It was Zero on the peak as the First Tram docked to start the day.  I was glad I wore the Sub Zero gear for the occasion, but any leak- especially around the glove cuffs- was quite evident with the increase in velocity.  Fortunately, the air was still, so the wind chill was only a factor of speed.  The Snow Guns were blazing top to bottom on both sides of the hill to take advantage of the very cold temps. which is perfect for man made operations.  Passage through the wash was no problem, and the Gun Powder felt velvety smooth all the way down the throw line.  Extensive Grooming was performed, with the quality much improved over yesterday. The main feature of the morning was the bright Sun that was shining on the dance floor to make the definition sharp and detailed.  That made dialing in the soft lines a breeze.  Low traffic  was a treat  with no pressure for the limited terrain.  The interference patterns on the right side of Big Emma have very well defined amplitude, however the lines seem to have round characteristics that favored carved turns.  I watched for a while as the bump adepts worked the lines with nice execution.   The cover there was still holding up well as is the rest of the hill due to the full scale snow making operations.   Here is a shot of the Stairway To Heaven that was looking interesting in the Sun.It was good to see the high country after being shrouded on clouds for this last week.  Tomorrow, look for more Gun Powder to be on tap as the Snow Making operations are going strong.  The Grooming efforts will be good to go top to bottom and will be offering smooth carving.  Another cold morning can be expected, so dress for the conditions.  Stay Frosty!!

The temp. was mighty brisk this morning, so I put on my sub Zero coat to deal with the issue.  On the slope a light dusting and a full on Grooming effort made the first runs of the day much more consistent top to bottom than days previously.  The early traffic on the hill was light, so there was room to move and relax the constant look out imperative.   Visibility was much better as the clouds were breaking up high, when the valley was closed out in low elevation clouds.  It was sure nice to have much better definition with the reflected light from across the Canyon lighting the way.  Overall the hill is still quite firm on the established runs, but there is plenty of grip to give traction even with my hoe handle dull edges.  Tomorrow, look for the mid week light traffic on the hill, which will be a treat and a relief when trying to deal with the variations.  Coverage remains good top to bottom, with continued high volume snow making adding to the pack.  Be cautious moving through the wash as you never know, but with these very cold temps. it is a good bet that it will be good to go, however, it is good to play the hold card for safety.  The snow making will offer some good Gun Powder for the morning session, so be there early for the freshies on the Hydro Velvet.   Here is a shot I took a few years ago when things were looking grim on the hill, and we got a much needed blast that put the season in high gear just before Christmas.  Let us all hold this image in our collective imagination and try to manifest a repeat to get this Party started.    Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!!

There were a few millimeters of Essence coating the Trailer this morning as I left for the hill.  It was snowing lightly and kept up the entire way up the Canyon.  There was several inches of goodness covering the dance floor, but the hard pack was still fully in play.  I was looking for the edges of the runs to get those deeper pockets that seem to get ignored.  Even though it was snowing, the visibility was good though the light was flat.  I am glad that I dressed for the cold as it was penetrating and made me duck down behind my collar to keep my nose protected.  Coverage remains good, however, on the newly opened runs there are some pebbles here and there.  These spots are easy to see and avoid.  Gad 2 is a welcome addition to the equation, but access is still restricted as it is on other parts of the hill.  Tomorrow, look for the main runs to be reworked, more accumulation from the Easterly flow bringing continued flurries, and an early morning window for light traffic enjoyment.  Be looking for the edges to have the deeper pockets, and watch  some of the high relief terrain features that have yet to be filled in on the newly opened lines.  They were a bit tough to see with the flat light, but a slower pace and measured turns will negotiate the variations with ease.   I was unable to get a shot on the hill today due to the visibility issues, so here is another of my Art Pieces to throw some color on the day.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

I arrived back on the Planet late this afternoon after a blistering trip to the Home Planet.  It was a fast and furious trip and I am glad to be back.  Here is a shot of the Home Planet from orbitjust before entering the Temporal Distortion.  TIME gets fuzzy in those places.   Up on the hill, new snow fell to help with the cushion.  It looks like Gad 2 was opened for the Season, which will be nice to have some added terrain to ply.  I will be back up on the hill in the morning and I will have a first hand report for tomorrow.  Dress for the cold, as I don’t think it is going to warm up very much.  I have my heavy weather coat on hand just for the occasion.  Stay Frosty!!

There were high winds associated with the pre frontal approach of our next installment that is predicted to begin sometime tomorrow.  The clouds were holding off a bit for the first hours of the day, but the light was still a bit flat to be sure despite the periodic Sun peaking through.  Yesterday’s warmth in the afternoon softened Regulator and the lower mountain, which froze up very solidly with the overnight cold.  Regulator was very firm and required some serious edges to negotiate it with any degree of traction.  I chose to shlarve and shmear my way down just to get by the upper section.  I will deal with sticking my turns later when we have some softer snow to deal with.  Here is a shot of the Lower Cirque in the morning Sun looking promising, but still is not ready for prime time quite yet.  We will have to see what this storm brings, and perhaps it will be enough to get this side of the hill open.  Tomorrow, look for weather to be the feature of the day.  There will still be very firm conditions on the machine worked lines.  Coverage remains good on the prepared runs, but be aware of the slick conditions.  Dress for weather. The morning session should provide the best of the day before the precipitation begins.  I will be going off planet for the next couple of days, so I will not be able to post.  Look for the next post on Friday, when I should be able to get Web access again.  SEE THE LINE  BE THE LINE!!!

Temperatures rose this morning, making the first runs comfortable and smooth.  The snow guns were being shut down during the first hour as the temps. were getting too high for quality.  The Gun Powder below the  break over was velvety smooth and felt great under foot.  The super light traffic was a treat with no pressure from the folks coming from behind.  Still, I was looking over my shoulder when changing fall lines just in case.  The sides of the runs were still the place to find the soft snow, but nice machine worked lines had good traction and easy flow.  The Tram pace was a bit more relaxed and making back to back lifts were much easier than the weekend pace.  Here is a shot I took from up canyon looking up the Peruvian Gulch to let you see the cover which will benefit from this coming storm that is coming in during the Wednesday- Thursday window.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed for some significant accumulation.  While I was parked taking this shot I turned and got this shot of Hellgate looking massive.  Every where you turn is a great shot.  Tomorrow, look for another day of very light traffic, increasing clouds which will make visibility a bit flat, and South winds that may make things interesting.  There may be some transportation happening, so keep your eyes open for accumulated pockets.  The Grooming will be offering smooth and reliable lines, and coverage remains excellent on the main run.  This time is best for getting into shape and getting the cobwebs worked out.  I saw a lot of friends working the hill in fine form indeed, with all the cylinders firing.  Fun to see some of the lines being brought off Regulator in full effect. Yeah, I am talking about you Vince!!  Keep rockin’ it.  IBBY!!

Another clear cold morning greeted the crew as the First Tram hit the peak.  Once again, the snow guns were pounding out the goods on the hill top to bottom.  Regulator was offering the best Gun Powder on the hill, but the way the wind was blowing, you had to negotiate the firm upper section until you hit the bottom two thirds, where the deluxe dust was building up as the wind transported the wash down hill.  I dialed back the roll to get as much roundness into each turn as I could.  I love getting the entire ski riding the loaded arc.  Here is a shot of the one of the guns down toward the bottom of Regulator where you can see the nice build up of goodness .  Gun Powder is another one of the types of perfection if it is done right, and this was good gravy!!  Traffic was light during the morning hours and no waiting for the lifts was a treat.  The right side of Big Emma had developed some acute medium amplitude interference patterns that looked painful to my knees but was getting a lot of attention.  The cover there was good, and folks were charging the line through the troughs.  There is still plenty of soft snow to get traction top to bottom, but there are some slick spots.  Sticking to the sides will offer the deepest piles of dust.  That is what I was aiming for all the way down.  Today was also the first day that the morning crew gathered over at the Forklift for the traditional morning breakfast repast.  This makes year 40 for this tradition.  We all have gotten older, but the folks at the Forklift stay the same age.  Tomorrow, look for very light traffic as the weekend push will be gone.  The Groomers will be the only game in town, however, the light traffic will make it a bit more negotiable to maintain a line without looking over your shoulder every turn.  Look for the goods under the guns again and stay close to the sides for the best snow.  See you there for the first Boat.  Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

It was a clear cold morning as the First Tram hit the peak.  The snow guns were blazing all night long, delivering a sweet coating of Gun Powder that was a serious treat to start the day.  I dialed back the roll to dig in as deep as I could into each turn to get as much as I could of that delight.  With the terrain being limited, you have to take the high lights where you find them.  A nice job by the Cat Crew made the line down the lower mountain smooth, where good traction was easy to get, though it is still a bit firm.  Here is a shot of the Guns Blazing on Regulator.  You can tell by the ski wash that the consistency was dry and cold, with the product blowing up and hanging in the still morning air.  There was fairly light traffic, so walk on Trams were happening when I got down from my first run.  I really like the new RFID passes, as they let you walk right through the gate with no waiting.  I still find myself trying to dig my pass out of my coat just out of habit, but it is no longer an issue.  Sweet.  The air was clear and cold and I got this shot looking down canyon.   This view never gets old.  The Sun is still low in the sky during the first morning hour or so, so Regulator is in the shade, however, that seems to preserve the quality just that much longer.  Tomorrow, look for another Gun Powder morning of fun after the guns do their work.  You can still expect great coverage, with no rocks top to bottom.  I am very surprised by the great cover.  The Snow Makers and Cat Crew have been doing a great job keeping things good to go.  Be sure to get there early for the best of the day and the easy traffic in the early hours.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘ EM!!

This was the best opening day that we have seen in a number of years, with good cover on the open run and the Tram open with Regulator covered very nicely with no rocks top to bottom.  The stoke was palpable as the faithful pulled in to make the first runs.  The new pass scanners were super fast and I did not have to dig my pass out of my coat.  That was a very nice touch.  Last night’s snow fall was cold and dense, making the carving fun and consistent.  The man made base was well in evidence, but that sugary snow on top was a real treat that made me feel like I had never left.  The Sun came out and the wind was stiff with plumes blowing off the peaks all around.  Here is a shot of the West Twin with the accumulation beginning to cover the steep sections up high.  There was a slight delay on the Tram opening, so I took the opportunity to get in some laps on the Chair.  When I did get over to the Tram it was great to get back in the swing of things.  Here is a shot of a couple who was experiencing their first visit.  I know they were going to have fun, and how could they not.  When I got to the peak, the wind was stiff, but that kept the surface snow moving, which seemed to deposit some nice dust on the hard sections.  I was working the edges next to the ropes to get all of the soft smooth lines I could squeeze out of the available terrain.  Here is a shot of the Summit At Hidden Peak with the exterior complete and the work on the inside moving along quickly. This is the coolest place to hang out at 11,000′ anywhere.  I can’t wait to chill inside and take in the vista into Mineral Basin.  Tomorrow, look for fair traffic to be on hand for the first Saturday of the season, and remember there is only one run available with limited room to move.  The cover is very good but still look for some of the off the beaten path sections to have some surprises.  I skied off the right hand side of Emma and did not hit anything at all, but there was a bit of a zipper crust, however, that got skied out and was not an issue after the first hour.  Be there early for the best of the day.   See you there for the fun.  IBBY!!

The Trailer has been fully set up for the Winter and the horses in the corral are stoked to have some company.  They always greet me going and coming everyday.  Up on the hill, preparations are ongoing in anticipation for the opening next weekend.  I went up to see how the snow fall from last week looks on the hill.  The snow guns are working hard to put down as much base as possible and the cats were working on the mountain to pack out what is there and smooth out the ride.  A new avalanche device was being placed up on Superior.  Here is a shot of this very unique device that was being prepped for a lift via helicopter.  It is always like being a kid when a helicopter is flying around up close and personal.  The pilot was awesome and made shortwork of picking up the device and placing it on the pedestal way up on the mountain.   ZIP ZIP ZIP!!!This was quite a site to behold with the blade wash pounding around me as the pilot made the pick.  It was just a few minutes later that the UDOT crew remotely fired it twice with a very impressive blast.  KABOOOM!!  There is a fairly good looking storm moving in for Sunday Monday, with lingering flurries into Tuesday, but I don’t want to jinx it so I will just pretend I don’t know about it.  While I was up there, the low sun angle was making the Tram Cables glow with an incredible iridescence that was really amazing.  Well, a brand new season is approaching like a freight train and there is no stopping that flow of time.  The Big Cycle Return is here and I am anticipating a great season.  My new Dynastar Cham 97’s are in the shop getting mounted and I will be ready to roll when the first bell sounds.  See you there for the first day’s excitement!!  IBBY!!