It was a cold blue sky this morning with the Sun really setting up the contrast. The wind was blowing huge plumes of snow off the peaks that were amazingly back lit early on the drive up. The Groomers are soft and dialable, which it such a treat first thing in the AM. Lots of out lying areas were available if you were paying attention.
Luke Williamson locked and loaded out in the Exotic Trees!!Landon Jacobs fully involved in the Essential Substance!!
Tomorrow, look for more bright Sun, wide open lines, soft snow, and tons of fun on all sides of the hill. The consistency has improved so much over this cycle, which restores the full fall line confidence. What a treat to have such great conditions and more is coming! Straight Ahead!!!
The storm clouds were clearing off, the temps were very cold, the powder was waiting and The Faithful were in full court press mode right out of the chute. As early as I got there, which was plenty early, I wasn’t early enough. Amazing conditions were there for the choosing all over the hill as the sections of the mountain opened as they were controlled.
Mikey M dailing up a sumptuous line on the Gad Chutes.
The stoke was off the chart high, with the promise of the best conditions of the season.
Tony Lewis throwing spray as he takes advantage of the full platform engagement this installment provided out on Baldy.
The day stayed very cold with a stiff wind that had affected some of the aspects, but, for the most part, the consistency was epic indeed.
Doc, floating on a cloud of Essence out on Baldy.
Like I said yesterday, today was going to be fun and it most certainly was and the hill is getting better by the day. Tomorrow, look for lines to still be happening on the outer reaches and whatever sections that had remained closed today. The temps will remain cold as the Northerly flow is still in place. The Sun will be out, so great visibility will be a treat all over the hill.
Team Cochrane from London were enjoying the ambiance of the Planetary Office while waiting for the control work to be completed. They were very stoked with the amazing conditions.
I’ll try and get an even earlier start in the AM and will be dressing for cold. As Joe Man the Snow Man says, “Don’t Skimp On The Groove Sauce”!!!
The Front was graced with a serious dump overnight and the Essence was falling with real intent as The Faithful arrived in full force to get the goods. With all that accumulation there were the expected delays due to control work that was in evidence with all the retorts of explosives in the morning air.
Control work on the hill was ongoing and the product was deep as evidenced by the smile on a patrolman’s face!!
It was so fun to see some serious accumulation after seeing only a skiff here at The Trailer, and the quality was just what the doctor ordered.
A look at the accumulation while waiting for the morning’s openings. This was only the beginning.
The snow was coming down hard, making visibility very difficult especially on the wide open lines. Staying close to the trees helped keep the references and fall line in perspective. Everyone was stoked to have the real deal happening after such a long time without.
Blaine out on Lone Pine getting the best of the best!!
These are the conditions we have been dreaming about and The Faithful were making those dreams come true.
Mikey M getting deep and wild on Lone Pine today. Deep and getting deeper by the minute.
Tomorrow, look for more overnight accumulation with all the areas that did not open today still waiting in the wings. There was quite a bit of high wind up on the higher elevations, so we can expect wind affected pack, but also some filled in sheltered lines that will be off the charts amazing. It is a full on Powder Festival, so enjoy the best conditions of the season. See the Line, BE the Line!!
Light flurries were falling all day long adding to the few inches of light density Essence that covered the dance floor. The temps were cold and the new product was very cold, making the slide a bit slow. Visibility was very marginal and staying close to the trees offered the best references. I did go for a foray out to Mark Malu to seek the smooth untracked, which I found out there, but the visibility was Zero Zero and I was skiing by braille. The Grooming Crew had done a great job on that area, so I just trusted the line and made turns that made me focus on the Nothing. Good training for the sunny days.
On the way through the tunnel these historic relics make me reflect on the tough folks who worked the mines in the day!!
Mineral Basin was offering some very nice lines, though the visibility was difficult out there. The lines were smooth and covered with a few inches of perfection, which made it a treat to explore. The additional snow has made the hill much more consistent, but there are still some slick spots that will crop up. Tomorrow, look for another snow day, with some overnight accumulation as this next impulse dials in on The Front. The hill will be getting really good with the cushion that has been building, and the consistency of the ride will be much more predictable. This is going to be fun. Don’t Touch That Dial!!
2 to 4″ of light density Essence fell overnight and The Faithful were on deck early and ready to get up on the hill. Yesterday’s installment had been worked over pretty well and the new product felt great on the previous cushion. The substrate is still in play, but a soft feel is beginning to return and consistency is improving. It was well worth looking outside the box for some fresh lines and they were to be found and were offering blower lines.
Mark Herath getting the goods in the out lying areas. It was nice to have a bit of Sun on the dance floor.
As the crowd got moved up on the hill, the push for the Tram subsided and folks got spread out over the hill. I went looking for the smooth lines I had been scoping out last week and found some consistent smoothness with a wonderful cold feel that felt like heaven underfoot. Tomorrow, look for unsettled weather with some light snow falling and variable visibility. The Groomers will be offering freshly tilled lines that will be as good as it gets. Traffic may be a bit lighter and I will be looking to get out ahead of the crowd. Temps are still quite cold, so dress for the occasion. There are still some deeper shots that can be found if you look. Conditions will continue to improve and will only get better as another system is moving in for the next couple of days. Stay Frosty
Fresh frosting was delivered to The Front, bringing a swift change to the conditions overnight. There was easily a solid foot of freshness to for The Faithful to enjoy and they turned out in force to take advantage of the goodness.
Tony Lewis on Baldy blowing up the Essence and breaking the spell of so many days of hard pack.
The snow was falling heavily but backed off around noon, making the visibility much better for the occasion. The old substrate was still a factor, but the higher density of this storm will add a lot off cushion for the next impulse which is on the door step.
Peter Hughes experiencing the full on flow line out on the Baldy Armpit Gate. It’s nice in the Powder Pocket!!
Tomorrow, look for more accumulation as the forecast is looking good for added energy out of the North. I will be looking for all the smooth lines I have been staking out the past few days and look forward to getting out to some of the lines I have neglected as of late.
Mikey M hard on the throttle and leaving trails of glory out on Baldy today. Thanks Mike for sending these shots!!
I expect colder temps, so I’ll be dressing up after all those spring like days got me spoiled. The skin on my nose is pealing heavily after getting so badly frost bitten the week prior. It’s great to be back to Winter and an extended cycle. Remain Standing!!!
A light dusting covered the dance floor overnight with just 2″ of accumulation to greet The Faithful, who showed up in full force for the occasion. With such a short accumulation, there was not much cushion to smooth the ride. Staying with the groomers was the best bet and, with the variable visibility, staying close to the tree lines improved the details. Light snow continued all day, with some short blasts of Sun shining through from time to time.
Moving to the Other Side to take advantage of a jump on the untracked corduroy.
The next low pressure is moving through Southern Utah tonight and will be pumping moisture and cold air up into The Front and perhaps the band of snow will stall over the hill and dump. This cycle is predicted to keep coming through Monday, so more is on the way. Tomorrow, look for the prepared lines to offer the smooth ride, with the off trail offering the old substrate, which will be variable and a tad crispy. As the accumulation increases the cushion should improve and the off trail lines will begin improve markedly. Keep a sharp eye out for the changes as they come up. Watch Your SIX!!
The storm clouds were gathering, with some light snow falling above 10,000′. The wind was blowing to start out the morning but seemed to back off and become still and warm. There was an unusual feeling in the air. Prepared lines were the place to be, with some of the lower sections of the hill receiving an extra morning retill to offer some traction. With the warm temps, the lower part of the hill softened very quickly and was feeling quite spring like. There were some pools of sunlight here and there for the morning session.
Here is a shot of Wynonna’s snow angel energy to help bring in the next dump of goodness. It always works!!
I was taking note of all the aspects and the condition they were holding as this storm gets started. Tomorrow, look for a storm day with some overnight accumulation. Be cognizant of the underlying substrate as the consistency got quite crispy as the pack froze up. Look for the prepared lines to offer the smoothest ride in the variable visibility. I am looking forward to this next installment, which will really kick start this next cycle. Dial it up, and Dial it in!!!
A stout South wind was blowing this morning out ahead of a couple of low pressure systems that are poised to move into The Front for the next few days. This may well deliver a significant dump over the course of the cycle. The temps were very warm, but the early pack was pretty crispy after all that afternoon heat we had. Because of the wind, I stayed with the Peruvian Gulch to take advantage of the vacant lines that were happening there and the walk on Trams that were going off.
The Little Cloud area looking vast with wide open lines that called one to open up the trottle.
The wind was not really transporting much snow, but some of the gusts were close to the ground and were obscuring the close ground details. It was kind of weird trying to see through the moving fronds of transported snow. Tomorrow, look for an overcast day as the weather begins to move in. Some overnight accumulation may have occurred and there may be some snow showers during the day. Visibility will be at a premium, so stay close to the trees for the best definition and the prepared lines for the most consistent ride. Be advised that Regulator will be very challenging in the AM and not recommended. The hill is in great shape for a new installment. Straight Ahead!!
It was fully Spring warm this morning after a cold night, which froze yesterday’s aspects that had taken a lot of Sun. It was going to take a while for the surfaces to break. Traffic was light and back to back Trams were fast and easy to make. The front side of the hill had been given the smoothing, and the lines were wide open and empty. Regulator was very firm and needed to well after Noon to soften up.
With the Sun higher in the sky the Twins have been getting more light early in the morning. Pipeline is looking pretty sweet!
The day really warmed up and the lines began to soften up nicely. Traffic was still light when I left at
2PM. Tomorrow, look for more of the same. The Sun really worked the direct aspects and will be very crispy in the AM. Stay with the Groomers for the best ride. The high North is still holding the cold dry chalk and has not yet been thawed out. These are the days to be checking out the lines all over the hill before this next weather system moves in and begins to cover the features. I have been taking my time and really giving the hill a close look. See you there for the morning’s fast running offerings. Lay it over like Ligety!!
