A couple of inches fell on the hill overnight, and with the cold temps. the snow making efforts were on full blast. The Cat Crew did a great job of preparing the dance floor for the faithful, providing a very dialable velvet nap. Traffic was very light for the morning session, back to back Trams were easy to make and there was plenty of room on the hill. Gad 2 was open again, offering only Election off the top of the chair. I kept the pace going on the Tram and did not get over there today. Here is a shot looking into Mineral Basin with the residual clouds making it seem like being in another dimension. After 11 AM. the traffic picked up and the runs got a bit tight, so I called it a day at Noon. Coverage remains excellent top to bottom and the snow making efforts continue unabated. Tomorrow, look for more great corduroy for the morning session, more Sunshine to light up the hill, and very light traffic top to bottom. With the guns turning out the product full blast, there are great lines of Gun Powder to be had, so keep a sharp eye out for the long silky lines of goodness. Looks like more weather is on tap for later in the week. In the mean time, take advantage of the full vertical extravaganza so you will be fully dialed when the goods get deep. See The Line, BE The line!!

A gentle storm moved into The Front during the late morning hours, delivering fresh flurries for the first time in quite a while. While it did not add up to much in the way of accumulation, it went a long way toward getting away from that High Pressure that was stalled over the West. The faithful were treated to the overnight efforts of the Snow making and Cat Crew team that provided a smooth buffed carpet to start out the day. Another treat was the first opening of Gad 2 for this season. That adds another set of options to keep the stoke going and the traffic spread out a bit more. Here is a great shot of Snoopy getting some of the fresh lines the other day and it was a good sign of things to come. Tomorrow, look for smooth carpets to be great for those laid over turns that the corduroy provides, some laps on the Gad 2 runs, and clearing skies. I will be dressing for a cold morning and I don’t think I will be sliding with the top down for a while now. There seems to be hints of more weather during the week. See you there for the first Tram and another day of fun on the hill. IBBY!!

Another smooth cruising morning was on tap, as the temps were cold, fresh Gun Powder was covering the dance floor and there was very light traffic on the hill. There were clouds to the North, but the day remained sunny and bright. A storm front is predicted to move into the Front tomorrow and Sunday, so we can hope for some fresh cover. Coverage remains excellent on the prepared lines, and the mat remained smooth all day long even with the traffic. I stopped into the Summit on Hidden Peak to enjoy the space when it is quiet. Here is a shot of the Twins framed in the large atrium. Folks often ask me where they can get the Pizza that I post from time to time. The Summit has Pizza that will get you as close as what I post, with an amazing pizza oven and fresh ingredients. Here is a shot of one of the pies that had just come out of the oven. The Crew at The Summit work hard to make the dining experience on the peak a special time. Tomorrow, look for snow and weather to be the big feature of the day. There should be a fair bit of traffic, but the pack is standing up nicely. With the new Essence, it should provide a much softer ride as it builds up. I will be taking the day off tomorrow, to get things done after a really fun week of top to bottom laps. Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!

A light dusting was delivered overnight, which covered the dance floor and was in addition to the Gun Powder that was being pumped out in the cold morning air. I dressed light again today, but it was much colder, and I was right on the edge. With the guns blazing top to bottom, I had to go and get my goggles after the second run as the wash was coming down with vigor and sun glasses just did not cut it. It was a treat to have the extra traction on the hill, and I was able to dial in some smooth turns in the velvet sections that were stretched long under the guns. Traffic was very light and the hill had that private resort feel to it once again. One tram had less than a dozen of the faithful on board, with the hardy folks ready for the coming runs. Here is a shot looking Southeast from the peak toward Provo Peak. The inversion has it’s beautiful characteristics, you just have to appreciate the elements that have been happening for Aeons. Tomorrow, look for more fresh Gun Powder to be offered for the early risers. Temps. should be cold enough to make it. Snow making efforts continued all day long today and I expect efforts to continue tomorrow as well. As I found out today, goggles are not required, but they sure help going through the wash. The new man made snow was very consistent and was not in the least sticky or grabby. Be sure to dial in some deep arcs in the dry confection when you see it. See you there for the early morning fun runs. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

I broke out of the Valley fog just beyond the La Caille turn off, as if I was climbing out after take off. It was wild looking over the cloud tops as the morning Sun was coming up and the sky was clear and blue. There were high clouds to the North that were working into the area. The first hint of change was in the air, and the Valley inversion layer began to creep up the canyon. The High Clouds began to filter the Sun a bit, making the light flat from time to time. The hill had been reworked top to bottom, offering a nice consistent corduroy ride, with plenty of traction to keep things real. Traffic was very light and it felt like a private resort all morning long. Even though it was a bit warmer this morning, the lack of bright Sun made the temps. feel a bit cooler. Here is a shot of one of the fresh flowers that were gracing the tables in the Forklift this morning. Tomorrow, look for more good cruising top to bottom. The coverage remains good on the prepared runs, and the corduroy is smooth and predictable all over. There is just a hint of glaze on the steep breakover on Regulator, so expect a bit of glide on that one spot. Light traffic also means, mega vertical,as there is no waiting for the lifts. I have been getting a lot of laps in, which will pay off when the deep stuff hits. And….. it WILL come!! Speed safely!!

A fresh till of the open runs was a treat to greet the day. This made the consistency of the still firm conditions much more predictable and there was ample traction to keep the turns where you needed them to be. I was still working the averages, using all the elements on the surface to keep it tight. As the Sun came up over the ridge, it was much easier to see the corduroy dust accumulations. Traffic was light, and there was plenty of room to get what you needed out of each turn. As the nap got worked over, the good traction could be found on each side of the prepared lines. I found some delightful turns down the sides that were worth dialing back a tad to extract as much juice as possible from the dry dust. Coverage remains excellent on the prepared lines, and I still have not seen any rocks in the road yet. Tomorrow, look for another day of training runs. Consistency remains firm but workable. The early morning light is still quite flat, but the smooth surface mitigates that factor. Traffic will continue to be light, and you will find those early morning runs really wide open and fun top to bottom. It is great to have the full vertical to keep the stoke factor high. Last night was the first designer pizza tasting party of the season at Kazoodi’s secret spot. Mikey M was throwing down the pan pizzas all night long. You can get these at any of the Barone’s Pizza locations in LA. If you are in LA, be sure to find out how special these made to order treats really are. They are SOME GOOD!!! See for the first Tram extravaganza in the AM. IBBY!!

It was a great day to get more vertical, as the traffic was light,and there was plenty of room to stretch out on the upper section. Though snow making had ended for the daytime, there was residual dust to cover the dance floor. Again, it was extra primos firm but the super smooth surface of the man made let you dial in some control measures. The Right side of the Grooming on Regulator seemed favored all day, and got quite soft as the Sun played on it in the afternoon. It was really special to spend time on the peak today to just bask in being up there. Here is a great shot of TEAM RAY on the peak as they were ready to throw down on a top to bottom run. Today was perfect training snow. I got lots of vertical as there was no waiting all day. On another Tram, I came across Erin and Bonito taking their pictures on the peak with C. Baron Photography from Houston, TX. It was fun to get this beautiful shot in a beautiful place. They came all the way to Snowbird and Hidden Peak specifically for these pictures. Tomorrow, look for another nice day of training runs that will help develop the stamina. The firm surface is really good to A B turns when it is really good. When it gets good I feel like I will uncork it. Coverage on the main runs remains excellent, and I have not hit a rock yet anywhere. Traffic should be light again, so more vertical will be the order of the day. See you there for the first fast laps!! IBBY!!

The First Tram of the season left the dock on time this morning to the delight of The Faithful who were on hand for the opening bell. Temps. on the peak were warmer than the base, so I dressed lighter to take advantage of the occasion. Here is a shot I took from the peak on that first Tram looking down Canyon. There was quite a push to be first on Regulator, so I held back and let the first push thin out. Regulator was super primo firm top to bottom, with good coverage on the main section that had been prepared. The sides were thin, but there was plenty of cover with no rocks to be seen. There was a light residual dust from the snow guns that helped the traction, and as the the Sun came up it made it much easier to find the pockets of soft dust. I was holding on to a tight line along the right hand side of the prepared section and let the traffic flow by. I met The Wolfman on my third Tram. He was visiting from NYC. and was experiencing his first day ever at The Bird. He was stoked to be up on the peak and made short work of the upper section of the mountain. I am sure he had a great day and will be back when the pack fills out. Tomorrow, look for another day of training runs on the hill. Conditions will continue to be firm, and with the Sun so low in the sky, it helps to wait a bit to let the Sun come up over the ridge. Still, I will be going for first Boat to get a jump on the day and dial in as much vertical as possible. The Mountain Crew did a great job getting this going for us and it is a real treat to get the full drop of the hill. See you there for the morning session. Speed Safely!!

High pressure persists over the West and the inversion has set up in the valley. While the Valley remains quite cold, the upper elevations have been warming up with the rising Sun. It was another day of training runs on the hill, with carpets of nice grooming on the main run. Those early runs were good to go with fresh nap to dial in the turns. Here is a shot looking up at the Regulator Narrows that had been machine worked in advance of the opening of the upper mountain tomorrow. Tomorrow, look for the promised opening of the Tram to the Faithful for the first time this season. It will be Regulator only, which will be a great addition to the available terrain. I saw an early morning shot of the upper mountain posted on FB today, and it looks well covered on the prepared areas on the hill. It will also be nice to have the full 3K for those top to bottom laps to help get in shape for the big dumps, which you know are coming. See you there for the first Boat and some smooth cruisin’ on the velvet carpets. IBBY!!

Though it was a bit warmer this morning, I dressed for the cold and was glad I did. The air was still and lacking that stout North wind that made yesterday so much colder, but there was still a full Winter feel to the morning air. The corduroy was excellent, however the snow making efforts were trained off the main run, so there was no Gun Powder. Still, the traction was excellent and layin’ it down like Ligety was good to go. With the Lunch Run now open, an added section of smooth was a treat. Here is a shot of the fresh lines that are covering Boundary Bowl to give a first look at what is to come. Traffic was very light all morning long and it was fun to stretch out and let ’em run a bit more with the run wide open. Since I have been spending so much time at Zoom, I took this shot of Creekside, which has been updated and expanded. There is a lot of great additions to the facility and it is fun to see it coming of age. Tomorrow, look for more great sliding on the hill with fresh corduroy to dial in your arcs. I think the snow making will be happening, but we’ll have to see how much Gun Powder is deposited. Keep an eye out for the long smooth lines. The Bird is projecting a Sunday opening of The Tram and Regulator Johnson for top to bottom sliding. They have been working hard on getting the top of the mountain ready for the opening. It will be great to get the full 3K vert. to help with the early season training runs. I am taking the day off tomorrow, to get the details taken care of, so I’ll see you Sunday. I will post tomorrow, with reports from the Faithful who keep me up to date when I am off the hill. “…. explode into space!!”