It was a clear cold morning as the storm went South and did not deliver any real accumulation overnight. There was a solid inch on the ground, but all that product yesterday had been blown into the low areas and the trees, leaving firm conditions on the prepared lines and some crusty feeling lines off trail. With an early push for the Tram, The Morning Crew hit the Peruvian Chair and headed through the Tunnel to get the Baldy Chair. The wind in the Basin had blown the pack off, leaving very variable lines that kept you looking for the long treads of Essence filling the low spots.
I worked both sides of the front aspects of the hill, finding firm consistency on the prepared lines, but plenty of soft snow on the mat to get a good grip on the surface. Still, I was averaging the turns to deal with the surprise slick tiles that lurked. Tomorrow, look for another day of clear skies before more snow comes back later in the week. With a fresh till, the machine worked lines should be a tad softer for the early risers. I will be headed back into Mineral Basin first thing to get some of the lines I missed today. Coverage continues to get better, but the long traverses are sketchy and need more snow. Use caution when treading those traverses. I will be dressing for cold again, but the temps should be warming up as the day progresses. Keep it tight!!!