The Sun was shining during a short window which preceded a storm front that was moving fast out of the West.  Mineral Basin was offering the best of the morning, with freshly tilled lines that were easy to dial in with the soft snow from yesterday.  Fast laps got the most of the short window before the light went flat and the crowd showed up.  Here is a shot of Coal Pit with theWall Of Voodoo moving fast and black across the Valley.  The off trail was very tricky, but there were some lines left on some of the more remote aspects that take a bit of searching to find. Robert sent this tantalizing shot from the Tower 2 area.  It is nice to know you can do some exploring and find the gems that slip through the cracks.  Weather moved in around 10:30AM. with some very heavy precipitation that began to pile up quickly, providing traction on some of those front side slick spots that would not break with the dropping temps.  The initial impulse moved out around 1:00PM. with some quick clearing, but more precipitation was just upstream as the system filled in.  Tomorrow, look for lingering flurries to still be in the mix, with variable visibility for the morning session.  There will be some more accumulation, as there are showers pelting The Trailer as I write this.  Look for the Groomers to offer the smooth lines on all sides of the hill, and the added product should add to the smooth feeling. Still, be wary of the off trail as it was particularly difficult today with the exception of some of those remote lines.  Maxi and JP were stoked to be on First Tram and the goods that were waiting in the back.  I have known JP as long as I have been here and he and his family come each year at this time.  I have watched Maxi grow up and makes me wonder were all the time went and how did he grow up so fast.  Yikes!!  As a final note, Tricarvatops has taken up the lair of TrechZilla who had been kidnapped in the last month.  It is nice to know that the family takes care of it’s own, and the Spirit of The Carvasaurus Rex lives on in Mineral Basin.  Thanks to Neil for getting this difficult shot.  Peace OUT!

Yesterday evening, and for most of the night, the rain pelted The Trailer with a continual insistence.  That signaled the arrival of a fresh installment of Spring Frosting to greet the expectant Faithful who showed up on time and ready to play.  There was 6 or so inches of very high density frosting that felt delightful on the upper elevations.  On the lower elevations there was a much thicker consistency that was feeling smooth and predictable, however, it had that slow motion feeling that made each turn stand out in detail.  Mineral Basin opened after a short delay which offered top to bottom cover that seemed much heavier than the front of the hill.  Gad 2 was offering some great lines that were being ignored by the Faithful who were concentrating on the Tram.  Here is a great shot taken by Neil of Upper Zooks when he followed his instincts and headed straight to Gad 2 to avoid the push for the Tram.  He scored big time with numerous runs with no traffic and no pressure. That Gad 2 option has paid dividends many times this year on a crowed morning. After 11:00AM., the snow began to morph into some serious mank on the lower elevations, so I bagged it to save my knees from the torque factor.  Tomorrow, look for more clouds and some precipitation to be in the mix.  Freshly Groomed lines will be offered on all sides of the hill, and with the new soft snow you will not have to wait for the freeze to break. Coverage remains excellent and the traverses are holding up in fine shape.  The off trail will probably be a bit testy with so much moisture content in the snow, so expect some serious rumble. Temps. should be moderate, so I will not be dressing too heavily.  Speed Safely!!

Clouds were covering the Sun, but a short period of sunshine persuaded me to go with sunglasses instead of goggles.  Well, that was wrong, as there was snow falling on the peak and a light rain falling on the lower elevations.  That sunshine window was a total psych out.  Here is a shot of that sunshine window as it move off down the range.  The clouds were doing some amazing things as a system is moving in and it is raining hard here at The Trailer as I write this.  There was no freeze overnight, so the prepared lines were fantastic with real corn goodness top to bottom.  In places, the corn was a few inches deep and had an easy release out of each turn.  Later, the ambient warmth caused the pack to become quite sticky and it was wise to stay up high.  By 11:00AM., the off trail was softening up enough to make any line you chose good to go.  It was fun checking out some of the lines I have been avoiding. The interference patterns have moderated with the slow melt and lack of traffic, making it much easier to choose smooth lines.  The temps. are falling up on the hill, so I expect to see some accumulation with this impulse as it settles in through tomorrow.  We will have to wait and see how it shakes out for the morning session. I will be looking for the lines that I have dialed in for smoothness.  If we get much in the way of a freeze, the underlying pack will be a bit interesting, but with enough density in the new snow, it will cushion the variations.  Speed Safely!!

A large corn window opened early this morning as there was a freeze, but not a deep freeze.  The tenderized lines were offering deep granular corn goodness that was exquisite, with each turn feeling smooth and silky.  Out in Mineral Basin, the light was a bit flat with that high cloud deck that obscured the Sun, but the big open lines were smokin’.  Lone Star had a fresh buff and that line felt back country good, and a few fast laps there were in order.  Here is a shot of the Morning Crew hitting the front side with a stop at Old Yeller, where we were trying to decide which   of the front side options to pursue.  We chose the Gad 2 – Bassakward – buffed line that worked it’s way down to the bottom of the hill.  It offered amazing granular corn goodness as well.  On the Peruvian side of the hill, Anderson’s Hill and Lower Primrose Path was the go to line that had soft perfect corn top to bottom.  You have to get as much of the perfect as there is, as it was not going to last long with the warm ambient temps.  Here is a shot of Team Shred, who was going lap to lap with us, and were keeping a very brisk pace.  Tomorrow, look for a windy pre storm day as the approaching cold front is taking it’s time moving in from the West.  The forecast has a lot of moisture predicted for this installment, however, it is uncertain if the cold will get here in time to have it snow on the hill as the precipitation begins.  I am betting on a very nice snow event.  It is always great to have fresh snow, but this corn window has been a real treat.  Traffic should be very light and big vertical will be easy to max out.  Stay Frosty!!

High clouds burned off as the Sun rose in the sky this morning.  Mineral basin had been primed with wide open Groomed lines that were ready to go with opening bell.  With no one on the hill for the first hour, it left the lines vacant and fast fast fast.  Lone Star had been given a fresh till, with that steep lower section offering that sorbet feel on the very first run.  Later, as the day warmed up, the sorbet window opened and lasted well into the afternoon.   With the repeated freeze thaw cycle we have had of late, the snow has matured into real Corn goodness, where the granularity keeps the pack from getting that sticky feel on the lowest sections.  The Easter Bunny visited the locker room in the early pre Tram hour.  Here is a shot of Wynonna getting a hug.Later in the day, the off trail began to break, making some of those more adventurous lines  well worth the traverse to access.  Here is a shot of a very well executed figure 8 pattern.  Some might see some serious subtext in this symbol, so I will leave it to you to seek the Gnosis that is evident here.  On the front of the hill, Anderson’s Hill and Lower Primrose Path were offering the sweet, smooth, steep lines that felt big mountain smooth,, making me think about all those back country lines that have just the right feel but one has to really work to get there.  This brand new Cat was parked on the Peak this morning with the West Twin framed in the back ground. This is the new generation of  Industrial Smoothers that make those buffed lines so compelling.  There has been a marked improvement in the consistency of the Groomed lines this year, where the seams are perfectly blended and there is no cross chop.  A Stunning job this crew does daily, and I so look forward to what I will find each day.  Tomorrow, look for some clouds to obscure the Sun, but the Groomers will offer the consistency that you can trust in the flat light. Look for the big lines to be tilled, and also keep an eye out for some new additions, as they have been slipped into the mix quietly.  Off trail could be rough again so check it out first. IBBY!!

It was a tad brisk here at the Trailer this morning, so up on the hill the softening was going to take a while.  That feature would make the day last longer before the quality of the lower mountain went South.  The usual Spring attack pattern, which begins with the fast laps in Mineral Basin is the best bet for the opening bell. The Cat Crew has been doing a stellar job of keeping the steep smooth lines fun and fast. Yesterday, as the Morning Crew was suiting up, The Bliss Brothers made an early morning appearance.  They always bring the stoke and were ready for big day on the hill.  Tomorrow, look for another great day of Spring conditions, with those Mineral Basin Groomers offering the go to lines to get the day started out right with the ground pounding vertical that the Sun softened corduroy offers.  The front of the hill will be offering the goods as well, but give Regulator and those mid elevation sections a bit of time to soften.  The hill is still in great shape wall to wall, but the off trail has set up pretty much on all aspects.  As softening occurs, the off trail will begin offering lines that will be negotiable, but be sure to test out the pack before a commitment to the line.   See you there for the morning fun and holiday festivities.  Dial it up, Dial it in!!

I did not dress for cold this morning, but I most certainly should have.  Never the less I toughed it out, working the Mineral Basin lines that had been nicely prepared and were very consistent.  The light was flat with the high overcast, but there were plenty of details to keep the reference points easy to read.  On the front of the hill, tenderized lines were provided to get around the very firm sections that seemed to affect just the middle elevations.  The lower elevations were firm, but had plenty of traction to make any turn come off without too much slippage.  Lower Silver Fox and Lower Primrose Path both had fresh tills going, and it was great to be able to toggle between both pitches with each lap.  With the cold temps., the pack was very slow to soften up much, but by Noon there was full on corn feel as the granular consistency made turns fun and easy.  Here is a shot taken by Neil of a waterfall in the lower Canyon getting blown back up hill by the nuking wind late yesterday afternoon.  I have never seen this happen, so this is a very rare shot.  Tomorrow, look for more great Grooming on all sides of the hill.  The Sun should be out in force as this impulse moves East.  Temps. are predicted to still be cold, so dress for the weather and don’t make the same mistake I made this morning. Softening will be quite slow to happen, so choose those tenderized lines to get the best traction.  The off trail is very stiff and difficult, but I bet they put a fresh buff on the Peruvian Trifecta to complement the nice treatment today.  Thanks so much to the Cat Crew for keeping it fun and fast.  FLASH!!!!  TrenchZilla,  Mineral Basin’s resident Carvesaurus Rex, has been taken from his lair by some dastardly agent.  This has caused much distress to the Faithful who have been given so much stoke by his presence.  Please return our mascot to his lair.  Karma is a bitch. IBBY!!!

The Sun was shining, a light wind was blowing, and the temp. on the peak was very balmy to start the Morning Session.  Junior Bounous was on the First Tram and I stopped and got thisshot of THE MASTER standing on top of the world. He has been my roll model since I first arrived here and he is here working the carpets just like he always has.  Mineral Basin had been prepared, and the warm temps. left the dance floor smooth and arcable, with just a hint of blown in dust for the first couple of runs.  Light traffic made the lines wide open and dialable, which kept the pace moving.  On the front of the hill, there were a couple of aspects that needed some time to soften, but there had been tenderizing efforts that made traction easy and predictable.  Lower Primrose Path offered that steep relentless section that made every turn count, as the granular shaved off under the edge.  It was a great feeling and I had to pound out a couple of those before breakfast.  Here is shot of Dan The Man, Buzzy Skigrin, and Tramrat ready to sample the first untracked corduroy lines on a stellar Lewis and Clark sojourn. It did not take long for the back bowl to get too soft, and moving to the front of the hill found the more firm lines softening just in time for the sorbet window to open.  Those turns were just as good as it gets.  It is just another kind of perfect, and one can dial in some articulation that is difficult to ascertain under normal conditions.  Perfect is perfect.    Tomorrow, looks like a weather day, with colder temps., overcast skies, and some precipitation to add some interest to the hill.  Visibility could be variable, we will just have to wait and see.  I will be dressing for cold, but I was driving with the top down all day today and I was lovin’ it. In closing, here is a shot of The Summit at Hidden Peak taken from the boarder land with my long lens.  I love having a place like this to enjoy quality time on the Peak.  We all used to bail in high weather conditions. Now, we can stop, get a cup of chocolate and enjoy the moment.  Stay Frosty!!

This morning offered some real corduroy madness with amazingly buffed lines prepared on all sides of the hill.  Mineral Basin was going off first and, with the bright morning Sun, was not going to hold up very long.  Lone Star, among other delights, was offering the dry chalk for the first couple runs before morphing into the sorbet zone when the temps. hit the sweet spot.  On the front of the hill, Lower Primrose Path and Lower Lower had been given a fresh till, and the corduroy madness was in full effect on that line as well.   Over on Gad 2, sections of Gadzooks had been buffed smooth and they were amazing as well for the morning session .  Here is a shot of the Middle Gadzooks fall line. Check out that smooth steep carpet.  Good stuff.  It was a picture post card beautiful day without a cloud in the sky, and the Sun was really dishing out the Vitamin D.  I am sure I got a healthy dose while working the chairs.  Here is a shot of Baldy Bowl looking fat with all the high lines filled up.  The hill is just as fat wall to wall and the High North is still offering the last bit of dry soft snow for the adventurous.  By 1:30PM. the lower elevations were getting sticky and it was best to stay up high and work those High North lines and chairs. Tomorrow, look for another sunny day with some South winds developing ahead of a system that is moving in later in the week.  Mineral will be offering the Sun, but I suspect the front of the hill will be good from the word Go for the back to back vert. program.  Watch those South, East, and West off trail areas until softening really happens, as those aspects were really difficult when I drove off the road to check it out.  When I was leaving the hill, Miss Kelly was just getting ready to head up for some time in the Slushie Zone.  I enjoy her enthusiasm for fun in the Sun.  The vibe on the Plaza is infectious. IBBY!!

There was morning Sun shining on the hill, but there was a very thin cloud bank screening the full intensity of the rays, which helped keep the product preserved longer.  Mineral Basin was offering excellent Hydro Velvet lines that were smooth consistent and fast.  Here is a shot of the Roy up close and personal, with some nice shadow contrast.  There was high stoke for the day on the First Tram with the Morning Crew dialed in for the session.  We met Team Jackson from South Carolina, who were scoping out the lines on the way up.  Tramrat was doing the play by play for these two chargers who could not wait to get to the goods.  We saw them later from the Chair and they were just killing it.  Looking sharp guys!!On the the front of the hill, the Groomers were offering top to bottom smooth with none of those firmness issues we saw last week.  The deep Exotic Trees opened up today and the Morning Crew were the first out the Traverse.  There were varying levels of quality, with the upper elevations offering cold dry Essence, which quickly morphed  into a nasty Zipper Crust on the flats. This is a shot of the lower apron just before the morphed section.  Those are my turns on the left.  On the lower pitch we were able to find some exquisite powder in the deep North facing trees that was as good as it gets.  Tomorrow, look for another sunny morning with great lines offered by the Grooming Crew.  The off trail is very finicky right now, with the South and East faces having absorbed a lot of heat with direct rays of the Sun.  The High North is the last vestige of soft dry chalk off trail, so look there for the best bet for exploration.  The Exotic Trees are gone by now and will be very difficult.  Be there for the morning shred fest and wide open lines.  See The Line, BE The Line!!