It was a very murky day here in the valley as I worked on the antenna array to get it lined up for the messages coming in from The Big Giant Head.  A fine dust was falling out of the inversion cloud making the top of The Trailer very slippery.  Up on the hill, the Sun was shining and a beautiful day of sliding was on tap to ring in the New Year.  The Groomers were offering that untracked corduroy for the early risers.  Here is a shot of the me and the Crew hanging out at The Landing checking out the lines out under the Sunday Cliffs, which had been opened recently.Tomorrow, look for more great Grooming to be offering ground pounding fun for the Morning Crew.  There is nothing like dialing in luxurious turns in perfect untracked corduroy.  I liken it to 40” of Zero % Essence.  So light you can’t even see it, yet, there it is.  I will be hitting the hill first thing in the AM. and will have a first hand account for tomorrow’s post.  Have a safe New Year’s Eve, and  Stay Frosty!!

The Sun shown brightly, with only some clouds far off to the South.  There was a stiff breeze blowing off the ridge tops, but off the ridge lines it was still and balmy.  The Groomers were, once again, off the charts buffed, with the big lines in Mineral Basin offering some real ground pounding fun. The off trail was consolidating nicely as the pack firms up, so lines off the beaten path were feeling very nice, though there was some static with the traffic that has been working it.  Here is a great shot Neil took from the Bookends looking back at Lewis and Clark.  You have to love it when you can see for miles and miles.  The was a lot of traffic today, but the lift lines were short and fast.  The front of the hill was offering top to bottom lines that kept the back to back pace a fun fest and a work out when you kept the laps going non stop.  There have been a couple of new lines that have been machine worked after all the snow, and these shots always remind me of some of the big back country drops that require a lot of work to get.  Perfect wind slab is a treasure, and extra special when you have a lift to get back for more.  Tomorrow, look for more great lines to be on tap for the morning session.  Follow the Sun to get the great illumination and vacant runs before the crowd arrives.  Traffic should be a bit thicker tomorrow, but the lift capacity has been keeping up.  Look for the wind smooth lines on the Northeast aspects that are still holding the smooth.    Kazoodi hosted an apres ski pizza extravaganza today, where he was testing out some of the new recipes he has been chasing.  Here is the first pie coming out of the oven.  His pies are out of this world.  Here he is using an iron pan technique.  Here is a shot of the pan Pizza cooling before the taste test.  MMMMMM Goood!!!   I will be taking the day off tomorrow to rest up and re calibrate the antenna array after the high winds hit it hard during that last storm.  Stay Frosty!!

This morning was very mild, with no wind, bright Sun, and perfect corduroy lines on all sides of the hill.  I checked out the lines out on a Lewis and Clark lap, where the machine worked lines had been augmented by wind transported goodness that made turning a religious experience.  I just had to do numerous laps there to take advantage of all the un tracked corduroy lines that were begging for some attention.   Here is a shot of the cliffs out on Ski Patrol Gully.  Freshly mowed lines were also going off on Gad 2, where those steep Gadzooks sections offered a rare occasion to get them that smooth.  On the Peruvian side of the hill, that apron under the Cirque, and Anderson’s Hill were another high point of the morning, with dry chalky consistency reminding me of some back country natural wind slab.  I stopped in the Summit for a brief moment before things got rolling and got this shot of The Twins framed by the large window wall.  What a view from such a special building which is such a great addition to what the Bird has to offer.  It would not be long until this space was packed with folks enjoying the ambience of this great room.  Tomorrow, look for another sunny day, with more great lines to rip right from the word GO!!  Look for those wind slabbed lines for great off trail runs.  The  Hillary Step gate opened today and there were lots of smooth long shots of wind buffed slab to dial in some deep arcs.  Coverage is great on all aspects, and it is fun to get out and check out some of the further afield aspects that are now good to go.  During the morning breakfast session, Julia, from Living Creations  www.livingcreations.net, was putting out these amazing arrangements on the tables of the Forklift.  Her arrangements always catch my eye as photographic moments.   This shot of this flower in the morning sun is a great study of contrast and color.  It is like an explosion of form held still in the moment.   See you dark and early for another ripping day of deep carving fun.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

Visibility was at a premium for the morning session, with white out conditions making it difficult to navigate.   The Morning Crew chose a rousing run down Lupine Loop in Mineral Basin to take advantage of the trees there for visual reference.  The Groomers were, once again smooth and trustworthy in the limited visibility.   Light snow was falling, giving a fresh feel, with the added goodness of wind deposited product just to make it that much better.  If you can’t see, it is nice to know you can trust the carpet to carry you down.  On the front of the hill, the off trail was still sporting that low amplitude rumble, but was getting filled in a bit by the transported snow.  As the morning wore on, there were some signs of clearing.  Here is yet another shot of the Mine across the Valley covered with the latest installment.  I wonder what folks 10,000 years in the future will make of that excavation.  After Noon, the Sun came out and it just lit up the hill and showed just how sweet the lines really were.  I went over to Gad 2 to check out conditions there, finding some beautiful shots of powder in the trees.  Here is a shot of Boundary Bowl looking sweet in the afternoon Sun.    The Exotic Trees were offering some very soft snow that had been sheltered from the wind, butthere was a lot of interest, so you can expect to work a bit harder to find a line there now.  I met Team ToGoMonroe at the top of Gad 2 and shared a moment of appreciation for the great snow that we had enjoyed all day.  It is such a treat to meet folks who really get how special these conditions really are.  Tomorrow, look for a really beautiful day, with warmer temps., great visibility, and more exquisitely smooth lines courtesy of the Cat Crew.  I expect light traffic once again, so a vertical extravaganza will be on hand.  Be looking for wind smoothed lines on some of the  Eastern aspects, as the afternoon wind was really carrying the material when I stopped to check out the loading.  You can expect good conditions, with dry chalky snow resident wall to wall.   In closing here is as great shot of  Team Kinderhaus, who were enjoying the ambience at the Summit Restaurant.  This group represents some of deepest roots of Snowbird, that extend back before the opening in ’71.    See you tomorrow for the carve fest!!!  Keep It Tight To The Fall Line!!

I stepped through the temporal portal late yesterday, right in the middle of the horse coral on my return from the Home Planet.  The horses have become quite used to this manifestation of high strangeness, and just gave an amused chortle.   I hit the hill early to get ahead of the crowd and get a handle on the conditions.  The Sun was shining out in Mineral Basin, but there was a cloud deck moving in fast.  Amazing groomed lines were the highlight of the morning session, where this last installment delivered perfect material to work into a deep shag carpet.  The carving was easy and reliable, with no sense of punchiness at all.  Lewis and Clark was the go to area to stay ahead of the crowd and get first tracks on perfectly prepared corduroy.  Here is a shot of Samantha who was ready to SHRED some of the Bird’s finest and she was stoked to be on hand for the occasion.  The off trail has set up on all sides of the hill after significant wind worked most of the exposures.  The last installment had quite a bit of water in it, so that deep softness has passed, but there is a dry chalky consistency that is still very workable.  A low amplitude rumble is wide spread, and the high traffic areas have some deeper interference patterns setting up.  The Upper Cirque opened after this last addition, and I look forward to checking out the entrances in the next couple of days.  Here is a shot of Timp. looking sharp and clear just before the lights went out.  Tomorrow, look for there to be some flurries in the morning, with some clearing later in the day.  The Groomers will still be offering the consistent goodness, but look for some wind deposited lines to, perhaps, be around.  The High Northeast aspects were benefiting from the today’s wind direction, so I will be looking there first for the natural smooth.  Traffic may be a bit lighter, so a full vertical assault can be enjoyed.  Stay Frosty!!

Perfect un tracked corduroy was the order of the morning with plenty to find top to bottom. The wind was blowing in front of this next weather system, and was transporting snow and leaving it on the smooth lines.  There was bright Sun to illuminate the dance floor and I was trying to do my best rumba all morning.  The Road To Provo is now open, so I went out and got some SIZZLING laps on Mark Malu, where the Cat Crew had out done itself.  Top to bottom luxury, with the wind transported buff was just topping it all off.  What a treat to get this area open.  Over on Gad 2, the lines were great as well, with the River Run scoring high points for perfect, if there is a scale for perfect.   The wind picked up during the afternoon, and the  wind lines got better.   Tomorrow, look for a storm to be at some stage of development.  The mountain is in great shape and any addition will open up the lines to a full fall line approach.  I am stoked for the next few days.  Here is a shot of Team Cho, who follow my site and were stoked to be on the hill with such great conditions and more to come.I will be leaving the for the Home Planet today and will be off the GRID.  I will return for the Tuesday report after I rematerialize.   Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

A high cloud deck covered the range, with clearing tantalizingly close, but holding off to the West.  The light was very flat, with little detail to discern, and staying close to the trees offered the best light on the hill.  The Groomers were smooth and consistent, however, they were firm on all sides of the hill, though there was plenty of surface dust to get an edge, even with my very dull edges.  I was putting down laps on all sides of the hill before breakfast to get a quick overview of the hill’s overall feel.  Though the off trail is consolidating, I stayed with the machine worked lines to deal with the light issues in the most predictable manner.  Some of those wind lines I talked about yesterday were happening again today, with just a little more smooth to add to the goodness.  I stopped in to the Summit to get a Slab O ZZA from the pie makers there, who use a real brick oven just to keep it real.  Here is a shot of a few of the fresh pies perfectly ready.         I spent some time up there soaking up the atmosphere in the building by finding a corner to put my feet up and enjoy vibe.  When I went back to pounding out laps, I motored on the lower road and stopped to take this shot of the monolithic hanging stair case on the East side of the building.  It is just a surreal sight, especially when the light is flat and the contrast is high.   Tomorrow, look for more ground pounding fun from the very first bell. The Groomers will be, once again, offering excellent turning, though they will still be on the firm side.   Look for those wind lines to still be happening, so keep a sharp eye out for the tell tale signs of smooth.   One never knows what will be encountered on the Tram, and I was lucky enough to see these very fashion forward pants, that just happened to have a corresponding art card to go with it. I was instantly thrown into a psychedelic reverie right there in the middle of the Tram.  I wish I had more time to GROK the significance, but we were docking.  Doh!!   IBBY!!

There was a light dusting of freshness covering the hill this morning and the Sun was shining brightly to make it an incredible carving event; another Lay It Over Like Ligety moment if you will.  We made a bee line for the Lewis and Clark area, where the corduroy was smooth, silky and fast.  Here is a shot of the Lewis and Clark area taken from the other side of the Gulch.  On the front of the hill, the lines were firming up, but the corduroy was excellent as well. Off trail has consolidated even more, and was offering nice lines that were consistent and predictable.  Low clouds moved over the hill around 10:30 AM., making visibility an issue on all sides of the hill.  By the time breakfast was over, there were some breaks in the clouds and visibility began to improve.   Traffic was light, with walk on Trams a treat for making laps and dialing a rockin’ pace.  That overnight dust kept the surfaces grippy and soft all day long.  Tomorrow, look for another day of ground pounding fun on the Groomers, but keep your eye out for some of the smooth lines that are waiting for a bit of exploration.   I found a couple of gems today that I have avoided, but found gold as that last installment put a whole new face on those lines.  The hill constantly changes and you can find the goods.  We will have to see if the wind does any natural grooming overnight.  There will be light traffic again, so be sure to take advantage of these days before the holidays to get the hill to yourself. IBBY!!

The overnight cloud deck moved off as the morning began, leaving Mineral Basin bathed in Sun, with the Groomers, once again, off the charts carveliscious.  It was a Lay It Down Like Ligety morning, and there had been the slightest trace of dust that made each turn that much more magical.  Here is a shot of the Morning Crew at the top of the first Lewis and Clark run of the day.The temps. were beautiful with no wind, so staying back there dialing in the untracked corduroy was the ticket for the morning session.  Here is a long shot looking back at the pass.   The off trail has been consolidating and is feeling much more supportable than just the other day.  The low amplitude rumble is still in play, but had been worked by the wind and is much more mellow.  Only those very heavily visited lines are still sporting higher amplitude interference patterns.  The lines off of Gad 2 are feeling very nice.  I took a few laps there today to get a look and found some great buffed sections that were loaded with delicious.    While I took a look at the Peruvian side of the hill, I stopped and got this shot of Superior which has seen a lot of traffic in the past couple of days.  Tomorrow, look for more great Groomers to be the best on the hill.  Temps. should remain mild out ahead of the next system that is approaching.  The Weather Dude says there may be  another trace tonight, so there may be something to find in the AM.  Watch the Black Ice in the Canyon as it has been in effect the past few days.  The hill is in great shape and provides fast and furious vertical where ever you point yourself.  See the Line, BE the Line!!

It was much warmer this morning, which was a welcome relief from the biting cold of the last few days.  The powder has been worked over wall to wall, but the Cat Crew has been hard at work putting fresh carpet all over the hill.  This last installment was the perfect material to produce the off the charts perfect buffage that I have been waiting for all season.  Here is a close up of the corduroy that was un tracked for the first run out on the first Lewis and Clark sojourn of the season.  When the carpet is this smooth, you can do no wrong and every turn snaps crackles and pops !!  We spent all morning over there before heading back to the front of the hill.  Here is a shot of the Morning Crew celebrating the occasion  at the Landing.  This spot gives a great overview of the back bowl.  Powder Paradise continues to remain closed, but the wind has affected the pack there as it has the rest of the area, but it still looks great. The off trail has set up quite a bit and staying with the freshly worked lines will offer the best quality.  You got to go for the perfect stuff when it is happening.  Tomorrow, look for freshly reworked carpets of perfection to greet the early risers, but that smooth quality will last all day as it did today.  Clouds are moving in now, and I expect a bit of overcast as the next storm begins to influence the area.  The off trail will still be variable on all sides of the hill, but there may be some wind lines that develop over night.   I will be keeping an eye out for this on the way up first Tram.   As I was hitting the peak after a lap in Mineral in the afternoon,  I stopped to take this shot of the Summit, which has become a highlight at the peak.  To see it in real life as opposed to the renderings in the past few years is a treat to GROK.  See you there for the ground pounding fun of carving perfect living room shag; perhaps envision a vintage deep pile.  Perfect.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!