A few Millimeters of a smooth frosting was delivered overnight that made the Groomers velvety soft.  I could not get over how just a light coating of product could enhance the quality as much as it did.  Mineral Basin was my call to start, with White Diamonds and Lower Silver Dipper offering the big line to the bottom that boosted the stoke level markedly in the variable light.  Lewis and Clark lines were equally deluxe.  I tried out the Peruvian Gulch and found, there too, the small accumulation made those lines delightful and calling for more laps.  The Gad side of the hill, while it too had been covered, was very firm, so I stayed with the goods until the other side broke.  Here is a shot of the Valley bathed in Sun while the clouds clung to the peaks.  The Sun did break out now and again, with a brighter dose as the clouds cleared off later in the day.  Softening did occur on all sides of the hill, with that sorbet feel making the turns feel great underfoot.  With the colder overall temps., the quality lasted most of the day and only the very low elevations became a bit thick with the melt.   Tomorrow, look for more Spring conditions, with continued unsettled cells moving throughout the day.  The hill is in great shape, with full coverage wall to wall, and fairly smooth off trail lines easy to negotiate when the pack breaks.   Even thought you might be tempted to opt for a later start to the day, the morning sessions have been offering good fun from the First Tram if you are so inclined.  More Cowbell!!!

The weather was unsettled all day, with some windows of Sum making and appearance.  While the first runs of the day were a bit crispy, the pack did break and become soft and fun.  Those clouds kept the pack from getting too soft.  Overall, the conditions remain as they have been all week long with the Groomers still offering the best quality and smoothness on the hill.  Here is a shot of the Morning Crew toasting the day with personalized coffee mugs that Neil had made up for us. They all have our 1976 pass pictures on them. How time flies when you are having fun.Tomorrow, look for conditions to be similar to today, with variable clouds, weather, and perhaps a few spots of sunshine.  The morning session will be crispy till things soften up, which should happen around Noon on most exposures.  You will have to test out the off trail to see how it feels as the day progresses.  I will be back on the hill in the AM. for first Boat, and I am looking forward to some explorations to the far reaches to see how things are looking wall to wall.  See you there for the morning session.  IBBY!!

It looked as thought the clouds were going to be hanging in early today, but moved off as the opening bell sounded and did not intrude all day long.  With a slight chill in the morning air, there had been just a firm freeze as opposed to a hard freeze, which left the Groomers felling very consistent to start things out in Mineral Basin.  The front of the hill was going to take a while to soften as that chill held off the break for a couple extra hours.  Following the break was the key to today’s fun quotient, with different aspects going off in order as the temps. softened the pack to the Sorbet state.  When you hit that magic window, this hill gives you the real back country corn experience, and by hitting the aspects just right, you can keep that feeling going bell to bell.  After the Forklift Debrief, I took the opportunity to move through the Tunnel, as I have not been through all season.  Here is a shot from about half way through with light at the end.  It is good to know that that light is not an oncoming freight.  I was following the break around the hill and got great lines wall to wall.  Even the off trail broke, with those aspects offering very nice lines that were feeling soft and pliant.  There are still lots of smooth lines to find with just a bit of traversing.   Later in the day, when some of the flat areas got manky, it was wise to slow the roll to escape the dreaded ” Over The Handle Bars” effect of hitting the sticky spots and double ejecting.  Doh!!  Here is a couple of shots of a section of the Track Cables that are going to be replaced in the near future.  Check out the amazing structure of the strands that are perfectly fitted and inter locking.  A thing of beauty.   Here is  a shot of the entire section that weighed at least 18 lbs.  It gives you a real appreciation of the magnitude of this refit.  This piece was at the table where they were giving away frosted cookies on the Plaza for today’s festivities. Tomorrow, look for that weather that held off today to be the in full effect as that system moves in overnight. The clouds are beginning to filter in as I write this.  Stay with the Groomers, as the off trail will be refrozen from today’s melt down. The light will be variable, so stick with the trees for the best visibility.  The hill remains in great shape, and will be ready to accept this new installment that should last several days.  IBBY!!!

The peak was mild and still as the Tram hit the dock this morning.  The overnight freeze did firm up the Dance Floor, but by following the Sun around the clock you could stay right in the sweet spot all day long.  Mineral Basin was offering the goods to kick off the day, with buffed Groomers that were smooth and consistent, and some new surprise lines that I have not seen prepared all season.  The Lewis and Clark loop was offering nicely tenderized lines that felt sugary smooth underfoot.  Here is a shot of the first sighting of evidence of the beginning of the Big Return.    On the front of the hill, tenderized lines were prepared on the Peruvian Gulch that made the top to bottom pace fun and fast. While the corduroy was firm on the steep North aspects, the traction was easy to get and seeing the crystal nap shave off under the edge was fun to watch in the back lit Sun.  Here is a shot of Tiffany, who was out on the hill getting the morning goods on the First Tram assault on Mineral Basin.  She has such a great smile and was stoked to be out and charging the hill!!The Gad side of the hill began to break around Noon, which offered smooth Groomers that felt great with the real corn goodness that let you dial in a real round turn on the soft consistency.  It was not until 2 PM. when the lower elevations began to get the stickies, but staying up high on the High North aspects kept the fun meter pegged.  Tomorrow, there is weather moving in, but we may get some Sun for the morning hours, we will just have to see.  The lights may go out later in the day, but with the Southerly flow we may get the softening of the pack again.  The hill remains in great shape wall to wall, just watch your aspects for the best quality.  See the Line, Be the Line!!

The temps. on the peak were significantly warmer this morning, and I was able to wear my light shell to start the day.  Freshly tilled lines were on tap as the morning Sun began to work it’s magic on the mat.  High winds last night left some transported snow on the fresh lines which felt very consistent and smooth with plenty of traction to dig a full high edge angle turn.  White Diamonds and Lower Silver dipper, as well as the other prepared lines were calling for repeated laps in the Sun.  On the front of the hill, the Peruvian Gulch lines were firm, but had been reworked and had plenty of nap on the corduroy.  The Gad side of the hill broke around Noon, with the freeze thaw cycle now offering real corn goodness that screamed Sorbet on many of the aspects.  I kept doing laps off Gad 2 to get those nice lines that felt like the back country goods.  Here is a shot of the West Twin looking imposing from this vantage point.  You can seethe low amplitude interference patterns at the top of the Rasta Chutes.  When the day hit full warmth, this area was good to go and felt just right. Tomorrow, look for another great morning, with Mineral Basin offering the best lines for the morning session.  Look for the break on the front side of the hill to begin around 11:00AM., with continued improvement in the feel around the dial if you follow the Sun.  Those High North lines will be the last to soften, so plan on hitting the soft window for most of the day if you work the aspects.   The hill is in great shape all over even after those warm days last week.  Here is a shot of Team BRO BRO, who arrived for their annual trip.   I have known JP for as long as I have been here and it is great to see these two back for the great Spring conditions.  Straight Ahead!!

After a few days of warm Spring like temps., a cold front that moved through overnight dropped the temps. significantly.  With a stout Northwest wind, and a peak temp. of 15 Degrees, the wind chill was down near Zero.  The pack that had become very slushy yesterday had frozen solid, and was not going to thaw at all.  All the usual Groomers were offering smooth lines, but they were very firm, with only the tenderized lines on the Peruvian side of the hill offering the only traction that I found.  The Morning Crew did the White Diamonds – Lower Silver Dipper line to the Lewis and Clark area in the bright morning Sun.  Those lines were smooth and consistent, but as the we completed the first lap, high clouds began to filter the Sun and we made an early visit to the Forklift Chair to let softening occur.   Here is a shot of Team Staller, who were ready to hit it hard again today as they have been getting all they can out of each day of their stay.  It is always great to have them on deck for the dance.  At Noon, the peak Temp. had risen to 18 Degrees as the wind increased in velocity.  I followed the tenderized line to the bottom and called it a day.  Tomorrow, the morning session will, once again, be a challenge with the firm conditions on all sides of the hill.  There may be some softening later in the day, but the pack is quite frozen, so look for the direct Sun aspects for the first signs of softening.  The Spring feel will be returning,  no doubt, so plan your timing for the day.  I will be on hand for the First Boat, as I enjoy the exploration element of each first run.  Stay Frosty!!

With clouds in the West, it was nice to see some extra Sun shining in Mineral Basin for the morning session.  Nicely prepared groomers were just breaking for the first runs and got progressively softer as the Sun played on the mat.  On the front side of the hill, the warmth from yesterday left very firm lines that made getting and edge a bit challenging.  I took an early Forklift visit to let softening occur.  Those warming temps. did not take long to soften the dance floor, which made those very firm lines become soft sorbet during the prime window.  Clouds began to gather as the day heated, with the flow from the South bringing in moisture that did not fall from the sky.  Sticky sections began to crop up on the flats, so carrying speed from the pitch on to the flat could be problematic when you hit the glue.  When the pack gets like that it is wise to slow the roll before hitting the flat sections at the bottom of the pitches.  Regulator and Mark Malu were the last lines to break, which offered sweet sorbet as well when they hit the sweet spot.  I did not find a good shot of the day, so I chose to get this one of one of the fresh cut flowers from Julia’s Living Creations that were delivered to the Forklift today.  I love the contrast of color and shadow in the blossom.  How does nature do it with such precision?  Tomorrow, look for a partly cloudy day that promises to be quite a bit colder, so expect the pack to be crispy for the better part of the day.  Look for those Groomers to have been tenderized for better traction on the main runs.  Regulator should be avoided until after Noon, as it will be bullet proof once again.  Off trail did take the hit with the warm temps. so be careful on all exposures.  It will be an adventure for the morning session and will test your fall line commitment.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

It was quite balmy on the peak this morning and the Sun was in full effect on the hill.  Mineral Basin was the call for the first of the morning session, with White Diamonds and Lower Silver Dipper offering nicely softening corduroy top to bottom.  I added the usual Lewis and Clark lap to top off the full experience, where I found smooth and consistent lines.  I made these runs with Michelle, who was laying down really beautiful tele turns that looked more like ballet than a sport. She always brings such artistic style to everything she does and I just hung back and watched her dial it up and dial it in.   On the front of the mountain, the Peruvian Gulch had held the cold, offering smooth Groomers top to bottom, with the Anderson’s Hill – Lower Primrose Path line a real treat, that pulled me back for several laps.  Regulator was really crispy, but there was enough tooth to the nap to get an edge in, however, I was using my full shwag technique to deal with the firmness.   The temps. were warming quickly and it was not long until all aspect were softening up and becoming fully Spring like and velvety.   After  Noon, the sticky spots began to become an issue so I went looking for the High North aspects to stay clear of the variations.  Tomorrow, look for more smooth lines on the Groomers, however, I expect them to be a bit more crispy with today’s warmth on all aspects.  There is some weather forecast for later in the day, so the morning session may be the ticket for best conditions.  I still think there will be softening, but it might be a bit slower, and the Sun may become obscured as the day progresses.  The hill is in great shape wall to wall, though attention to aspect will pay big dividends.  Straight Ahead!!

It was a full return to Spring today, with a brisk morning, rapidly warming temps, and the Sun working the product on the direct aspects.  The Groomers were the highlight of the morning session with big wide lines nicely prepared and still not too affected by yesterday’s Sun.  The High North was still holding the cold dry chalk that is consistent, however the interference patterns have been building on the high traffic areas.  Here is a shot of Upper Gadzooks, which had been buffed to a billiard table smooth, with the West Twin towering in the background. There was still some nice High North untracked lines if you had a bit of ambition to get to the far reaches where those treats were waiting.  My friend Mike was doing some excellent snow farming before the quality got manky.  You can see it was getting a bit doughy down low here.  Thanks for the shot Mike.  The Plaza was the place to be for the afternoon festivities, with great live music and lots of folks enjoying the Spring ambience.   Tomorrow, look for more great Groomers to be offering smooth hard charging lines.  Mineral Basin will be the place to start with the Sun lighting the Dance Floor and priming the velvet smooth lines.  The lower aspects on the front of the hill may be a bit crispy to start out the day, so follow the Sun for the best quality around the clock.  See you there dark and early for the First Tram.  Peace Out!!

The Sun was shining brightly this morning, but the air was still very brisk for the morning session.  The Groomers on all sides of the hill were offering dry chalky perfection that let you dial in your inner Ligety.  White Diamonds and Lower Silver Dipper were as good as they ever get, and that kept me doing laps there until Ski Patrol Gully was opened after the first hour of ripping fun.Buzz Skigrin was sporting some vintage sticks and threads for the first of April festivities.  He was working them well, but it is great to be able to jump back on modern gear that performs at a level that those early designs lacked in a big way.  Ski Patrol Gully opened around 10:00AM., but had suffered from the overnight wind and had a  zipper crust that made the turns very tricky.I was fortunate to be the 3rd person through the gate and while this section looks great, it took a round approach to each turn to deal with the very grabby consistency that was going on here.  On the front of the hill, the Anderson’s Hill – Lower Primrose Path combination was as good as it ever gets, with some transported dust that had been deposited by the high overnight winds.  It was laps on this combo that kept me working the line until it was time to ride the Forklift Chair.  The high Sun angle was quickly affecting the quality of the direct aspects, but the cold temps. were slow to rise and the quality held up until the afternoon.  The High North still was holding the cold, as  it did not seem to be feeling the bump in temps.   Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be once again dry chalky and smooth, as the cold snow will keep them good for the morning session.  Warmer temps. can be expected, but the first hour might still be brisk.  The off trail will be good, and look for the High North lines to offer the best consistency.  Here is a shot of Doobie decked out in full regalia on this special day.  Damn he looks good in these threads.  I will be taking the day off tomorrow for some R and R. I will be back on deck Sunday.  Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!!