It was 17 Degrees with driving snow on the peak this morning to greet the morning crew.  There was 5 or 6” of fresh high density Essence that covered the dance floor, but with the visibility at Zero Zero it was just a guess as to what to hit first.   I chose to try the milk bottle visibility in Mineral Basin just for grins, and, as I passed the Cat Anchor at the top of White Diamonds, I took a chance on it being Groomed.  My hunch payed off, with that steep pitch offering boot top deep frosting on top of the fresh till.  I made two laps out there before trying the front side of the hill.  There, the depth was a bit less, but the turns were consistent and smooth.  The bottom of the hill was really setting up quickly, and that last 300′ was challenging.   I opted to assess my options and ride the Forklift Chair, but the enthusiasm of the Faithful was pushing them to get the back to back Tram pace going strong.   I did not have the the knees to fight the manky bottom feel, so I headed back to the Trailer to get some chores done before tonight’s conversation with the Andromeda Galactic representatives.  Tomorrow, look for there to be some overnight accumulation as the flow is still out of the West and not done yet.  Be aware that the off trail is very difficult after it has been skied out.  I ventured off the Groomer in the deep fog and found myself struggling to maintain.  It is not hard to lose your way when the vis is that problematic.  Here is a shot of the misty morning trees on my way down the  lower elevations.  I felt like I was in a fantasy sequence as I moved through these trees.  No one around but me.  Stay Frosty!!

The overnight rain pounded the skin of the Trailer with thunderous intent, which translated to a new installment of Essence on the hill.  There was 8 to 10” of high density product that felt like frosting a cake with a paper knife.  The old layer was only barely in play as the snow cushioned the ride wall to wall.  Areas opened in sequence, giving the faithful another set of lines to work.  Even though the faithful showed up in force, they got spread out quickly and there was little or no wait once the first push got handled.   There were still some snow snakes here and there, but, for the most part, all the lines were good to go.  The Road to Provo was the last to open after Noon, with still soft and silky depth wall to wall.  What a spring bonus for us all.   Here is a shot of the Upper Cirque after I got to the bottom.  Despite the sloughage, the lines were excellent and rocking smooth.   Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be the place to be, since the quality got mighty pasty on the lower half of the hill.  There is another fast moving impulse predicted for the morning hours, so expect some storm riding and visibility issues.  The hill is smooth over all, and the interference patterns are all but gone.   Dress for the weather and get the goods early.  Peace Out!!

It seemed a return to Winter this morning, with cold peak temps, intermittent snow, and marginal visibility to greet the morning crew.  I dove into Mineral Basin just to see what I could see, and it was not much at all, thought lower down the hill some Sun was trying to filter through.  On the front side, the groomers were quite crispy, only covered with a slight skiff of grauple on the runs.  The wind had moved it around quite a bit, so there were areas that were just corduroy.  The break was going to come, as the temps in the snow have risen and the freeze is not that tenacious now.  Snow flurries moved through quickly, and the Sun was trying hard to make an appearance, but the clouds hung in all day long.  The conditions were surprisingly good despite the weather, and fast laps were easy to make.  Tomorrow, look for some additional accumulation overnight, but it is uncertain how much to expect.  The hill is in great shape and will support the new installment with the off trail sections fairly smooth though a bit cut up.  Go with the known smooth lines, and, of course, the Groomers will offer the best of the morning runs.  Mineral Basin is still fully fat, and no melt off issues are evident out there.  Dress for the cold, as this system is a slow mover and will have a Winter feel.  Here is a shot of me and Coach Whittingham, who I was honored to have skied with last season.  We discussed the parallels of skiing and football in the fundamental aspects of forward motion.  Thanks for the turns Coach.  Go Utes!!!    Ciao!!

It was brisk on the peak this morning as the day started out with the Sun shining.  Somehow the weather that was predicted was delayed, leaving the dance floor clean and green.  Mineral Basin was  offering untracked corduroy that had a 2” sorbet feel that was smooth and sumptuous.  Lupine Loop also was offering back country smooth lines that kept me going back for more of the goods.  On the front of the hill, the aspects needed a bit more time to break, but it did not take long for the corn goodness to develop, with ground pounding fun top to bottom.   Clouds began to move up from the South around Noon, and the snow became a bit more soggy.  I bailed as there were some rain drops beginning to make and appearance as the cloud began to drop.   What a perfect morning to experience some very nice spring conditions before we move into the weather that is on the door step.  Tomorrow, look for the weather to have moved in, with wind and precipitation for the next couple of days.  Stay with the known smooth lines as the off trail may be a bit gnarly if the freeze does not break, and there is no telling if it will break at all.  Coverage is still good, with only some pebbles cropping up in the Cat Tracks in just a few spots.  Here is a shot of the first signs of the return of the Essence to the Big Cycle.  Here, it has moved from the snow stage to the water stage and then, once again, to yet another solid stage before beginning the long trip back to the Cycle.  Pretty amazing when you think about it.  Stay Frosty!!

As anticipated, the front of the hill had a very stout glaze on it from the residual cold in the snow, but Mineral Basin was just hitting the mark when first Tram hit the dock.  Fast laps were easy to make with the traffic very low and the sorbet feel in full effect back there.  I tried out a test run on the front side, but the firmness was holding up, so I visited the Forklift Chair to let softening to occur.  The front was just getting the feel when I came out, and I pretended I was hitting the Red Baldy drainage as I caressed the corn goodness that was really feeling perfect.  As the Sun worked the dance floor, Regulator began to break, followed by Mark Malu, and the glide factor was smooth and fast even without wax.  Big Emma had a window of perfection as well that felt like the Tri Chute  apron out in White Pine.  MMMMMMM Gooood!   Coverage continues to be excellent, so all aspects are still good to go when they break.  Tomorrow, look for overcast skies as the next system moves in, so the timing on the break may be much different.  Still, the first hour will offer the best untracked corduroy.  This morning it felt like skiing  powder in a slow motion kind of way.  Deep, smooth, luxurious, and delightful lines were easy to find if you looked to the un recognized areas.  Here is a shot of the buttress fins at the mouth of the Canyon.  The green is moving up the Canyon and the morning light illuminates them beautifully.  Ciao!!

High winds kept the Tram from operating for the morning session, but the Peruvian Chair was fired up providing access to the Tunnel and Mineral Basin.  The front of the hill was very crispy, as anticipated, but the Basin was offering prime corn goodness right off the bat.  White Diamonds had been given the righteous treatment with smooth carving, good to go, top to bottom.  That entire section was really fun and fast for the first hour and a half.  I hit the Forklift Chair to let the front soften up, and it was perfect when I returned to get the sorbet treat that waited for me. The Tram reopened  after breakfast, so the fast laps were easy to make.  The stickiness held off until quite late with the deep corn holding the cold just a bit longer.   Tomorrow, look for Mineral Basin to be the place to be for the morning session, as the front will have crisped up overnight.  The break is fast, and the early feel during the break is very silky and smooth.  Tenderizing effort had been employed to give some tooth to the front side, but where those efforts were skirted the glaze was formidable indeed.  It is best to avoid that glaze if you can go around it, and wait until the break.  Coverage continues to be good, with no real melt off issues.  Steer clear of those edges against the rocks and trees where there might be some rotten areas.  Here is a shot I took just the other day of the wind carved section off the Cat Track.   I love how the Sun and wind conspire to create art everywhere.  IBBY!!

The South wind began to blow in warm air out ahead of the next low pressure that is predicted to move in during the middle of the week.  A high cloud deck moved over the hill, but the Sun was able to filter through to light the dance floor.  The temps were much warmer and the freeze was not too stiff, so the break was accelerated forward significantly.  Later in the day the sticky factor was serious and no combination of wax seemed to help.  Coverage is still holding up all over the hill with the mid mountain depth still up over the 100” mark.  Tomorrow, look for another warm morning with little freeze in the pack.  The High North exposures will still have some of the residual cold still in them, but after today’s high peak temps, even those aspects will be compromised.  Look for the Groomers to be the place be for the morning session. These high clouds may still be in play making the visibility a bit flat at times.  The residual cold in the snow should make the first hour great quality corn, but it will not last long in Mineral Basin.  It will be a day of staying ahead of the break, so get there early for the best of the day.  Here is a Point of View shot that I took when I took off a bit late and was trying to thread the needle.  I was using Snot Wax, so I was able to beat the section, but not by much.  I do not like to get slammed.  Syrup won’t stop ‘EM!!

It was a morning of corn goodness, as the cold overnight temps set up the dance floor.  Mineral Basin was offering the goods with great Grooming by the Cat Crew who left White Diamonds smooth and tasty for the morning crew. It would take until 10:30 AM to break, but that was a full hour earlier than yesterday.   There was some back country quality goodness in the far reaches, where the corn was perfect.  Here is a shot of Jake’s line down the last section of the run, leaving lonely arcs on this premium quality extravaganza. Here we have first tracks on the corn, when, just a couple of days ago, we were tracking out perfect powder. Wow!!  On the front side it did not take long for the thaw to set in, and it was important to get as much of the sorbet feel as you could before the sticky feel cropped up.  Regulator was excellent when it got the break, and the Little Cloud Chair made it a fast lap.  Mark Malu went off last and held the smooth all day long.  Tomorrow, look for another great corn morning, but it will go fast as it should be a bit warmer yet, and will break sooner.  Cover is still great, with no issues anywhere on the hill.  I will be taking the day off tomorrow to rest up for the next week coming up.  Enjoy the goods and get all you can while it lasts.  See you Sunday.  IBBY!!

As anticipated, this morning was a bit brisk, but I dressed for driving with the top down, and was chided with an ice cream headache to keep me humble.  Mineral Basin was offering excellent Grooming, with the feel dry and chalky on the nicely prepared sections of White Diamonds and lower Silver dipper to make it a ripping start to the day.  The front of the hill was very crispy and needed some time to thaw out a bit.  As I was working the steep section of White Diamonds I could not help but remember the times we climbed the Twins to get the corn in the back, and would dream of working the very line I was on, and now we have lift service and the dream came true.  The front of the hill started to break just as we finished with the Forklift Breakfast repast, with the sorbet feel getting started top to bottom.  Regulator was the last to break, with Mark Malu still holding off the warming with the cold air that seemed stay dry and fast.  Regulator seemed magical during that corn window, and lapping the Little Cloud chair made the cycle fast and smooth.   Tomorrow, look for another cold morning as the sky will be clear, so the timing should be similar to today’s break pattern.  The High North still holds the cold snow and has not been compromised by the air temp yet.  The cover on the hill is excellent, with no melt off on the Cat Tracks to report, so go with the line you choose, though be sure to avoid those South, East and West facing off trail sections that will be slow to get real.  Here is a shot of Regulator from a distance that gives it an interesting perspective.  Here, also, is a shot of the T REX that is always watching you as you pass by it’s secret cave.  It is very difficult to catch a glimps of this Watcher, but keep looking and you might see him someday.  Peace Out!!