Archive for February, 2018

PERFECT DUSTING

2-28-18

A perfect dusting of gossamer covered the hill with a moisture content that was too light to be measured. I am thinking in the 3% range. Here is a shot of a protected area with the flakes glistening in the still air. Out in Mineral Basin, the Sun was out and the Morning Crew began working the untracked smoothness on the Lewis and Clark exploration. You could do no wrong on those deep pile shagg rugs of goodness. On the front of the hill, clouds were moving in and out, and the goodness there was perfect as well. We covered the entire mountain all before the breakfast break to get as much of the dust covered lines before it got tracked out. Here is a shot of the Morning Crew at The Landing with the East Twin in the background. A long awaited opening of The Exotic Trees made for an extra special treat. It has been closed for the entire season and it is great to have it open for sampling. Here is a shot of Brian Beck getting all of it on the apron. It was a great day all the way around, and everyone was stoked for the perfect conditions. Here is a shot of The Hughes family, who are avid readers of the site and were getting recharged for the afternoon session at The Summit It was so much fun to meet them and share the excitement of the day. Tomorrow, look for the next cycle to begin moving in for the next few days. Visibility could be an issue, so stay close to the trees for reference. The Groomers will be offering excellent consistency that can be relied on for full commitment in the turns. The wind will be blowing out ahead of the storm, so look for wind buffed lines. The smoothing of recent days has held up and should still be good and getting better as the wind continues to massage the hill. See you there for the start of the next big installment. Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

WIND CONSOLIDATION

2-27-18

The big winds of the past couple of days have consolidated the snow into more of a cushion as it gets piled and smoothed. The High North is offering supportable slab that feels like the Cosmic Groomer had a hand in it. Some of the aspects were a tad punchable, where there was not enough punch to set it up. In those spots, long deliberate turns mitigated the variations, but you had to keep it tight to the fall line. The Groomers were fantastic, with some wind transported dust adding to the sweetness of every turn. The Morning Crew came out strong for the Lewis and Clark assault. Here is a shot of the Crew ready to rock the vacant carpets. As the day progressed, I went looking for smooth lines, and I found the wind had smoothed some of the lines that were rumble yesterday. The traverses are still holding up, but there are spots that require care and a fine line to avoid some of the gnar. The old crusty layer, while still in play, is muted by the new wind worked cover, making the overall feel much softer with not as much deflection. Here is a shot of Team Extreme, who are avid readers of the site and were celebrating Fearless Leader’s completion of another lap around Old Sol. What a great way to start the next Cosmic Arc. Tomorrow, look for a very nice day with wind out of the North. Look for those wind smoothed lines, which can be found on all sides of the hill. It is fun to go out looking and trying out hunches. Sometimes they pay off, other times they will be quite interesting. The Groomers will be offering amazing carpets of goodness, so you can explore your inner Ligety!! Full traction is guaranteed with each turn when it gets this good. Speed Safely!!

TRANSPORT MAGIC

2-26-18

The wind was pumping hard out of the Soutwest, which was working some transport magic on the High North aspects and all low lying areas. There was light traffic for the morning session, and plenty of vertical was up for grabs. The Groomers were offering amazing Hydro Velvet that felt sweet and plush underfoot. That section of Middle Primrose Path has now been prepared after this recent storm cycle. I have been waiting all season for this line to be added to the mix and it did not disappoint. On the West side of the hill, the wind was scouring most of the high sections, but there were lines that were holding the transported snow in the low guts that were just becoming supportable, however, you had to be light to stay on top. While the day was overcast, the visibility was fairly good, with the blown bits of pine bows leaving good reference on the carpets. Here is a shot of The Blues Brothers joined by Cali Girl, who were charging up at The Summit. I had stopped in to enjoy the weather tumult going on outside while I rested in the quiet warmth of the Peak. Tomorrow, look for improved wind buffed lines as the wind continues to massage the hill. The High North will still be favored and well worth the first shots of the day. Dress for the cold as the wind is very cutting and makes it feel much colder than it is. The interference patterns are still holding up, but are being mitigated on the High North aspects as they get filled slowly. That low amplitude rumble is being muted a bit as the loose snow becomes more consolidated. Watch the traverses as you proceed as the wind changes things on those approaches quickly. You can expect excellent Hydro Velvet lines on all sides of the hill, with a dusting of transported confection on the surfaces. MMMMMMM Gooood! See you dark and early. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

ULTRA LIGHT

2-25-18

A beautiful installment of ultra light Essence fell on the hill overnight, and The Faithful were on hand early and waiting for the opening bell. The air was very cold with a stout wind blowing and solid overcast to start out the day, which gave way to a blue bird afternoon. With the ultra light quality, the bottom layer was in play top to bottom, with only the lowest angle aspects feeling a bit more floaty. The interference patterns and low amplitude rumble was tricky to negotiate as the new snow covered the features and made the variations very tough to see in the variable visibility. Mineral Basin was delayed opening, but when the rope dropped The Faithful were living large in full effect, as those lines back there were much smoother. Due to the marginal visibility, I offer this shot of one of the wind waves that had me caught inside and paddling for the shoulder. Tomorrow, look for continued unsettled weather, with stout wind, cold temps. and light snow. Visibility could be marginal, so stick with the trees for detail and reference. With the stout winds, be looking for wind transported areas to be offering smoothing lines. The consistency of the pack may be becoming a bit more consolidated, so there may be some cushion to mitigate some of the rumble that is widespread. Dress for cold, as today required an extra layer to keep things toasty. I will be out and about looking at different aspects for the smoothest lines. The Groomers ought to be amazing, as the new product will make for stellar tilling material. Lewis and Clark will be calling first thing, and I expect some of the best quality of the season. See you for the morning goods. IBBY!!

LIGHT DUSTING

2-24-18

There was just a light dusting on the hill overnight and cold temps. continued to keep the snow nicely refrigerated. The Groomers were offering the best smooth carpets in the marginal visibility and the off trail is still holding that high frequency rumble from all the traffic of last week. The high traffic areas are still holding the high amplitude interference patterns as the wind has not yet filled them in. Here is a fun shot of His Jeffness taking it real easy on one of the very sparse Trams a couple of weeks ago. I have been holding on to this one for just such an occasion as this when I don’t have a fresh shot to post, but it is as real as it gets. Good times. Tomorrow, look for a liberal installment of Essence to have been delivered overnight. I expect it will have the ultra righteous Utah Light quality, as it is still quite cold and that is best for the goods. There will be strong pressure for this installment so plan accordingly. Depending on the moisture content, I expect the bottom to still be in play, so look for the low angle aspects to offer the same bottomless feel we had Friday on those Lewis and Clark laps. The chair option has been paying off in recent days with all the pressure on the Tram, and The Morning Crew has scored some very quick access and excellent lines by working the peripheral edges. Be sure to dress for the cold and expect a storm day as flurries are predicted throughout the day. See you there for the first boat. Watch your six!!

SLEEPER POWDAY

2-23-18

Today was a sleeper powday, as the report did not indicate that much accumulation, so the Faithful did not make a push, leaving the goods to the folks that were on hand for the festivities. Temps. were cold, and the visibility was marginal, but there was a beautiful coating of light Essence that made the morning session something special. Mineral Basin seemed to hold the deepest deposits with the Lewis and Clark sojourn offering low angle, bottomless goodness with absolutely no traffic. We had to lap that area numerous times to take advantage of the untracked lines with zero pressure. I love these type of Powder days, where the goodness is easy and plentiful all day. Here is a shot of Team Concord MA., who were just rolling into the first day of their stay, and were getting the low down on the best approach to the day. It is fun to meet folks from my home town area. Tomorrow, look for more freshness to be on tap with some areas still waiting in the wings after being closed all day. Flurries might be hanging out for the AM. session, but it should be a fairly nice day though the temps. will still be very cold. Be sure to dress for the cold and watch for frost nip. The old crusty layer is still in play, however, it has been mitigated by the additional accumulation. Here is a shot of The Star Cruiser covered with goodness as I left for the day. I will be taking the day off as usual tomorrow, but I will be reporting with intel from my inside sources. Stay Frosty!!

TRICKY VISIBILITY

2-22-18

Visibility was tricky this morning as a very cold cloud hung over the peak making the chill factor very biting. Mineral Basin was offering the best visibility, though the details were very hard to discern. The Groomer’s consistency made the variability much more predictable as you could trust the smooth. The dry chalky feel was like a carpet underfoot, and solid traction could be counted on for those laid over moments. On the front of the hill, the trees were offering the best reflected light, which made the details easier to see. Light traffic on the Tram made for easy back to back laps, and there was plenty of room to keep the pace fun and fast. Here is a shot of my friend Robert and his son Gage working the chairlift option yesterday. They got it all top to bottom. Tomorrow, look for some accumulation overnight and continued very cold temps.. The Groomers will be offering the best smooth lines in the variable visibility. The off trail is still holding that low amplitude rumble overall, but there may be some wind smooth lines beginning to show. It will take a bit of looking around to find them. Dress for cold again, and any extra layers you have will help keep you in the comfort zone. I dressed for it this morning, but I could have used an additional layer just to make it toasty. I stopped in at The Summit again today and got this interesting shot of the ceiling fans in the main room refracted by the glass on the second floor. It has that labyrinthian feel to it that makes it seem like a room full of mirrors. See you there for the fresh cover and fast laps. Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

CLEAR & COLD

2-21-18

It was a clear cold morning, with peak temps. in the very low range, however, the still air and bright Sun made Mineral Basin feel quite balmy. Amazing grooming had been prepared, and some laps on a Lewis and Clark sojourn were rewarded with perfect Hydro Velvet that let you explore your inner Ligety. The off trail was a bit wind affected, and required a very direct approach. On the front side of the hill, the temps. seemed much colder in the shade, and the snow seemed slow with the cold, but the dry chalky feel of the corduroy kept me working those lines till breakfast. The Road to Provo opened with a wide range of conditions depending on what aspect you chose. It seemed the High North and far reaches had the best quality, though the stiff harbor chop on the lower section kept your full attention. I was still working some of those lines that I have been working the last couple of days and got good soft spots. Here is Team Awesome, who were recharging on the peak at The Summit. They are all avid readers of the site and were really loving the clear skies, unlimited visibility, and great snow. Tomorrow, look for more amazing machine worked runs on all sides of the hill. There may be some overcast as some flurries are in the forecast. Dress for cold again, as the temps. are going to be quite brisk with this Northwest flow. The off trail still has widespread rumble, but a long round line helps mitigate some of the static. While up at The Summit, I stopped and took this shot of the staircase that ascends out over the expanse of Mineral Basin. I love the lines and amazing wood work that makes this such a cool feature. See you for the morning shredfest. Dial it up, Dial it in!!

ADDED FRESHNESS

2-20-18

A lighter density Essence covered the well worked hill with coating that was fun and fresh. After yesterday’s heavy traffic, the larger areas had developed significant harbor chop, which made the ride a bit rasty, though the new snow did give it a bit of a cushion. Visibility was marginal and the temps were very cold with wind driving the wind chill into the frostbite zone. Here is a shot of a ‘stash that illustrates the explosive nature of today’s offerings. I have to give this guy props for a formidable mustashe. I was sticking with the lines I left last week that had still smooth surfaces and found pay dirt. Traffic was surprisingly light, with walk on Trams a feature after the crowd got pushed up the hill. The bottom was fully in play, and it payed to keep it tight to deal with the unseen crusty variations, as that old layer was peeking through. Here is a shot of the Morning Crew as we compared notes on the morning’s offerings. Out in Mineral Basin, the overnight wind worked the pack, leaving some areas of variability that were challenging. I opted to stay with the front of the hill to take advantage of the trees for reference points. Here is a shot across the Canyon as a quick opening in the clouds appeared. Tomorrow, look for another cold morning with some flurries continuing, so expect some visibility issues. The Groomers will be offering the best smooth lines and there may be some additional openings of areas that are still waiting… Maybe. The traverses are improving quite a bit, so excursions will be much more inviting. There are still hidden features despite the new product, so stay with the fat lines and avoid those high spots. As a parting shot, here is Team Jacobson, who were winding up a great stay and got it all. They are avid readers of the site and I am glad the got some of the best of the year! See you there for more snow sliding goodness. Straight Ahead!

SERIOUS DUMPAGE

2-19-18

Serious dumpage occured overnight, delivering a mother lode of Essence for the holiday. Here at The Trailer, there was 10” of fairly high density snow, and higher up on the bench Tramrat logged 20” at his house. Here is a shot of the back porch he sent me this morning. The Canyon was closed early and the Faithful were in line and backed up ready to get up the hill, however, there were some issues with the road shortly after it opened and it closed again. For those who did get up there it was a powder country club feel with deep, blower, all time powder to fully experience. I stayed down here at The Trailer while I waited for a opening which never came. Rave reviews were coming off the hill via Facebood, that gave a full view of how epic it was there today. Tomorrow, look for more accumulation to have fallen overnight, so check the road report for access. Still, traffic should be big for the new installment. Temps. are predicted to be very cold so dress for the weather and expect continued flurries in the AM. There are areas that did not open today waiting in the wings, so there is still plenty of goodness to get if you, like me, missed out on today’s festivities. See you there for the powder extravaganza that is sure to please. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!