The clouds moved off as the first Tram left the dock, leaving the Sun to bake the snow pack that had not frozen overnight.  Right from the start the snow pack was pliant and granular, with no stickiness for the morning session.  The Peruvian Trifecta had been prepared and was rocking good fun to start things off, but I worked the Lewis and Clark area to take advantage of the perfect untracked corduroy back there.  As soft as it was,  it did not last long until it began to get pushed up into  piles, though they really were no issue.  I moved back to the front to get the pristine quality that was waiting there as traffic was quite light.  Chasing the Sun was not necessary in the least, and it was just a matter of staying ahead of the traffic to get the best untracked lines.  Off trail, there were lines to be had on the High North that really were worth the effort, though as things heated up they became a bit thick.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be the place to be, and depending on the overnight temps, you will have to see where to put down the hammer.  Peruvian, Gad2, Baldy, and Mid Gad are closed for the season beginning tomorrow, so keep that in mind.  The Lewis and Clark sojourns will have to wait until next season.  Having Gad 2 closed will let that area, and the Exotic Trees, smooth out and will be prime for some nice corn in a short while.  Here is a shot of Easter Bunny Bob I took as he was mounting up to attend the High Boy extravaganza up at Alta’s last day celebration.  Stay frosty!!

While I took the day off, I watched the sky all day, surprised by the morning Sun that was unexpected, however the clouds did build up in the afternoon. Up on the hill the temps remained mild, and no precipitation with the overnight clouds.  I am sure the Groomers were the place to be after last weeks smooth sorbet extravaganza.   I will be looking forward to some of those lines tomorrow, beginning in Mineral Basin.  We will just have to see if the clouds persist in the AM.  The hill is in great shape, with very little melt off.   Here is a shot of Pipeline I took yesterday, as it looked so formidable just then, but then it is.  See you in the AM.   Peace Out!!

There was a high, thin, cloud deck over the hill this morning, but the Sun was filtering through illuminating the dance floor.  The ripping wind out of the West put the Tram on hold, however, the Peruvian Chair was fired up, giving full access to Mineral Basin and the nicely prepared Primrose Trifecta.  The upper elevation was still holding the cold, with the lower elevation pitches soft early, as there was no real freeze overnight.  Off trail was still tricky with the crunch factor in play, but the warmth would be breaking that issue quickly.   The Groomers in  Mineral Basin were very nice, but that wind sent me for the locker to add a layer.  Traffic on the hill was very light with wide open lines and a ground pounding pace was good to go.  Weather is moving in for tomorrow, though it seems the precipitation will be holding off until later in the day.  Look for the Groomers to be offering the best feel on the hill.  The High North has been affected by the recent warmth and is not quite what it was just days ago, so be sure to wait for the softening there before charging those lines.  The cover remains excellent all over the hill and you can access all the traverses with ease.  I will be taking tomorrow off to regroup and rest for next week.  Here is a shot of my friend JP and his son Maxi Bro Bro who were here for their annual visit.  I have know  JP since my first year at the area back in 76.  Time flies and the new generation is poised to keep the tradition alive and well.  Great to see you guys stoked for the Spring conditions.   Ciao!!

The air was a bit warmer this morning, but I dressed for the cold and was comfortable in the still cool air.  The Sun was bright and clear, making Mineral Basin prime for the First Tram explorations.   Lewis and Clark offered some very velvety lines, and when Ski Patrol Gulley opened it really hit the high point, with soft corn perfection after the area having been closed for days.  On the Front Side of the hill, the Primrose Trifecta had been prepared, and was good to go from the First Tram, as tenderizing efforts had left that section a treat top to bottom.  It held up all day long, only getting sticky at the very bottom of the hill later in the day.  The High North has still been dodging the ambient warmth, so that was the go to exposure when you needed to stay up high to avoid the goop.  Tomorrow, the Groomers can be counted on to offer the goods in the AM, and Mineral Basin will be offering the softest lines to start the day.  Coverage remains very good with only a couple of rock outcroppings showing up.  All this is quite obvious, so no surprises.  The breaking times will be similar to today, so plan on following the Sun for fun.   Here is a shot of Mother Karen on the right, with Becky Britches and Jones Malone who were with me on that corn extravaganza when they opened the gate.  Another great day is on tap, so be there early and get in on the morning fun.  IBBY!!

Though it was a sunny morning with only a very high, thin, cloud deck high in the sky, but quite cold temps that had made the hill extra special primo firm.  I was woefully under dressed as I had dressed for how I wanted it to be.  Just goes to show how wrong you can be.  Mineral Basin was worked  nicely and offered the best of the early morning, with the cold snow of the recent installment still giving the mat some life.   On the front of the hill, the upper elevations still had some of the dry chalk in the mat, but as you moved to the lower elevations you needed all you could muster to get an edge.  I moved to the Forklift Chair to let softening occur.  Still, after breakfast, and with the cold temps slow to warm, I went back to Mineral to dial in some of the corn goodness that was then going off.  The front of the hill did not budge until 1:00PM, and regulator did not break until 2:00PM.  When the break came, the sorbet delights began to be served up with smooth feeling turns that did not have even a hint of stickiness.  That was a real treat, and I was able to get the full day in.  Tomorrow, look for another sunny day, but the morning will be crispy.  Look to that Mineral Basin option to get you the goods from the opening bell, and work the Sun as it clocks around.  The off trail will still be tricky with the underlying crunch, but those High North sections are still holding the cold and will be worth a peak if you are in search of some diversion from the ground pounding pace.  Here is a shot of Dr. Pepper, who made a surprise return trip after leaving for the season.  He told me to say AHHH, and to take two asprin.  Thanks Doc!!   Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

There was a high cloud deck over the hill as the first Tram left the dock, but quickly clearing skies let the Sun bathe the hill in brilliance.   Extensive Grooming had been prepared on all sides of the hill, using the additional accumulation from yesterday, which worked perfectly into the mat, offering very velvety surfaces to work.  The Peruvian Trifecta had been prepared, making a top to bottom, ground pounding, session good to go for the day.   Mineral Basin was also nicely prepared, and the White Diamonds – Lower Silver Dipper section made that line a downhill extravaganza.  Off trail was very tricky, as that old frozen layer was fully in play after being worked over yesterday.  The air was a bit nippy to start things off, but I still was driving with the top down for the day.  Regulator was the only section that needed the extra time to soften, but the slow thaw pushed that break point back until 1:30 PM.  Clouds moved in during the last part of the day and are predicted to stick around tomorrow as well.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be offering the best snow on the hill, but the High North is still worth checking out if you want some off trail fun.  All the entrances are still holding up, but the usual sketchy drops need some careful attention.  We will have to see how the weather shakes out,  but the hill is in great shape and ready to rock.  The PSIA Academy is being conducted on the hill all week,  and they are doing demonstrations, so be sure to give them a lot of room, and perhaps watch some of the demos.  Some very nice turns are being put down.   Lay it down like Ligety!   Here is a shot of the developing wind lines that are waiting for the go sign. See you for the ground pounding, morning fun.  Syrup won’t stop ‘EM!!

High density Essence covered the dance floor after yesterday’s late day snow squall dumped some nice cushion.  This morning was very cold despite the bright Sun, but that feature kept the product nicely refrigerated all day long.  The peak temp did not dip below 20Degrees as a light breeze kept a very winter feel going.  Though the new accumulation had a nice cushioned feel, the bottom was still in play, but certain lines, especially low angle pitches, offered great feel and flow.  Here is a shot of the tracks that Mr. Scott put down out on our morning Lewis and Clark sojourn.  There was no pressure for these lines, and we got to put down line after line all morning long until it was time to ride the Forklift Chair.   After breakfast, I was dialing in the High North sections of Peruvian Gulch, some of which had not been opened in some time.  While this bonanza was a boon on the day, some of the further West faces had some serious frozen chicken heads hidden underneath the freshness.  It was wise to expect some serious crunch and chunks, and work the sections accordingly.  The cold kept it good until the closing bell, with strong traffic getting the last of the day’s lifts.  Tomorrow, look for the High North to still be holding the best quality, though most of the hill will still be approachable.  The Groomers should be smoking smooth and silky, and staying ahead of the Sun will be important.  The crunchy layer will still be firmly in play on all exposures, so tread lightly.   See you for the morning fun fest!!  Peace Out!!

The residual clouds held on to the peaks after an interesting night of frontal passage, that rocked the Trailer with wind and rain pounding on the skin.  Up on the hill, 2” of medium density product covered the frozen snow that had thawed out yesterday.   It was a wise choice to stay on the prepared runs, that were surprisingly smooth with the additional accumulation.  While the front of the hill was storming, Mineral Basin was offering some Sunshine with flurries filling the sky.   Here is a shot of the Sunday Cliffs looking smooth in the distance.  It was like being in another dimension when you move from the Sun to the Storm with just a crossing of the ridge line.  The front of the hill was crispy wall to wall, but the additional snow cushioned the ride there as well.  As continued flurries kept moving in, a bit of depth began to build up and with it, the harbor chop that crops up this time of year.  Visibility was an issue, but staying near the trees helped keep the references.  Windows of Sun would shine through from time to time and set up the snow that had fallen.  I had to bag it when my knees started to scream.  Tomorrow, look for  the left over product to have been mixed into the machine worked runs, and the off trail to be very tricky until warming occurs.  With the Sun out, the sticky factor will be quick to manifest, so check your wax to keep the glide.  I want to give a shout out to the Cat and Snowmaking crews, who styled me with a very cool hoodie, which I will wear with pride.  The quality on the hill would not be what it is today without their magical efforts.   Thanks for keeping it smooth!!!   See you in the AM.   IBBY!!

The precipitation that was forecast did not materialize today, but the high overcast did cover the Sun, making the light flat.  The continued warm temps did warm the product as the day progressed.  The usual thaw progression that we have been observing all week was still in play, and the Mineral Basin was the place to be for the first of the day.  The Sun did seem to penetrate the cloud deck, improving the visibility from time to time.  Tomorrow, look for the precipitation to have moved into the Front, though it will be intermittent throughout the day.  I am going to dress for weather and hope for the best, but I will be looking for the tenderized lines for the morning session, as I don’t think we can count on the Sun to do too much.  We will just have to see how it shakes out.  Off trail will be interesting, so test the water carefully.  Here is a shot of Pagan Bowl looking so inviting.  It faces North East and holds the snow the longest.  See you for the morning fun.  Syrup won’t stop ‘EM!!

You needed to adhere to the softening sequence this morning to get the best out of the day.  Mineral Basin was just perfect for the first hour or so, with some very nice Groomers and excellence to be found out to the East.  The front of the hill was mighty crispy, and though tenderizing efforts had been employed, the front needed time to soften.   The Forklift Chair was a good place to let that softening occur, and after a requisite amount of coffee the hill was offering the anticipated goods.  That kind of corn is just a treat, as the sorbet feel made these runs a desert treat.  Fast laps on the Peruvian Chair kept you fast and close to the goods as the short window was not going to last long.  Even at the end of the day the High North aspects were coming alive with the soft feel, and that also kept you above the sticky consistency down on the lower mountain.  Tomorrow, look for clouds to have moved in with the next system predicted to move in for the next couple of days.  Stay with the known smooth and Groomed sections for the best ride.  Off trail is going to be problematic as it will not be doing much in the way of thawing out.  With some luck, additional accumulation will be  added to the dance floor.  We will just have to wait and see how it shakes out.  Here is a shot of one of the magic machines that prepares the hill for the hard driving fun seekers.  This is a very sporty looking model.  I am off tomorrow, so make the turns for me.   Peace Out!!