A cold front moved in during the morning hours, making the temps a bit cool, but there was still not much of a freeze in the pack. Mineral Basin was offering the best lines to start, with Sun shining, sorbet quality on the groomed lines, and very light traffic to kick off the day. I was doing a Mineral Lap followed by a front side attack to make the most of the 15 minute Tram timing. Here is a shot of the Cirque that has sustained some wet slide activity.
By 11:00AM., Mineral Basin became too soft and the front side of the hill broke, but the quality kept getting better and better. The high cloud cover filtered the Sun and kept the pack from becoming too sticky. In fact, it was slick and fast letting you get full platform engagement with each turn top to bottom. The annual Bypass Road end of season party hosted by Jake and Sully was held today. Here is a shot of Sully manning the grill and working his magic.
Tomorrow, look for a unsettled day as more weather is moving in for the next few days. Expect colder temps. and variable visibility. I don’t expect much of a break in the freeze, and even Mineral Basin may be a tad crispy to begin the day. The Grooming Crew have been employing tenderizing techniques to soften the pack. Expect some variations due to aspect as you move around the hill. The off trail is still very difficult and the groomed lines are best.
In closing, here is a long shot of the festivities on the bypass road today. I wonder if there will be a crew to carry on this tradition and look back on over 40 years of Bird Time.
See the Line, BE the Line!!!