The temps. were above freezing on the Peak this morning as gray clouds obscured the Sun and made the light so flat that very little in the way of detail could be discerned on the Groomers.   Mineral Basin had that first velvet feel, and the consistently smooth mat helped make the flat light issues more manageable.  Lewis and Clark had some surprise industrially smoothed lines that were a treat, and the velvet feel began to morph toward that Sorbet Window.  On the front of the hill the Groomers were feeling OK during the early laps, but when the Sorbet Window hit the Peruvian Gulch, it was full on with the top to bottom boogie easy and fast.  Later, after 11:30AM., the softening morphed more toward the Snow Cone feel, which seemed to make time slow down as the thickening pack made the turns feel deep powder floaty.   It was an interesting feeling and I took full advantage of the few hour goodness window before it morphed more fully toward the Slushy Cup Zone.  I had to call it a day when I started to feel the sticky spots crop up.  I met Team Marzelli on the Tram on one of my laps for the Sorbet Goodness.  Tony was showing his folks the sights and sharing the stoke.  They are from NH. and were really enjoying the time at The Bird.  I told them Tony had come to the right place!!   Tomorrow, look for more unsettled weather, with colder temps. overnight.  I will be looking for the Groomed lines that have had the tenderizing efforts employed for extra traction, as I expect the pack to be very crispy over all.  I made the mistake of venturing off the prepared lines today, and found myself committed to dealing with the Gnar before softening had a chance to occur.  Doh!!  There should be a fair bit of wind out ahead of the storm pattern that is moving in slowly over the front.  See  you there for the exploratory runs in the AM.  See The Line,  BE The Line!!

Thick high overcast covered the hill, but left the peak free  of fog.  With a 40 Degree temp. on the Plaza when first Tram left the dock, none of the lower mountain had frozen overnight.  On the Peak,  a light wind was blowing, but it was mild as well.  Mineral Basin was offering a fresh White Diamonds – Lower Silver Dipper  line that was smooth and velvety right out of the chute.  The lines out on the Lewis and Clark lap were also nicely broken and offered soft corn goodness.  On the front of the hill, the Peruvian Trifecta had been freshly prepared, with soft snow top to bottom offering the sorbet window which was not going to stay open long.  Here is a great shot of Mr. Burk Weir, who was heading out for his tour of the hill.  He gets the most out of every day.By 1:00PM. the lower mountain had hit the Slushie Zone, and it became too sticky for my knees to deal with so I called it a day.   Traffic was very light and there were a couple of Sun rays that filtered through the clouds.  Here is a shot of me and my shadow as I made my way to the fresh, first Grooming of Last Chance.  I had first tracks on this unseen treasure of perfect corduroy.   Tomorrow, look for an unsettled day, with periods of snow and other precipitation.  Look for the Groomers to be offering the smooth, and we will have to wait and see if we get a freeze overnight.  Temps. are looking to be warm again, so we can expect softening of the pack as the day progresses, but wind will be factor that may slow the process.  I will be looking for the Mineral Basin laps for the beginning of the day, however, I will make that determination when I see what the visibility looks like when I get to that point.  IBBY!!!

The temps. were much colder overnight, making the pack very frozen after yesterday’s warmth.  Mineral Basin was just beginning to break on the direct aspects, as the Sun had been playing on those lines since rising.  White Diamonds – Lower Silver Dipper were ready to go with a very nice buff job, but the early Lewis and Clark laps were a touch crispy and needed a bit to soften.   On the front of the hill,  some tenderizing efforts had been employed on the main runs, but off that tilled line, the pack was bullet proof and needed until 11:00AM. for anything on the front of the hill to break.  Regulator was holding out until after Noon to break, after which it was very nice and granular as it passed through the softening window.  On the Peruvian side of the hill, the Trifecta was really nice after it hit the sorbet window that lasted until 2:00PM. when it morphed into the sticky zone, especially down on the lower third of the hill.  Off trail was very limited, with only the High North still offering some dry cold chalk, however yesterday’s temp. spike seemed to have solidified those high aspects just a bit.  Here is a shot of Coach V out at the Spot.  Tomorow, look for another day of Spring conditions, with the usual rock around the clock approach the only way to get the best of the day.  I will be looking for those Mineral Lines for the first of the day, but those West faces will still be long in breaking. With all the warmth, one would think that there would be quite a melt off, but the cover continues to be excellent wall to wall, with only those areas close to the rocks melting down a bit, but who is working the rocks?  See you there for the morning explorations and corn goodness.  Stay Frosty!!

Warm winds blew briskly on this sunny morning, after a slight freeze on the upper elevations.  The break was not going to take long with the warm morning temps. so getting an early start on the rock around the clock was key.  High clouds moved over now and then, screening the light and making the light go flat.  Great Grooming had been prepared, and tenderizing efforts had been employed on some lines to give that traction until the warmth morphed the pack in those few spots.  Here is a shot of Pipeline I took yesterday as I was hitting the Mark Malu smooth. Tomorrow,  look for another warm day, with some lingering clouds in the AM.  There should be a light freeze, but I think the lower elevations should still be feeling velvety on the Groomers.  I will be starting with the Lewis and Clark explorations to get a handle on the hill after my day off.  I will be looking for more surprise industrially smoothed lines that have been magically appearing all week long.  Work those aspects for the best softening curve and follow the Sun as it clocks around breaking the pack.  It won’t take long, be quick to change things up when you need to move to the next aspect.   In parting, I offer this classic shot of Team Sizzle basking in the afternoon Sun out at the Beach.  It was this crew that started that tradition oh so many years ago, and the tradition remains strong today.  I am very glad to know that if I make my way out there on last Tram today, I will find The Folks doing just this, in just the same way.   I bet there are many of you out there who can ID many of the faces here.  This shot has to be 35 years old at least!!  Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!

It was a great day of chasing the Sun around the dial as the Spring conditions were going off in a fairly orderly fashion.  Mineral Basin was offering more great lines that were just softening as the first Tram hit the peak.  Lone Star had been prepared as well as the White Diamonds – Lower Silver Dipper, all of which offered steep smooth turns  that were just another kind of perfect.  The Front of the hill began to break around Noon, but the Gad side would take a bit longer to hit that sorbet feel, however the lower elevations did get soft a bit earlier.  I was still working the Peruvian Trifecta to get the big top to bottom shot that makes you pay attention, and gets your focus sharpened to a fine point.  Here is a shot of the co-author of Snowbird Secrets, Jackson Hogen, and Mikey M.  We were working the hill all afternoon staying with the High North to keep the dry cold chalk dialed in.  Check out Jackson’s amazing site, realskiers. com. where he has compiled the most extensive data set on all the new skis and equipment coming out for the next season.  Tomorrow, look for another warm day, however, the morning session will be offering the same overnight freeze of the pack, so follow the Sun for the breaking corn goodness.  Look for the Groomers to be ground pounding, but remember, Regulator will take the longest to break.  I attended another pizza tasting at Kazoodi’s last night, with Mikey M. creating some avante guard Barone’s Pizzas for possible introduction to his chain of restaurants in LA.  Here is a shot of the first Pan Pizza that came out of the oven.  It was goooood!! Thanks to Kazoodi and Mikey M for pushing the culinary boundary to yet another level!!   Speed Safely!!

The temps. were a bit lower to start the day this morning, with a bit of a breeze and high clouds that filtered the full rays of the Sun.  Extensive tenderizing efforts had been employed on all sides of the hill, offering good traction on the main runs.  Mineral Basin was offering the sunniest lines in the AM.  and the White Diamonds –  Lower Silver Dipper  drop was a fun way to start the day.  It was a full hour before folks started making their way back there.  The Front of the hill offered good lines but the slow break would take some time for the corn to mature.   When the break on the front of the hill went off, there were lots of choices to make.  Perfect sorbet lines  could be found and there were a few lines that were totally ignored that offered untracked corduroy until 2:30PM.  What a bonanza!!   At the Summit on Hidden Peak, I stopped for a quick pit stop and got this shot of the roasting chickens getting golden brown for the lunch crowd.I bailed at 3:00PM. but the quality was still holding up and dry cold snow could still be found on the High North where the Sun can’t hit it.   Tomorrow, look for more Sun and breaking Spring conditions around the dail as the Sun hits them.  Mineral Basin will be going off first, so get those lines before they go away later in the morning.  The High North continues to hold the cold, and there are some smooth wind slab lines that are still making  you turn.  I will be looking for those surprise Grooming efforts that seem to pop up in time for the weekend crowd.  It is always fun to get those little treasures.  Thanks again to the Cat Crew of the great treatment on Dean’s Gully in Mineral Basin last week, that was epic indeed!!  That was one for the books this season.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

The Groomers were once again offering the goods once the softening had taken place, and that meant following the Sun to get the softening corduroy.  It took a while for the ball to start rolling, but tenderizing efforts got us a head start on all sides of the hill.  White Diamonds and Lower Silver Dipper were just right for the first Tram assault, but continued laps there reaped the softening that felt perfect during that short window.  It was going to take a while for the front of the hill to break, so there was no need to leave the back until the break started.  When the break did go off, there were more and more fresh lines of goodness that held up for most of the day.   Here is another shot of the lower apron of Old Reliable that gives some perspective anddepth of field.  Laps on Gad 2 were fun and fast, though the Zooks extravaganza would take the appropriate time to hit the sweet spot.  In my haste to hit it all, I got a bit ahead of the break and was dealt some rough riding out ahead of the softening.  Doh!!  Tomorrow, look for partly cloudy skies, more warm temps. and great Grooming efforts on all sides of the hill.  I expect continued tenderizing efforts on the main lines that give you the traction you need to steer clear of the High Shine.  Once again, patience will pay off as the lines will break in due time on all sides of the hill.  I got this great shot of Jean Claude and Carol Sureau, who come from my home area back East.  They know my Brother, who owns the Powers Gallery in Acton MA.  Art runs in the family and it was fun to make the connection with these folks.  We will have to see how the day breaks, but I am going with my tried and true game plan.  See The Line, BE The Line!!

The High Pressure zone has moved over the Front, leaving only the vestiges of the Northwest wind to keep the temps. from getting too warm too fast.  Mineral Basin was the place to start things out, with great Sun, steep drops of Hydro Velvet, and a very light traffic push for the first hour.  On the front of the hill, the Groomers were offering great lines as well, and the left over smooth on the Peruvian Trifecta was keeping me busy working those smooth lines before they got worked.  The day did warm up, but the pack was slow to really respond to the warmth.  At 3:00PM. the lower elevations became a bit sticky, but up until that quick shift it had that sorbet thing going, which let me get that deep interaction with the fall line.  Here is a shot of Old Reliable that illustrates the wind work that happened during last week.  Below this shot lies Mark Malu, which was offering dry chalky goodness that was fun and fast.  The Gadzooks trifecta was also prepared, and The Morning Crew got a few laps on that extravaganza all before breakfast and after the Mineral Basin charge.  It is amazing how much vertical you can pack in with no waiting and few folks on the hill.  Tomorrow, look for more great Spring conditions to continue and temps. to be even warmer than today.   Look for those Mineral Basin lines in the AM. for those uncrowded, ground pounding runs that make that area a favorite place to throw down.  The front of the hill is still offering smooth lines, and I expect more interesting carpets to appear where least expected.  Keep your eyes open for the surprise treats.  Be sure to follow the Sun as the different aspects break in the order they will.  IBBY!!

The sky was picture perfect Blue today, but those Northwest winds were still a bit brisk, keeping the day from warming up too fast.  Great Grooming had been done on all sides of the hill, but it was wise to let those West facing aspects thaw out a bit.   The Peruvian Trifecta of Upper, Middle, and Lower Primrose path had been prepared to a fine finish that was dusted over with wind transported snow.   Over on Gad 2, the Zooks Trifecta of Upper Middle and Lower Sections all being buffed and were offering smooth, dry, chalky goodness run after run.   Here is a shot of Upper Lone Star that had been prepared right from the top of the ridge line.  What a long steep treat that was, and with it facing due East it was softening up quickly in the Sun.   The High North aspects are still holding the cold dry chalk, but the rumble and interference patterns are building up.  The day warmed up, but I still was wearing my hat to keep my head warm as there was still a subtle nip in the wind.  Regulator finally softened up and began to offer some of that Sorbet quality that comes with the freeze thaw.  I met Mike and Alexandra from Boston MA. on the Tram today.  They were here for the first time ever and were having a great day in the Sun with the snow exceeding their expectations.  It was fun riding the Tram up with them and sharing the stoke.   Tomorrow, look for more warm weather, but the morning temps. will still be brisk, however, it will warm up fast.  Mineral Basin will be offering the best lines for the opening bell, but the front side of the hill will come around again later in the morning.  Regulator should be breaking around Noon.  The High North is still holding the cold, and the Road To Provo is very nice for those early runs on the fresh carpet.  See you there for the rockin’ Spring conditions.  Speed Safely!!

We all sprung forward today making yet another Time Shift in the Fun Zone.  It seems that a lot of folks missed the memo, as there were very few showing up for the morning session. This was a the scene as I hit the locker room at the usual time adjusted moment.  It was mighty lonely getting ready for the day.    Up on the hill, there was a stout wind blowing over most of the hill, and I was woefully under dressed as I had anticipated a balmy opening bell.  I had to beat a hasty retreat back to the locker to dress up and get goggles.  The pack was quite crispy with the cold morning temps., so I stayed with the Groomers to assure the smoothest ride.  The lower mountain had not frozen solid, and the prepared lines had a soft velvet feel for the first few runs.  It was going to have to wait until Noon for the pack to really begin to soften, after which there were some very nice sorbet lines that felt delightful under foot.  There were some clouds hugging the high peaks, so there were some interesting lighting effects.  Here is a shot of the Valley well lit with Sun, while the hill had fast moving clouds moving across out of the Northwest.  Regulator took some time to soften, but it was delightful when it hit the stride.  The Lower Chips Face and Lower Lower had been nicely prepared and had wind blown dust covering the corduroy, making those drops the place to find the steep, dry, chalky, ride that I crave.  The hill did soften later in the day, but it did not get gooey and was still very nice when I called it at 3:00PM.   Tomorrow, look for another crispy morning, with cold early temps.  The Groomers will be offering the best ride, as the off trail is very stiff and difficult when frozen.  Sun is in the forecast, so we can look forward to a nice softening of the pack as the day warms up.  Regulator will be long in the softening, so plan accordingly.  IBBY!!