There was a very light turn out for the first Trams of the day, which began loading just after 8:30AM.  Here is a shot of the casual ball room dancing ambiance on my first ride.  I was caught slacking and did not make it up from the locker room in time to make the first Bucket.   On the hill the visibility was adequate with some light snow falling and 2” of fresh frosting on the dance floor.  I found my first untracked lines of the season on the apron below the Middle Cirque where the groomers had prepared the surface and the freshness was absolutely  perfect.  Perfect is perfect even if it is only 2”.   Fast laps and light traffic made the  morning fly by.  The warmth of the past few days had set up the snow pack, so it was much firmer underneath the new snow.  There was plenty of traction with the dry chalky density that the new accumulation brought.  I still have not ventured off the beaten path, but the fat sections of the gullies looked good to go, but I am just waiting for some more snow, and to get my legs moving.  I hit the Forklift Chair for a breakfast respite, where the Coffee Goddess ECHO kept me topped off with the ellixer.  I was good to go for the afternoon session after that.  Such a   gracious way to go for breakfast.  Tomorrow, look for continued warmer temps with some light overnight accumulation on the fresh Groomers.  The main runs are still the place to find the most consistent lines until we get a bit more cover.  There was  cloud hanging out at the bottom of the Canyon all afternoon, which will be sure to leave a damp coating on the Canyon Road, which may cause some Black Ice in the Lower Canyon in the morning.  Be aware of that possibility first thing as you come up.  See you there for the early morning training session.  Stay Frosty!!

There was heavy turbulence in the Quantum Foam during my sojourn to the Parallel Universe which negated any attempt to post to the site.  That is the trouble with Inter Dimensional travel.  Here is a shot taken from high orbit of the Home Planet as I was leaving to return.  It was a bumpy ride I assure you.  On the hill the snow pack remains the same, with the Groomers offering the most consistent and reliable lines. The Peruvian Gulch is open now and that adds a whole new canvas to enjoy.    Today, the wind was ripping and the Tram was closed, so access by the chairs was the call.  Reports from my inside sources confirmed the light traffic that I had anticipated.  Off trail is still a bit tricky and will continue to be so until we get some new freshness.  That is in the forecast for next week and I will be keeping my fingers crossed for some significant accumulation.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to have a fresh buff on them and will be the place to be for the opening runs.  Look for the wind to have moved some product around, which may offer some very nice natural smooth to sample.  I will have a first hand report for tomorrow, so stay tuned for a fresh look and up to date shots of the hill.  Hope you all had a great holiday weekend.  IBBY!!

Though the First Tram went up yesterday afternoon, today’s First Tram for me was a real treat.  Bright sunshine, light crowds, and smooth cruising was the high light of the day.  Here is a shot from the peak upon arriving at the peak.  Regulator had been nicely prepared down the middle, with the sides of the main run fairly well covered and soft.  The overnight wind had transported some very nice velvet to cover the machine worked area.  Top to bottom was good to go with no thin spots, with the exception of the short Cat Track section at the very top on Regulator where there were some pebbles mixed in a bit.  No problem at all and they can easily be avoided with a bit of care. It was a real treat to stretch out and get a full non stop, top to bottom run to get the motor running.  The Groomers lower down on the hill were offering such nice consistency that I was able to make real turns that felt surgically correct.  What a great feeling to get this early in the Season.  Tomorrow, look for the Peruvian side of the hill to open for the first time.  The cover looked pretty good, with the machine worked runs fully covered and good to go.  The off trail will still be early season conditions and you need to be aware of the above and below surface conditions.  The recent snow pack is much more buoyant and dense, making the cushion factor much better.  I would still err of the side of caution.  I will be making the jump to HYPERSPACE for the next few days and I may not be able to access a SUBSPACE CHANNEL to post.  I will try to get a TRANSMISSION through.  It is going to be a great weekend with great snow and sunshine.  See you on the hill next Sunday.   Peace Out!!

There was a very light turn out for the morning session, which offered very nice groomed lines as well as some new terrain to explore after the Patrol opened the Lunch Run and pulled down some of the rope lines.  The untracked lines were buoyant and dense making the turns consistent and velvety.  The visibility was good despite the light precipitation which fluctuated between flakes and Rime Ice.  The wind picked up as the morning wore on, which put the damper on the opening of the Tram for the day.  It was great having a more relaxed feel on the open slopes, without the pressure of a big crowd.  The cover is much better  after this cycle of accumulation, which really sets up the Thanksgiving weekend.  Here is a shot of a curious burl I came across that was interesting with it’s weathered patina and curious shape. Soon features like this will be covered with snow pack, so I thought I would share this as there was not much in the way of picturesque subjects considering the visibility.  Tomorrow, look for the Tram to open at some point, hopefully first thing.  Fresh grooming will be magic carpet smooth and silky with not even a hint of iciness.  The recent quality is offering some very nice feeling turns.  I was enjoying digging into the arc as I could trust the turn without fear of spin out.  The heavily distressed patina on my bases is a bit dodgy on very firm surfaces, so being able to dig in was a treat.  We will have to see what gets opened as we go along, so stay tuned for updates and, of course, check the Bird’s site for the official info.  See you for the first Boat in the AM.  Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

A short delay on the opening pushed the crowd out well beyond the coral at the Zoom Chair in anticipation for the first turns of the day.  Here is a shot I took from the back looking toward the chair.  The high capacity of this chair made short work of the back up and by the time I got back in line it was down to a 2 minute wait if that.  You have to love the high speed quads. Remember the old days?  The morning offered fresh accumulation with continued snowfall that was substantial all morning long.  The quality of the new freshness was dense but cold, making it buoyant and fluffy.  It was a pleasure to stand on the middle of the ski and get a full rebound from the consistent pack.  The stoke factor was high and the Faithful were moving out into the areas that were off to the side on the lower part of the mountain.  The sections off the Bass Highway in the Wilbre area were opened up as well, however, there was still a fair amount of shrubbery to negotiate.   Tomorrow, look for a weak disturbance to move through, bringing a few additional inches for the morning session.   I still do not know if the Tram will be offered for tomorrow’s festivities, we will just have to wait and see.  You can expect an excellent quality to the Grooming treatment for the morning runs, as this snow will work in nicely.  Perfect corduroy is just another kind of perfect after all and who can argue with perfect.  Be there early for the best turns of the day and dress for the weather.  I was glad I added that extra layer this morning.  See you for the morning session.  Stay Frosty!!

As anticipated, the storm kicked in overnight depositing a significant accumulation of the Essential Substance.  When I parked the car  I had a difficult time getting the door opened as the depth was considerable.  At the opening bell, there was a sizable showing of the Faithful who knew full well that it was going to be good, and they were not wrong.  The quality was perfect, with a cold density that offered cushion and consistency on and off the groomed surface.  Still, there was just the one run open, but is seemed to be a bit more laid back on the run.  Below the delineated rope areas you could stretch out a grab some fresh turns where yesterday that would have been dubious at best.  It was a real treat for me to be able to dial in a turn as opposed to shmearing a half hearted directional movement.  It made me feel like I could still make a real turn.  The Chair closed after a couple runs to deal with the control issues, but restarted after a fair delay.  Then, as the dance resumed, the folks were getting right back after it.  Here is a shot of a bit of accumulation on the Plaza deck.   I don’t think this shot does justice to the real depth of the new Essence.  Here is also a shot of the new freshness dressing the Stone monument on the Plaza Deck that looks  like is right at home, which, of course, it is. Tomorrow, look for the snow to have continued overnight with possible continued accumulation thru the day.  Dress for the weather and the colder temps.  There probably will not be any additional terrain opening, but that is subject to change perhaps.  No one was making any projections.  The quality will be perfect on the main run that is open, so be there early for the best of the day.  The snow quality, once again, is stellar and is a nice kick off to this early season opener.  See you there dark and early.  IBBY!!

One would not have thought that things could turn around so quickly after yesterday’s balmy blue sky weather, but today the storm arrived right on schedule. Here is a shot of the top of the hill that I took when I was leaving yesterday.  Things will look significantly better for the duration now that the BIG RETURN is now happening.  Here is also a shot of Hellgate looking rather warm and toasty in the Sun.  What a piece of rock that is.  This morning opened to a light initial crowd and a fresh machine worked run to kick things off.  Precipitation began around 9:30AM with a dump of grauple that mounted up quickly with the heavy wind that came with it.  The Faithful began to show up in numbers at 10:00AM, so it was best to have been there for the first hour of operation.  Down here at the Trailer, the rain is pelting the outer skin with a very insistent sound, signaling that accumulation up on the hill is full on happening.  This system is predicted to bring the goods that we have been waiting for, and it is none too soon.

Tomorrow, be sure to check the Road Report for restrictions and expect the hill to still be limited, though check on that as well because that may change.  Whatever happens, the conditions are looking to become very nice with the prospect of much more of the Mountain to open in the very near future.  See you there for the fresh Goodness in the AM.  Ciao!!

The cloud deck had moved off overnight leaving a beautifully clear morning for the first day of operation.  Yesterday was just a sneak peak, but the Zoom Chair opened at 9:00 Am sharp to a light but enthusiastic crowd.   The only run open had been re worked and offered firm but very nice corduroy for the first hour. As the Sun came up over the ridge, the visibility and detail improved as well as warmed the air.  Here is a shot of the full on snow  making efforts going strong all over the hill. Check out the Light Orbs attending the festivities in the morning sunshine. A big tip of the hat to the Snow Making and Cat Crew for putting such a nice cover on the hill. I did not see any rocks or grass on the main run top to bottom.   The lower road from the Center to the lifts is in great shape as well as the Bass Highway to get you back at the end of the day.   The Shuttle is working as well if you want to take that route.  BIG weather changes will be moving into the area tomorrow, beginning in the afternoon, and continuing through Monday.  A substantial accumulation is expected, which will give the hill just what it needs to kick off the Thanksgiving weekend.  Confidence is high on this storm and the hill is in great shape to take on a fresh coat of the Goodness. Tomorrow, look for the Zoom Chair to still be the only lift open on the main mountain.  The wind will be picking up ahead of the storm, so dress for weather.  I will be taking the day off to get some alignment work done on the antenna array, as the TRANSMISSIONS are coming in hard and fast these days.  I must be ready for the downloads.  See you Sunday!!  Stay Frosty!!

We got a sneak peak at the hill today, with a short open window between 1 and 4PM for Season Pass holders.  When 1 PM rolled around there were the eager folks who showed up to be among the first to ride up. As the afternoon moved along the folks really started to fill up the maze at the Gad Zoom Chair.  The line moved quickly with the High Speed Quad pumping them up the hill in short order.  On the hill, the one run that was open from the top of the chair was well covered, with no rocks or grass showing on the main run.  There was a defined rope line to delineate the run, and beyond that line was very thin cover.  The stoke factor is high and many were taking advantage of the nice grooming and smooth surface that had been prepared.  There is a very firm surface under the loose snow on the top, making edges a definite plus.  I am still rolling with my last season’s patina that just seemed to smear.  That was OK with me as I was just trying to get my sense of motion. There was plenty of soft snow to dig into, and more was building up on the sides of the traffic pattern.  I was just picking a side line and let the traffic move past.  Here is a shot my friend Neil took with his phone when we got to the top of the first chair ride.  Tomorrow will be offering the same terrain and it will have been re worked, so those morning runs will be best, though the light could be very flat as a new weather system is poised to move into the Wasatch Front all this weekend.  That will be a very needed and welcomed event.  Temps have warmed up in the last two days after the cold blast that the country has been dealing with.  Dress for the chairs and get ready for a great season.  Keep your attention focused at all times in the tight terrain offered and give everyone plenty of room.  See you there for the early corduroy.  Peace Out!!

While we are just on the fringe of the Polar Vortex, and missing the snow the Mid West is getting, the temps are very cold for this time of year.  The snow making efforts up on the hill are going strong.  Here is a shot I took Sunday of the gun turning out the white stuff at the bottom of the Mid Gad chair. The efforts are happening all over the hill and this cold weather is just the thing when you want to make a lot of snow with good quality.  I made snow at Nashoba Valley in Massachusetts all through college and when things got cold things got interesting.  The hill is going to open on Friday morning with Chickadee and Gad Zoom only, with perhaps Regulator later if conditions allow.  Off the main runs the cover is still very thin.  There is a chance for more snow this weekend, so we can cross our collective fingers to see if we can get a dump to kick things off.  The cold spell is going to be holding on for the next while, so be sure to dress for the cold and riding the chairs.  I will be putting on a couple of extra layers.  I have still not adjusted to this early cold.  Brrrrr.    Get ready.  See you on the hill.   Ciao!!