Archive for March, 2017

HIGH DENSITY

3-31-17

Lots of moisture was delivered overnight, but the high density product did not add up to a lot of accumulation.  Variable visibility was widespread, with some windows of clarity opening from time to time.  Mineral Basin offered the first and deepest lines of the day, with the new snow feeling buoyant and smooth.  A few laps out on a Lewis and Clark exploration found first tracks going off with no one around to complete for the open lines.  Here is a shot of The Faithful making their way up to Baldy when the rope dropped while the Morning Crew was working the back.On the front of the hill, the High North was offering the best lines, with the high density product cushioning the ride pretty well, but the echos of the underlying rumble was resident and ubiquitous.   The Groomers were offering untracked perfection for the early runs, and I took advantage of the smooth mat to give my knees a needed break from the stiff off trail pack.  Light flurries kept moving through all day, but there was not much in the way of build up.  As the day warmed, the lower elevations became a bit manky and I called it a week as I headed out for a day off.     Tomorrow, look for a bit more accumulation as the system seems to be doing a wrap around and is coming out of the East. Wind affected lines should be expected as the East wind kicks in as the system moves on.  The High North aspects seemed to be the deepest today, but we will have to see how it shakes out for the morning. Coverage remains fat wall to wall, but pay attention to the aspects  for the best quality.  Those South faces are still very difficult.  Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!

FURIOUS FLURRY

3-30-17

A furious flurry descended on the hill just before the First Tram left the dock, leaving a few inches on top and an inch and a half covering the lower elevations.  On the Peak, the wind was blowing hard and, despite nominal data on the stat sheet, it was quite cold.  Mineral Basin was offering excellent Groomed lines that were nicely covered with the fresh flash cover, but visibility was marginal out in the Bowl.  The snow stopped as fast as it began and some quick clearing happened, which offered a window of clarity on a very variable morning.  Here is a shotthat Neil took when the opportunity arose.  On the front of the hill, smooth lines had been prepared, and Anderson’s Hill and Lower Primrose Path had been given a nice treatment that only got better with the flash flurry.  A bit of Sun hit the slopes when the short window opened and it baked the new product on the lower elevations, making them sticky and tricky.  When the clouds filled back in the temps. dropped a bit and the pack got fast again all in a very short period.  The real weather moved in around Noon, bringing high density snow that was falling hard and fast.  Tomorrow, look for overnight accumulation to be offered as the system has settled in for the next while.  Expect a storm riding day, heavier traffic for the goods, and variable visibility in the storm conditions.  The higher density snow should cushion the ride on the off trail areas, which were very difficult today with such a small accumulation.  In closing, here is a shot of Snoopy getting the goods in that short window of Sun today.  I want to give a big shout out to Gin Chow who is the keeper of this fast mover.  We miss him on the hill.  Rock On Gin!!  See you tomorrow for the fresh installment.  Speed Safely!!

GREAT GROOMING

3-29-17

Great grooming had been performed  on all sides of the hill, working the freshness of the past few days into the mat.  That new snow really improved the consistency, and made a ground pounding approach fun and fast.  It was a bit cool for the morning session, but that helped preserve the quality on the direct aspects for a much longer time before they went South.   Out in Mineral Basin, Lone Star had been given the smoothing treatment, and that pitch was off the charts amazing.  The Morning Crew lapped that pitch a number of times before it was discovered.  Moving to the front of the hill, we found smooth sliding lines that were still holding strong from yesterday, as well as the prepared Lower Mountain lines that held up till late in the day, despite the temps. rising.  Here is a great shot of Team Christmas Motors of Acton MA.  I had a great time showing them the steep and the smooth from wall to wall, and they killed it.  I was very happy that they got this window of perfection in between storms.  It is always nice to share the Dance Floor with friends you have known all your life.  Thanks for skiing guys.  Tomorrow, look for a system to begin moving in for the next couple of days.  Visibility could be on the wain as the day progresses, with expected precipitation later in the day.  The Groomers will be offering the best ride, and in the variable light will be the go to place for rockin’ performance.  The off trail areas that saw a lot of Sun today should be avoided as they will be difficult.  Coverage remains excellent all over the hill and new snow will just keep the ball rolling.  Dial It Up, Lay It Down!!!

 

FRESH INSTALLMENT

3-28-17

A fresh installment had been delivered yesterday with flurries continuing all night, leaving 8 or so inches on the Dance Floor.  The new product was very high density, but had a dry cold feel that helped cushion the ride, however,  the rumble was echoing through and a direct, deliberate approach was key.  The Peruvian Trifecta had been beautifully prepared by the Cat Crew, which offered that top to bottom carvacious feel.  I hit that line as many times as I could before breakfast to absorb the goodness before it was discovered in the variable visibility.  Clearing did begin to happen as the clouds moved off.  Mineral Basin opened, and there was quite a push for the goods back there, so I avoided the fray and kept hitting the Trifecta.  The wind had worked the upper elevations, making some of the un tracked lines quite variable and in places very slabby.    Here is a shot of me taken by my friend Harry, when I was crossing the Plaza going for more. When the Sun came out, it began to work the snow, especially those direct aspects that get the full intensity.  The Lower mountain became a bit manky as the new product absorbed the ambient heat.  I was working with long round turns to keep the lateral forces from working my knees.   Tomorrow, look for a beautiful day, with bright Sun, lots of Groomed lines all over the hill, and much lighter traffic.  I will be looking for freshly buffed drops in Mineral Basin for the morning session, as I missed my time back there today.  The forecast is for a lot more goodness coming upstream, and the hill is in fine shape to make the most of anything we get.  It is going to be big.  See The Line, BE The Line!!!

SNOWING HARD

3-27-17

A few inches of beautiful Essence covered the dance floor this morning, making the Groomers particularly special.  With some windows of Sun in Mineral Basin, that was the call in the otherwise variable visibility.  The White Diamonds – Lower Silver Dipper offered amazingly soft and smooth turns with just those few inches of freshness making each turn an experience.  At the top of a Lewis and Clark lap I ran into Team Arslanian, who were getting ready to sample the perfectly un tracked goodness that was in store.  This was one of the only windows of Sun that opened all day long, and I am glad they got to get the goods with great visibility.   On the front of the hill, the Grooming was a bit more sparse, and the off trail was feeling  variable after yesterday’s traffic, and I stayed with the smooth lines to deal with the fading visibility as clouds lowered.  Here is a shot of the Wall Of Voodoo just about ready to turn the corner and march up the Canyon, where it unleashed it’s furry in a real hurry.  The accumulation of fresh Essence that came with the impulse was multiple inches per hour, and there was a whole new coating when we came out from the Forklift Recon. Meeting. Here is the screen grab of the radar image just minutes after this shot was taken, so you can see the immediacy of the impulse.  Visibility really went South when the front hit and I was only able to knock out a couple more laps before I bailed to get down the Canyon before the road got too greasy.  Heavy snow continued all day long, with a high density product that will go a long way toward covering the crusty substrate.  Tomorrow, look for great snow wall to wall.  There should be fairly heavy traffic for the goods so plan accordingly.  Check the road report for restrictions in the AM. There will be residual flurries in the AM. and visibility will still be variable.  Stay with the known smooth lines for the best ride, but the new product will make the rumble much more subdued.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

FRESH COAT

3-26-17

The Sun was shining brightly, illuminating the fresh coat of Essence that covered the hill after that last impulse.  The new product was quite dense, but it was also cold dry and very consistent.  That super wet precipitation from yesterday seemed to have melted into the pack, leaving only around 4 to 5 inches on top.  The Peruvian Trifecta of Upper, Middle, and Lower Primrose path was the top to bottom favorite for the morning session, as the opening of Mineral Basin was delayed for a bit. The Trifecta was off the charts amazing, with hero snow that made each turn a carving extravaganza.  I love it when the big pitches get the treatment, and offer that ground pounding excellence that lets you get your best out of the hill.  Here is a shot of  Pipeline shining.  It was fairly cool for the early session, but the temps. were warming fast and I was able to put my light shell on after breakfast.  Mineral Basin was offering some very nice prepared runs, but the off trail had some variations hiding underneath the new installment, which required a very deliberate approach.  I chose to stick close to the prepared lines to keep the smooth going from the first runs of the day.  The high elevations kept the quality going all day, but the lower elevations began to absorb some of the ambient heat and became a bit manky later in the day.   Tomorrow, expect storm riding to be the order of the day. Remember your smooth lines from today, and stick close as the visibility will be variable.  The Groomers will be offering the most consistent ride, and with some of the steep lines being given the extra love, it keeps the charge alive in the sketchy light.    The Forklift morning breakfast tradition is the highlight of the day, and these fine folks are can always be counted on to make each visit a treat.  After a rousing morning of intense excitement, it is nice to have such an amazing place to get centered for the rest of the day.  Stay Frosty!!!

SOGGY DAY

3-25-17

That very wet system moved in over The Front this morning, with heavy rain that pelted the skin of The Trailer all day long.  Up on the hill, the precipitation was very dense, as the lower elevations hovered between drizzle and snow.  Visibility was at a premium, as dense clouds hung on the hill.  It was a good day for me to get thing done and get ready for the week ahead. Here is a shot I took yesterday of West Twin with Pipeline front and center to add some sunshine to a gloomy day.  Tomorrow, look for additional accumulation to have fallen overnight, as it is still raining here at The Trailer.  I will be looking for the smooth lines in the AM. until I can get a sense of how today’s traffic worked the hill.  This high density will help cover that old crusty layer and I anticipate some very good turning in the AM. Clearing is in the forecast, so I expect visibility to be vastly improved, and the Groomers should be kicking it with the new snow tilled into the mat.  Getting those velvet smooth lines was one of the real treats of yesterday’s morning session, and I expect the same for tomorrow’s early morning offerings.  The Cat Crew has been doing a stellar job of keeping it fresh and fun, with new and expanded lines each day. Here is another shot I took yesterday of the outside dinning on the peak.  It is like you are suspended in space while you sit on Top Of The World.   See you there for the freshness in the AM.  Speed Safely!!

BRIGHT SUN

3-24-17

The Sun was bright and the sky was clear this morning, with fresh powder and fresh lines waiting for the Faithful.  There was a fair turnout for today’s offerings, so I took advantage of the vacant line on The Peruvian Chair to access Mineral Basin, where there were lots of choices.  The wind had worked some of the aspects, making them a bit tricky and stiff in places, but other aspects were dry chalky and felt very nice under foot.  On the Front of the hill, great Groomers were offered up as the new product got worked into the mat.  The feel was dry and chalky and much more consistent than yesterday.  I took full advantage of the rock and roll lines that were vacant with everyone hitting Mineral Basin.  Here is a shot of the East Twin looking 3D.The air was quite cool for the morning session, which helped keep the new snow refrigerated and feeling smooth.  I had to dress up for the condition, but I was able to put on a light shell later in the morning.  When The Road To Provo opened, it was worked over in just minutes and I missed it entirely, but I did get to hit as rousing Mark Malu where the  big mountain smooth was excellent and very fast.   I ran into Lynn Wieland and her daughter Kate Pekuri this morning.  Lynn is down from Bogus Basin for her first day at the Bird this year.  I got to make a couple of laps with them and had fun ripping Lewis and Clark, getting the fresh lines.   Tomorrow, look for a stormy day with snow for most of the day.  Look for those smooth Groomed lines for the most consistent ride in the variable visibility.  Coverage remains very good and the new snow will keep the quality improving on all sides of the hill.  I will be taking the day off for some R&R, and will leave the smoothing to you all.  “….. Explode into SPACE”!!

 

STORMY DAY

3-23-17

The rain sounded insistent on the skin of The Trailer this morning, which made it hard to surface out of the sleep that felt luxurious with the drone of the drops.  Up on the hill, snow was falling briskly, but no significant accumulation was evident in the parking lot.  There was a fair push for the goods by the faithful, who have been waiting for additional Winter excitement.  Yesterday’s very wet product had frozen with the colder temps. and the underlying pack was very tricky.  I chose to seek out the known smooth sections I has spied yesterday and found that the medium density product had cushioned the ride fairly well for the opening runs.  It seemed that the West facing aspects had the best feel, with the mostly smooth pack holding up underneath the new snow.  Mineral Basin opened a bit later in the morning, offering dodgy visibility, but a much more consistent feel after being closed all day yesterday. Here is a shot of Brian Beck throwing up spray over on the West faces of Lower Baldy today.  While it was not deep, the medium density mitigated the rumble a bit, though there were still echos of the Gnar coming through.  It seems that every time the Bird holds a race event we get snow, and here is a shot of the GS race staging up to run down Big Emma this morning.  It was a very fast course and the kids were ripping.  Tomorrow, look for clearing weather  as this system moves East. Temps. should be cool and the snow should still be soft and workable.  The Groomers will be the place to get the smooth lines, and Mineral Basin can be counted on for the early morning goods.  With the Sun out, the quality will be short lived back there, so start early and stay ahead of the curve. There is more waiting in the wings, and with the additional accumulation during the day today, those areas should be well worth keeping and eye on. I met Laura from London England first thing this morning, and I caught her again as I was making my way off the hill.  She was having a great day, but wished she could see the hill and surrounding vistas.  Perhaps tomorrow she will be rewarded with a blue bird day.  I really enjoy meeting all the folks who come here from all over and am excited for them to experience the hill.  As Joe Man the Snow Man says, ” Don’t Skimp On The Groove Sauce!!”

SLOW MOTION

3-22-17

Very heavy rain pounded The Trailer in the early morning hours, but with the warm temps. anything up on the hill was possible.  I must have been asleep at the wheel, as I never saw that weather coming,  so having fresh cover was a treat.  It was raining in the parking lot as I made my way to the locker, but I could tell that the higher elevations were seeing some white product.  First Tram sent the morning crew working the Regulator side of the hill, where we found ultra dense accumulation that, while not deep, cushioned the ride with only the most marginal interaction with the old layer.  Making turns was like moving in slow motion, where time slowed down and you could adjust to the variations with plenty of time to make the move instead of being spit out of the arc.  Here is a shot of the line Tramrat and I took under the Zoom Chair after scoping it out on the ride up.  I rarely ever hit this line, but today it was excellent.  You can kind of make out the tracks on the right side of the shot, and the slow motion effect made working those interference patterns a breeze.  Gad 2 was offering great soft lines as the pack had not frozen overnight, making each turn a delight .  Even the lower elevation runs had a skiff of super wet but slick velvet that let you make hero turns with no effort.  What a treat.   After the daily Forklift recon. meeting I checked out the Peruvian side of the hill, which had frozen underneath the new product and was quite difficult up high and did not break until the lower third of the hill.  Tomorrow, look for more accumulation, as the system has moved in and is here to stay for a bit.  How much is up in the air, but the cooling temps. promise a bit better quality going forward.  That last blast will go a long way to mitigating the old layer, but those interference patterns will still be in full relief.   My good friend Jack has left for his long tour of the country.  He has an action packed itinerary for the rest of the year, which includes quality time on the ocean.  He was killing it on the hill this year and it was a treat to have him on the Morning Crew sojourns.  Fair winds Jack!!  IBBY!