EXTRA SUN

4-04-16 by dave

With clouds in the West, it was nice to see some extra Sun shining in Mineral Basin for the morning session.  Nicely prepared groomers were just breaking for the first runs and got progressively softer as the Sun played on the mat.  On the front side of the hill, the warmth from yesterday left very firm lines that made getting and edge a bit challenging.  I took an early Forklift visit to let softening occur.  Those warming temps. did not take long to soften the dance floor, which made those very firm lines become soft sorbet during the prime window.  Clouds began to gather as the day heated, with the flow from the South bringing in moisture that did not fall from the sky.  Sticky sections began to crop up on the flats, so carrying speed from the pitch on to the flat could be problematic when you hit the glue.  When the pack gets like that it is wise to slow the roll before hitting the flat sections at the bottom of the pitches.  Regulator and Mark Malu were the last lines to break, which offered sweet sorbet as well when they hit the sweet spot.  I did not find a good shot of the day, so I chose to get this one of one of the fresh cut DSC03712flowers from Julia’s Living Creations that were delivered to the Forklift today.  I love the contrast of color and shadow in the blossom.  How does nature do it with such precision?  Tomorrow, look for a partly cloudy day that promises to be quite a bit colder, so expect the pack to be crispy for the better part of the day.  Look for those Groomers to have been tenderized for better traction on the main runs.  Regulator should be avoided until after Noon, as it will be bullet proof once again.  Off trail did take the hit with the warm temps. so be careful on all exposures.  It will be an adventure for the morning session and will test your fall line commitment.  Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

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