad 2 High Speed Quad, new slope profiles, and lots of fresh terrain to explore.   The off trail over there is a bit stiff, but the prepared sections are well covered and looking good.  I have yet to sample the new profile of Lower Bananas, though I plan to get over there tomorrow before it gets too many folks on it.  I want to get the full experience of the extended line that has been set up there.  They did some major work there to get all that opened up and consistent, and I am excited to get the full effect.  Tomorrow, look for another day of inversion, but there may be some lingering clouds as there seems to be another cloud deck moving in for the overnight hours.  I expect the morning crowd to be light, but the traffic will build up as the day progresses.  The off trail sections, that have been heavily worked, have had the hazards and features pretty well defined, so for the most part you can get around the gnar, but expect the unexpected.   Here is a shot of the nucleus of Team Sizzle when were all just kids.  That is me there third from the right. Where did the time go.   See you there for the fun in the AM.  IBBY!!

After  a string of blue bird days, this morning featured a high cloud deck that flattened the light, making the details difficult to see.  The hill is becoming increasingly firm, but the Snow Guns are working on both sides of the hill, providing some of very nice silky lines as they stretch out under the wash.  I was slowing down as I got into that sweet feeling dust to get as much as I could.  Traffic was light and a solid back to back pace was easy to keep, but there was no time to spare if you wanted to make each Boat.  The Temps were still much warmer than last week, but with the wind blowing, light snow falling, and the lack of Sun, made today seem a bit colder.  After that last cold blast I have been luxuriating in these warmer days and  I have still been wearing an extra layer.  I did not need to drop a layer today as the temps fell as snow began to fall around 2 PM.  Tomorrow, we may have seen some light accumulation, however, there does not seem to be much energy in this impulse as it moves through.  The Groomers will again be offering some very nice lines from the first bell, and the light traffic in the morning is a bonus round of fast laps.  I took another tour over at Gad 2 and am amazed at how fast that chair gets up the hill.  The new slope profile features are a nice touch as well, which will become most obvious when we get some new snow.  Here is a shot of an unusual light effect from the other day as the Snow Guns were kicking out some Gun Smoke.  Ciao!!

It was an even warmer morning for the first Tram crew, who were ready for fun.  The pack is becoming a bit firmer as each day passes, with the lower third of the hill showing signs of the glaze showing through.  The interference patterns on the easily accessed off trail sections are becoming much higher amplitude, but well spaced overall, and the consistency of the snow pack is still dry and chalky making good turns easy and predictable.  Gad 2 opened around 11AM with much excitement and an expectant crowd who were on hand for the new ride.  It is a beautiful chair, quiet, fast and a fully space age look.  Here are two shots of the lift from when I got there around Noon.  They reprofiled sections of lower Bananas, which offers a much longer consistent line from the middle of that part of the hill.  Nice touch.  As the Sun rose in the sky it became very balmy indeed, making the afternoon session  very laid back.  The cold seems to make things feel a bit frenetic, but when the heat is on it feels so casual.  Catch a chair, go to the Tram, whatever moves you.  When it is very cold the Tram gives a bit of a reprieve from the bite.   My nose is pealing nicely after that frost bite I got last last week in the ultra cold.  Another way to get a derm abrasion I guess.  Tomorrow, look for another good day for back to back vertical, continuing warm temps, and great early season session on the hill.   Be aware of the Black Ice that is now cropping up in the lower Canyon.  It is tough to see, so expect it as you drive up and down..  See you for the fast laps in the AM.  Peace Out!!

The temps were much warmer this morning with a full on inversion going on.  It was 21 Degrees on the peak with a 14 Degree Tram Deck temp., so it was nice to dispense with the full skin coverings.  The Groomers were full on corduroy rock and roll from the first bell, and both sides of the hill were sporting that velvet feel.  It was just a shade firmer than yesterday’s carve fest, but you could still lay it down like Ligety if you so chose to get serious about it.  There is serious talent on the hill these days, with folks laying down some very nice turns all over, as well as maintaining a huge pace.  Be sure to be aware of the fast movers as you go down the hill, as the pressure comes quick and goes by just as fast.  The Anderson’s Hill access opened today, and I was one of the first public to get a look see at the area.  There is widespread slide debris that has mared most of the freshness, but on the bright side the debris is very very dense and will now provide a bomber layer to cover the scree areas that populate that section in the early season.   Be careful of the debris areas and they are quite lumpy and bumpy. Of course this will be long forgotten as soon as it receives more cover.  It is nice to be getting more terrain open.  Tomorrow, look for another rock and roll morning with low traffic, reworked Groomed goodness, and a high energy start to a great day. Conditions are very nice and well worth the early start to get the most of the day.  The late afternoon is still holding up as well, with the smoothness holding up all day.  Here is a shot of Superior looking majestic, but lacking that solid cover it needs.  See for the rock and roll fest in the AM.  IBBY!!

There was room for ballroom dancing on the First Tram this morning and ballroom dancing on the perfect corduroy for the very sparse morning crew.  All the elements came together, with much warm temps that almost seemed balmy, consistent velvet on the machine worked runs, and beautifully clear skies to make an energized morning.  Lower down on the hill the Guns were turning out some very sweet cover that invited more and deeper turns to fully enjoy.  Once again, perfect is perfect, and that seemed like 40” of Zero percent.  Yum.  The wind was blowing strong out of the West, carrying transported snow to the hollows, filling in some of the lines with natural goodness.  A back to back pace was easy to maintain if you kept moving, but it was also nice to luxuriate in some of the roundabout lines to add interest and get a look at some of the variations.  Tomorrow, look for another great morning with excellent groomers to rip on and, perhaps, some accumulation of wind transported snow to supply some additional sweet options.   Just check out the lines from the Tram or the chair on the way up and lock and load.  The slick spots are all but none existent, making it fun to fully lay into the turn.  It has been a long time since you could trust the edge, and it is no problem to just let fly.  Here is a shot of the Mine framed by the mouth of the Canyon.  The air in the valley was clear this morning which is a beautiful sight.  See you in the AM.   Ciao!!