Archive for February, 2022

BLUE SKY

2-28-22

The morning was beautiful and calm as the Tram hit the peak. The Groomers were offering the best corduroy on all sides of the hill, with some extra tilling given to some of the lines lower on the hill. Traffic was lighter, but the folks where drawn to Mineral Basin where the Sun was. Staying ahead of the crowd was easy and the front side lifts were open and slide on open and fast. So great to have the warmer temps as my nose has taken a beating this past week.

The sky was super blue as this shot from Neil illustrates. The big open bowls were awesome and smooth.

Tomorrow, look for more fast and furious fun as the consistency will begin to improve as the prepared lines become worked over. Temps will be warm again, but those Sun facing aspects will be a tad crispy in the AM, so pay attention to your line choices for the best ride. Coverage remains excellent and traffic will be fairly light as well, but stay ahead of the crowd. See you there for the ground pounding fun that will be on tap for the day. Remain Standing!!

MUCH WARMER

2-27-22

The Sun was out and getting high in the sky, the temps were much warmer, and the Groomers were wide open, offering smooth velvety lines on all sides of the hill. White Diamonds and Lower Silver Dipper were amazing and felt chalky and dry for the morning session.

Perfect corduroy untracked and ready for some clean arcs!!

That bit of extra warmth really made the comfort level really sweet after all that very cold air last week. The hill got a bit crowded in the afternoon and some high clouds moved in and made the light go flat. Tomorrow, look for even more warming as the trend will be in play for a few days. Expect great lines all over the hill but begin to take into account the aspects as they may begin to be affected by the day’s Sun. I think traffic will be lighter, and the temps feeling nice once again. Straight Ahead!!

CLEAR&COLD

2-26-22

It was clear and cold this morning, with amazing Groomers on all sides of the hill. Having this new product to work with has done wonders as they work it into the mat. With the cold snow, the glide seemed a bit sticky. Mineral Basin was offering full on sunshine that made those wide open drops a magic carpet ride. Off trail there is still soft snow that has been preserved by the cold temps.

Mikey M getting leaving cold smoke out in the Exotic Trees!!

Tomorrow, look for another amazing day of wide open lines that let you feel the cold Winter velvet. Expect another cold morning, but it should warm up, but not too fast. I am going to dress double warm. See you there for the ground pounding fun. Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!

LIGHT INCH

2-25-22

An inch of super light Essence was added to the pack overnight and the cold air was still holding up. Visibility was marginal, with some light spots threatening to shine through, but did not really materialize. Traffic was heavy as folks were stoked to have some fresh lines going into the weekend. The pack is getting progressively softer with each additional installment, however, there is still a fair bit of the old layer still in the mix.

Cold temps, dense clouds and light accumulation have left these shrubberies flocked in frost.

The groomers were offering the most consistent ride after all this new snow gets worked into the mat. Static and rumble, with wide spread interference patterns are still the rule off trail, and close attention to the variations is warranted. Tomorrow, look for even colder temps as the storm clouds move on. Look for the prepared lines to be offering the smooth consistency to start the day. Off trail will still be good with increasing softness, but the substrate is still a factor. I’ll be taking the day off to rest up for the coming week.

Mikey M sent this great shot of Doc getting some nice untracked out in the Exotic Trees. Stay Frosty!!

GETTING SOFTER

2-24-22

With every extra installment of Essence, the hill has been getting softer. Last night’s addition of uber light Essence made for some delightful turns, soft dialable lines, which let you feel more comfortable with the consistency. There is a lot more control and cushion all over the hill. The wind was pumping out of the North, making the wind chill extra biting, and it was depositing the dust in some of the low areas. The Road To Provo opened and I got there just as they dropped the rope for the 5 people who were waiting for it. I scored this perfect line with just a hint of freshness covering the nap.

Perfect untracked corduroy that just does not get any better. What a delight!!!

There was an early push for the Tram, but Mineral Basin pulled the crowd back there, so the Tram line evaporated quickly. The Competition on Upper Silverfox was going on and there were amazing lines being put down with a lot of great skiing on display. Tomorrow, look for another cold morning with some overnight Essence that is coming down with a fast moving impulse that is on the door step. It should be super light and right up there with the best of the Utah Light. Dress for cold and expect some limited visibility in the AM. Clouds should move off in the afternoon. IBBY!!!

VARIABLE VISIBILITY

2-23-22

It was not snowing hard this morning, but the clouds were thick and there was variable visibility all over the hill. I stayed with the trees to keep the reference points close and used the reflected light for contrast and focus. The snow was very soft, however, overnight wind worked the product making the turns feel uncertain. I was using my best averaging turns to keep as much consistency going as possible.

The Summit at Hidden Peak offers wonderful comfort even in a raging storm.

The substrate was still fully in play, though there was some additional cushion with the overnight accumulation, but a deliberate approach payed dividends. Tomorrow, look for for a skiff to have fallen and some cold wind to be in the mix. The Groomers will be offering the best consistency and dialablity to keep the line going smoothly. The substrate will still be in play on the off trail lines, but look for some wind transported sections to be happening. Check the wind directions and look in the opposite aspects for the goods. The freshening accumulation is most welcome and improving the conditions quickly. Yabaganza!!!

SURPRISE SUN

2-22-22

The morning dawned bright and sunny which was not in the forecast. Those 4 or 5″ of fresh Essence was fully in play, however the bottom layer was certainly part of the mix. I was working the known smooth lines, and the untracked corduroy was fun, soft and dialable. Regulator was quite firm though there was plenty of soft snow to keep you dialed in. The crowd was moving quickly and it was easy to stay ahead of the push. Clouds moved back in around Noon and the visibility went South quickly. There is a big Free Ride Comp on Upper Silverfox, so there was a lot of activity in that bowl area.

The Chef sends his good vibrations to us from his time in Brazil. He is living out the Winter in a Summer time South. Lush.

Tomorrow, look for some overnight accumulation as this impulse is not yet done with us. More is moving up from the South so we’ll just have see what shakes out. The feel is beginning to get a bit softer, but the old substrate is in full effect, so expect unexpected variations. The temps are predicted to drop significantly, so dress for weather and cold. Dial it up, Dial it IN!

SNOWY DAY

2-21-22

It was a snowy morning today as a storm moved in overnight and kept delivering as the day progressed. 5″ were reported for today’s accumulation and there is more on the way tonight and into tomorrow. The product was light with the cold temps and the northerly flow, so the old layer was fully in place. Visibility was at a premium, but there was enough to make your way around especially if you stayed close to the trees.

Happy Snow Day!!!

Tomorrow, look for a bit more accumulation, but, by the forecast, we can’t expect too much to fall. Look for the groomers to be offering much softer and dialable lines, but the off trail will still be feeling the old layer for sure. Remember the smooth lines from previous days as they will still be holding that smooth surface and allow you to dial in some righteous turns. Visibility will still be variable and the temps are expected to drop significantly, so dress for cold. See you there to see what falls for the morning session. Straight Ahead!!

SUNNY MORNING

2-20-22

A beautiful sunny morning was on tap as a storm looms on the doorstep to deliver another installment in the next few days. White Diamonds was prepared nicely, with a long extension down the lower gully, which was a delightful diversion. Lewis and Clark was offering wide open vacant lines with a fresh till of Claim Jumper to add to the fall line fun. The Peruvian side of the hill was fun with smooth prepared lines that let you really dial it in. Regulator was quite firm and required a deliberate approach to keep the velocity in the real zone.

Team NJ/NY were all over the hill keeping a brisk pace. These 50 year anniversary capes were made by hand and lovingly worn for this day on the hill.

Tomorrow, look for storm conditions. How much and how hard will remain to be seen. The known smooth lines will be the place to go for the best results when the visibility goes South. Stay with the trees for reference. The hill is in great shape for this next installment, and if it comes in with intensity, the conditions will get better by the hour. We’ll see what happens. See you there for the beginning of a fresh delivery. Remain Standing!!

FUNSHINE!!

2-19-22

It was a sunshine funshine morning with warming temps, wide open lines, and not a huge crowd for a big holiday weekend. The Tram was well attended as the day began, but the chairs and Mineral Basin pulled in the lion’s share of the crowd and left the up hill wait quick and easy. Having the Sun up and higher in the sky puts more light on the hill early and opens some other choices for the opening bell.

Choices, choices, choices!!! Nice to have so many options to choose from in the AM.

Tomorrow, look for more excellent conditions, with lots of prepared lines on all sides of the hill. There will be an early push for the opening bell, but I will bet it will ease up quickly after everyone gets spread out. I’ll be looking for the fresh untracked corduroy which will be waiting and smooth for accessing your inner Ligety. It is great having these warmer temps to start out the day. That last week was rather nippy. The hill has good cover with only a few spots that are getting thin, but they are easy to get around. Stay Frosty!!!