The faithful were in full attendance this morning to celebrate the installment that was delivered yesterday and last night.  Lighter density snow fell yesterday, but as the brunt of the storm hit later in the day, it began to deliver very high density Essence that rested on top of the lighter layer, which is an upside down snow pack.  The untracked was feeling very spreadable, but as you loaded the turn the turn would wash out as the lighter layer gave way beneath the force of the turn.  It caught me a bit off guard to begin, but it was easy to deal with using a light touch.  The interference patterns had been filled in, but echos of the crunch where still reverberating beneath the new coating.  The Peruvian Gulch opened, followed shortly by Mineral Basin, which went a long way to spread the crowd out over the hill, relieving the  pressure on the Tram.  Clouds moved in after Noon as the next system moves into the Front.   Tomorrow, look for another great day as big accumulation is forecast and a storm riding day should be expected.  The wind really started working some of the exposures as the velocity picked up, making those particular lines smooth run after run and you have to love that.  There will be high pressure for the goods and an early start will get you a head start on the day.  I will be taking the day off to recoup and get ready for Sunday.  Here is a shot of Toad Hill as the wind was working the high elevations.  Get ready for fun, see you Sunday.  Peace Out!

The first few runs of the day featured a 1 CM coating of smooth flannel feeling Essence that begged you to dial in a laid over turn.  Both sides of the hill were sporting the same feel top to bottom.  Lower Primrose got the grooming nod again with great consistency and a steep long line that felt like surfing a wave.  The off trail had frozen up after yesterday’s warm up, leaving much of those expanses very tricky and tenuous.  I did find some of the old wind lines still holding the smooth, and with the new cover they were offering the best off trail options.  Snow continued to build in intensity as it built up quickly, however, the harbor chop developed with the increased traffic.  Back to back Trams were easy to make, so you could kick up the pace to match the cars.   Tomorrow, look for the accumulation after the lifts close to be on tap for the morning session, clearing skies and higher traffic.  Tomorrow, look for some significant accumulation to be left over after the lifts closed today, so there will be lots of untracked lines to explore wall to wall.  I still think the crusty layer is still going to be in play to some extent, especially on the West facing aspects, but the density of the product will help cushion the ride.  Another nice feature about today was a quiet muffled feel to the sound of the edges on the snow.  Absent was most of the scratching sounds of the edges on the crust, and the increasing depth kept reducing the volume in your ears.  Quiet world.  Check the Canyon report for restrictions in the AM.   Here is a shot of my friend Neil working the outer limits of a Lewis and Clark sojourn the other day,  where he was frosting the cake with a paper knife.  See you there to mine the goodness.  Ciao!!

It was another bright sunny morning with little wind and very nice Grooming on all the major runs.  Mineral Basin had the full sunshine and corduroy going,so that was the place to be to shave off the untracked nap of the roy.  The front of the hill was offering thundering lines on those prepared lines and some still smooth lines on some of the steep High North aspects.  The warmth from yesterday had set up much of the lower mountain, and the overnight cool down left the crud very difficult until warming occurred.  After Noon I went back and tasted some of those South facing aspects and got that spring like feel as the day heated up quickly.  Today was similar as the warmth really worked the lower mountain, which became a bit sticky in the late afternoon.  Tomorrow, look for all those aspects that got soft and sticky to be the places to avoid as they will be very crispy, and not in a good way.  There is weather promised for the day and we will have to wait to see when the precipitation begins.  Expect marginal visibility  and precipitation to be factors during the day.  Remember the smooth lines from today and make those the place to be when the vis goes away.  The forecast looks good going into the later part of the week, so we can plan on a significant accumulation during this cycle.  The hill is in great shape to handle this installment, and with the Free Ride World Tour ramping up for this week, it will be good to have some fresh for the comp.  Here is a shot of the folks from The Ski Club Of New Hampshire out experiencing the treats of a Lewis and Clark extravaganza.  Smooth cruising was the order of the morning and the guys got all of that and then some.  See  you for the fun in the AM.  Peace Out!!

Unseasonably warm temps greeted the morning crew as the Sun was clear and getting higher in the sky.  The Groomers were offering some very sweet lines, especially the fresh tills out in Mineral Basin that were steep and smooth.  Long before the Mineral Chair, we used to salivate over the terrain we are skiing now.   I always keep that in the back of my mind when I am working those big lines and getting a quick lift out.  It feels like big mountain goodness with lift service.  The off trail was beginning to set up as the warm temps have affected the direct aspects and  South faces should be avoided in the AM until they soften later in the day.  The High North is still holding some of the smooth lines, but the high traffic lines are becoming riddled with interference patterns as the solidity is breaking down.  Coverage continues to be very good despite the warm temps, and options all over the hill will still be good to go, but an eye to aspect is everything.  Tomorrow, look for another Sunny day with warm afternoon temps.  I dressed for a cool morning and dressed down as things warmed up.  The Groomers will be good to go top to bottom.  Be sure to look at the Grooming report for fresh lines that might be buffed out.  Now that we have more snow, the chances are getting better that some surprise drop will get the nod.  Here is a shot of the clouds parting, revealing the Sun that was being obscured by the afternoon clouds.  Those clouds will probably build up again tomorrow as well.  See you there for the morning rock fest.  IBBY!!

While the morning session offered some sunshine, the light progressively became flat to the point that by the afternoon the details just seemed to disappear.   As anticipated the Groomers were offering the goods out in Mineral Basin as well as the front side of the hill where Lower Primrose Path got the re work of that big drop.  The velvet smooth quality of the machine work made that bottom section feel like the big Tri Chute with perfect wind slab.  I know how good that can be and the offerings on the hill today make it seem like we have back country perfection with lift service.  I did some scouting around and found many of the wind lines to still be holding up, though they are becoming a bit more choppy  without the wind to refresh them.  Other of the wind lines from last week have been hit with a lot of traffic and are no longer holding that smooth, but a bit of wind might just do the trick.  We will have to wait and see if the prefrontal wind develops ahead of the weather change for Thursday.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be offering the Lay It Down Like Ligety smooth, and with a bit of luck better visibility.  The hill is still in good shape and is making folks smile.  Northwest Baldy is closed for the Free Ride competition coming up this week, but West aspects there are still available and looking smooth and good to go.  Here is a shot of two gentlemen that were bringing a bit of whimsy to the hill.  What does the Fox Say?    Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

The Sun returned in full force today, with a Blue Bird morning that offered unreal Groomers, wind loaded and smoothed  lines on the off trail, and fairly low traffic for a weekend.   I worked the Mineral Basin corduroy, getting that untracked nap that felt velvet smooth and carvelicious on every line I chose.  Off trail, those wind loaded lines kept the interference patterns at bay and provided a beautifully consistent ride on all the lines I chose.  There was a bit of punchiness on some of the slab, but a light touch kept you on top of the crust.  If you were heavy on your turn you were going through and that made the turning a bit tricky.  With the light wind, as the traffic worked the hill, the surface did not self repair like in past days, but there were plenty of lines to mine all over the hill.  Tomorrow, look for another day of awesome Groomers as the snow quality responds nicely to the massage of the machine.  There will still be those wind lines that did not get too worked offering the continued smooth feel.  Out on the long traverses you can expect some good cover with the exception of the chronic spots that get scraped off no matter how much snow we get.  Also be aware on those long mid mountain traverses, where traffic from above is dialing in those steep lines, that this cross traffic must be anticipated as you move along the traverses.  Here is a shot of the Red Lens Line as we made our way to the goods the other day. There were just these lonely tracks leading to Heaven and a very peaceful place.     A big shout out to the New Hampshire Ski Club who just arrived for a stay on the hill.  I know they are going to have a great time.  Another shout out to Manic Greg who was working the hill in full effect the other day and ripping it.  Rock on Greg!!   Stay Frosty.

The Northerly Flow was still scraping the peaks this morning as the clouds hung low on the peaks.  The wind was working the aspects as the day progressed.  The Groomers were providing that smooth consistency as the new product keeps getting worked into the mat.  Interference patterns are slowly returning to the high traffic areas, but there are still lots of lines that are resisting the build up.  Off trail, the soft lines are still holding up and are only getting harbor chopped on the aspects that saw those direct glimpses of the Sun.  The Sun has not made much of an impact recently, but I did notice some deterioration on some of those direct aspects. As the Sun moves higher in the sky, paying attention to the aspect will become more important.  Up until recently that was not as much of a consideration.  Tomorrow, look for some light overnight accumulation, clouds still holding the peak in the AM,  and, hopefully, some clearing skies.   The hill is in great shape and the morning Groomers should guarantee untracked corduroy.  Here is a shot of the ultimate perfection that we passed on the traverse to more of the ultimate perfection.  See you there for another day of mid winter snow sport sliding.  IBBY!!

While the Bird only reported 1” of overnight accumulation there was much more than that on many exposures.  Mineral Basin was illuminated by bright Sun and the light density goodness was a real treat for everyone who was on deck for the day.  Some aspects had been stripped off by the wind, so looking around for the nice wind deposits rewarded the seeker with very nice sliding indeed.  Here is a shot of a big release triggered during control work that testifies to the still volatile snow pack.  While I was taking the time to take the shot over at the top of Gad 2 the patrol opened the traverse to the Exotic Trees after having been closed for over 10 days.  The wind and recent accumulation left these areas smooth and deep.  Since we were the very first to be there for the drop, there was no pressure at all and we got the chance to take our time and relish this Universal Gift. There we found totally bottomless and knee deep perfection. Here is a shot that Mr Scott took of our first pitch.  Soooo deep!!  I went back a bit later, but it had been worked over quickly.  Tomorrow, look for more unreal corduroy for the morning session, nice soft off trail sections, and over all smooth lines.   The interference patterns are still slow to re build, so take advantage of some of the rare lines while they last.  The temps should be a bit warmer tomorrow, but those early morning runs have been feeling a bit brisk.  Dress for the morning cold.  I will see you Sunday.  Peace Out!!

The Blue Bird day I was anticipating did not materialize, leaving us with a partly sunny day instead.  Yesterday’s accumulation set up with the cold overnight temps, and it was then covered by a few inches of light density Essence.  I had anticipated a smooth ride, but that underlying crust made paying attention a must.  The West facing aspects, as well as some of the South faces, were the favored lines that seemed to hold the most depth.  The interference patterns are still resisting reemergence, but they are beginning to show hints of building up again.  Visibility went in and out throughout the day and it felt good to see the Sun after a long stretch of weather.  I went to the far reaches to see how the far West facing was holding up when I stopped to take this shot from the Beach looking down the Canyon.  You have to get to this place on the hill to see that profile of the lower Canyon.  Makes one take stock of how much time has passed to get us to this point of NOW.  And to think it was full to the brim with Glacial Ice at one point in the not too distant past.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be offering the magic carpet ride as the new product gets worked into the mat.  All aspects are still quite full and are holding the smooth for the most part.  There could be a few inches of accumulation overnight, so we may have some fresh fluff for the morning session.  See you there for the morning fun.  IBBY!!

At 8:00AM the promised front had still not  made itself known, but as the first Tram left the dock the Wall of Voodoo was moving over the hill.  With the last minutes of visibility, the crew was able to get a long look at Lewis and Clark.   When the Front hit with full force, the wind went crazy making the peak absolutely wild with wind and snow.  The trees were the place to be as they offered the only reflected light and needed reference points.  All the aspects that had smoothed off offered the same consistent ride as yesterday, taking much of the guess work out of the chosen lines.  It is much tougher to deal with invisible bumps when navigating Zero Vis, and knowing the mat was smooth on a foundational level was reassuring.  The precipitation rate was formidable and the product began to build up with medium density goodness.  The loose snow also began to be transported by the wind, and those capturing wind lines were getting deeper with every run.  Other aspects were not holding the snow, but that was the fun of driving around looking for the gems.  Tomorrow, look for the residual snow fall of the late afternoon to be fresh for the morning runs, Mineral Basin to open after it closed early due to the heavy accumulation, and some Sunshine to illuminate the dance floor.  There is a lot of great terrain ready to be tapped, it is just a matter of what line you want to hit.  You can be confident that  you will find some great sliding.  Here is a shot of Fields of Glory taken from the top by my friend Neil from yesterday’s wind extravaganza.  Now that is smooth!!!   Stay Frosty!!