Yeah, we need more snow.  No doubt.  But, what we do have is so much better than just a couple of weeks ago.  The big rocking Groomers are open for fun, with the morning corduroy offering some sumptuous carving before things begin to get pushed off.  All over the hill the Grooming crew has been working to keep things consistent.  Snow making continues in spots to keep the build up on those  hard to cover sections.  Mineral Basin was going off from the opening bell, with few takers  for the first hour.  It is like a private resort back there, especially if you work the Baldy Express, where the terrain features in the middle add a skate board park transition feel.  Later in the day those South facing aspects really started to feel spring like.  There were actually some of the direct South facing wind lines offering real corn when the Sun worked the sections.  Nice touch.  The High North is still offering the cold dry chalky lines, with the minimal rumble only slightly problematic.  Tomorrow, look for the last Sunny morning for a couple of days as a brush by brings in some clouds.  I expect wind to begin working the hill out ahead of the system, so look for some of those lines from last week to be working again.  There are still some nice wind lines populating the outer reaches of the High North, so look there for the obscure and interesting.  Firmness is not going away anytime soon, so look for the smooth collected lines on the sides and tree lines for traction when things get greasy.  Here is a shot I took of the Rock Garden area.  I was trying to capture the rime ice feature glowing in the Sun, but it did not capture it as I had hoped, but there  is some very interesting lens flare components that are intriguing.   See you for the early morning ground pounding session.  Peace Out!!

The day started early this morning with the first Tram leaving the dock at 8:15 AM. in celebration of another Customer Appreciation Day.  Pastries and hot beverages were being offered at the entrance to the Tram.  What a nice way to start the day.  Out in Mineral Basin, the Sun was shining brightly, with nicely prepared Groomers to rock the arc.  Louis and Clark was also offering some carvalicous lines with little to no traffic.  Nice.  Here is a shot from that little foray into the far reaches.  These cliffs really reflect that morning Sun and they are so close you can reach out and touch them it seems.  The High North has been developing some nice wind slab lines that are worth the traverse to get that dry chalky feel.  Dig in deep for those turns that will remind you of the goodness next Summer.  That is what I am thinking about when I am dialing them in.  I must have way too much time on my hands.  Tomorrow, look for another high octane shred fest on the smooth and velvet.  The sides of the main runs do collect the snow that is pushed off, making those cushioned lines the place to be when things get sketchy in the middle of the run.  The Sun has been working those South facing aspects, which get nice and soft later in the day, but they are a bit crusty first thing, however, the Grooming Crew does a nice job of tenderizing them until it gets softened up.  The entrances to the big lines are, once again, getting very difficult to access, and they require a very careful approach to get into, but offer very nice rewards once in the sections.  More Sun and warmth on tap in which to luxuriate, so be there for the fun. IBBY!!!

If it won’t snow it might as well SUN.  Mineral Basin was best with the bright sunshine and great Groomers offering some very nice velvet.   A Louis and Clark line was still smooth and holding up after all these days.  The warmth of the days have begun to melt off some of the cover near the trees in places that get that direct Sun.  Here is a shot of some green grass making a bold appearance at the foot of this tree.  I think it is a bit premature don’t you think?  The front of the hill was buffed top to bottom on both sides, with nice grooming lines that kept me amped up and lapping the Tram.  There is a competition going on in different sections of the hill, so some of the old favorites are out of play for a couple of days.  Other sections that usually get closed on these occasions are still open, which makes the options much more interesting.  Tomorrow, look for another day of inversion warmth and blues skies.  The wind has backed off and those lines that have been buffing out are not getting refreshed, though there are new lines developing on the High North aspects.  I will be taking a look at the new open area tomorrow to see how it is shaping up.  Since much of it slid during control work, some areas are down to the very old layer and may be tricky.  I will go see for myself.  Even though it is a holiday weekend, the traffic is very marginal, and lift lines are quick and fast if they are there at all.   Motoring around the mountain is fun to do with the no waiting situation.  Take advantage of the nice warm days and smooth lines on the hill.  See you there for the first Boat.  Ciao!!

We are again deep in a holding pattern with regards to the weather.  Seems like Groundhog’s Day sometimes, where each day is much like the last.  However, armed with the knowledge of yesterday, one can make better use of today.  Some might say that this is boring, but I beg to differ, as there are still lines of perfection as has been evidenced the last few days for those who found the golden thread.  I took the day off today and sat out the dance to rest up for the coming week.  I have been plotting how to make yesterday’s knowledge work for me tomorrow.   I know I can dig a little deeper for the full effect of the turn, slide that edge just a touch longer before the lock and load, and put my head into the turn just a bit earlier to get moving down the fall line. The prospects are infinite.  Tomorrow, look for another day to make a ripping yarn, a ripping turn, and a rock fest to see just how committed to the dance you are.  The Groomers will be going off again, and I will be looking for more wind lines to caress.  The Louis and Clarke approach is always good for the morning  session, and as has been the case all week, it will continue to offer some unknown gems.  Look with a knowing eye and get to those early treasures.  Here is a shot of the Sun rise taken from the peak courtesy of my friend Paul.  Note the large planet to the right of the Sun.  Hmmmm…. looks awfully large.  Perhaps it is Jupiter.  Guesses?  IBBY!!!

The wind worked wonders once again, creating long lines of goodness just like I had hoped.  The warmer morning temps were offset by the stout wind that continues to blow out of the North.  Mineral Basin was the go to place with abundant sunshine, great groomers, and perfect lines of wind slab.  Here is a shot of the Big Boom Bah that had been worked by the wind overnight.  It held up all day long despite the traffic that was drawn to this line.  It is such a long relentless pitch that it thins the crowd after they take a few runs.  1000′ of down will keep you working the section.  I was certainly glad to pull up at the bottom of this section and look back up the line and just be amazed.  The Grooming Crew did a stellar job of getting the rest of the main runs in shape.  The cold dry chalk is still holding up for most of the day, and even after a lot of traffic you can find great cushion on the sides and tree lines.  Tomorrow, look for the wind to resurface the wind lines as the wind is not done yet.  The Groomers are holding up all day, keeping the smooth feel good to go all day.  Interference patterns are beginning to rough out again, but they are still holding off with the lighter traffic. Keep your eyes open as you ascend the lifts for the best assessment of the terrain.  There are still some very rasty open slope sections that have been stripped and scoured by the wind.  You do not want to be dealing with these sections, and when you get a look at some of these sections you will know what I mean.  On the plus side there are a lot of great lines to choose as options, so you can by pass the the Gnar with a chuckle.  I will be off tomorrow, so rip it up for me.  Peace Out!!

The inversion has been building in as the High pressure has stalled over the region.  The warmer morning Peak temps are a treat, though the stiff wind that has been continually blowing keeps the feel a bit brisk.  As anticipated, the wind did a wonderful job of providing some of the most perfect wind slab lines of the season, with a variety of consistencies that kept you going AHHHH!!.  I had to dial in the turns to get more of the exquisite natural carpet that felt like silk top to bottom of that Big Smooth section.   Other lines were also going off, and it did not take much looking to find the goodness.  I was able to take the goggles off in the afternoon and go with just the shades.   Nice!!! Off of the wind smooth lines lay some very difficult scoured terrain, which kept you on the straight and narrow.  I saw one charger miss the line and get shot over into the stacato rumble.   I had to chuckle a bit as he got his roll stopped and made a hasty bee line back to the goods.  Keeping the fall line in the sight line was paramount today.  Tomorrow, look for  the wind to have resurfaced some of those same go to lines and there might be additional lines if the direction clocks around a bit.  Mineral is still offering the sunny morning lines, with lots to choose from despite the wind scoured sections.  On the Front side the Groomers will be going off again, and the High North is still offering the dry chalk.  The interference patters are still slow to rise in amplitude, so get those lines you know now before the traffic increases.  Here is a shot of Regulator with some very nice smoothness in the afternoon.  Good fun is on tap, so get there for the early morning laps.  Stay Frosty!!

With the continued wind coming out of the North, some of those lines that were going off yesterday did not have quite the buff that kept me going back.  I revisited yesterday’s wind buff, but it had moved elsewhere.  I looked out in Mineral Basin and found  the line that is favored by that wind direction, however, it was obvious to everyone, so it did not last long at all.  It did begin to get more consistent as the traffic eased up and the wind continued.  I will be looking there in the AM to see what happened over night.  Once again, the entrances to the big lines remains sketchy as it has been scuffed off with the traffic, but perhaps some of the transported snow might fill it in yet.  Interference pattens remain slow in returning, though the tops are still in play.  I have been looking to the edges along the trees for those deeper accumulations.  Regulator is still a bit greasy on the top section, so hold on tight there for the first 200 feet or so.  There is softness below so expect to regain traction.  Tomorrow, look for the wind sections that might have been set up overnight,  great Groomers on all sides of the hill to offer velvet dry chalk, and the traffic to be light once again.  Be aware of the Black Ice in the Lower Canyon, as it has been claiming the unaware and impatient.  Things happen fast, so get to and from the area safely.  Here is a shot Looking down the range to the West with the air looking clear.  See you there for the morning rock session.  IBBY!!

All of the major areas of the hill opened today in a staggered manner, which gave everyone a chance to get the remaining untracked of this last storm cycle.   The wind had worked all of these areas very hard, so there was a huge range of conditions to encounter wall to wall.  In Mineral Basin the wind deposited lines were the most consistent, with the wind continuing to refinish the surface as the day progressed.  The Road to Provo also opened offering some of the most challenging conditions I have seen in a long time, as that rime event left a significant Zipper Crust over the entire area.  There were a couple sheltered sections that were sweet, but that crust sent me packing.  The High North seemed to offer the best lines of the day, as the wind left those lines smooth and luxurious.  You really had to look around and explore for the gems.  The Groomers were much improved, however, echos of the old crustiness still reverberated and it needed to be acknowledged.  We are moving into another long stretch of High Pressure and the hill will begin to morph as the aspects get worked by traffic and weather.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be going off, especially out in the sections that have been building up the base.  It will be fun to see how Powder Paradise shapes up.  Sunshine and warmer temps are also on tap, so take advantage of the more relaxed pace to find those improving lines that will be developing.  The hill is shaping up nicely after this last installment, and it will continue to offer great snow sport sliding in the AM.   Here is a shot of Mineral Basin waiting for the faithful to get after it.   See you for the first Bucket.  IBBY!!

The storm cycle that has visited the Wasatch for the last week or so, was slow to exit, clearing off only later in the day.  The wind and snow was hitting hard all day, but the Tram was open, making  access to the higher elevation lines an added feature.  The wind was in full effect, stripping off some of the exposed West faces, and piled it up in the low hollows and guts.  There was a high degree of wind affected aspects, but soft lines were available on all aspects if you looked.  The Cirque Traverse is much improved, however, it does present features that demand respect, so know that going in.  Entrances are improving , but the wind did have an effect there as well, so use caution going into those high pressure lines.  Much of the terrain remains closed, but perhaps will be available soon as Control Work gets done.  The crusty tops of the interference patters are fully in play all over the hill where traffic is highest.  The new accumulation has filled in the troughs, but those tops remain scoured from the high winds.  I found it difficult to commit to a hard driving fall line approach due to the wide spread variability.  Expect to be bounced around a bit.  Tomorrow, look for clearing to offer a bright sunny day,  fantastic Groomers to be offering very carvalicious quality, and new terrain to open when ready.  I think the back side was getting the benefit of the wind direction, as all that snow had to go somewhere.  Here is a shot of Tower 4 as we passed by today.  It is heavily crusted with rime ice that has been part of the mix during this cycle.  Some of that Zipper Crust is still lurking in the lower layers.  Expect variation, but also expect greatness.  See you in the AM.   Ciao!!

Between the wind, the snow fall, and the heavy cloud cover, the day seemed like being deep in a White Room.  With the wind blowing a gale, the Tram was down for the day.  Peruvian Gulch opened around 10:00AM, which opened up another set of choices for the large turnout.  The signals have been sent and the faithful came in droves to get more of the goods.  Today’s higher density accumulation was mitigated by the cold dry feel, and was smoothed by the heavy winds, making the turns delightful indeed.  Only the crusty tops of the old interference patterns marred the ride in those high traffic areas.  Off to the sides could be found very nice frosting to spread around.  So nice to have new product to work with.  Today was another Customer Appreciation day, and while early Trams were not happening, the hospitality was fully in play as you came in the door and also up on the main deck.  Here is a shot of Dave Fields hosting the hot beverage and pastry table at the top of the stairs.  Thanks for the nosh Dave.  Tomorrow, look for the more of the hill to be open, with, perhaps, Mineral Basin to add to the available terrain.  Since that has been out of play the last couple of days, it should be shaping up out there nicely.  Remember the Zipper Crust from yesterday that is still probably going to add to the mix out there, so expect some interesting variations.  The Groomers are really hitting the sweet spot, with very carve-able quality.  I finally feel like I can make a real turn after weeks of shwagging the hard pack.  Feels good to have the hill back in it’s sumptuous state of being.  See you there for the Monday morning shred fest.  Peace Out!!