GUNS BLAZZING
Mineral Basin opened this morning, looking full in places and stripped in others. I dropped Silver Dipper off the gun first thing, as it looked fairly flush, but it turned out to be very wind slabbed. I did not hit any rocks all the way down by staying in the gut of the gully. Some of the younger kids were making it look easy, but the off trail was work for me. The Groomer out in Powder Paradise was really fun, offering natural snow top to bottom that carved just like I remember. By Noon it was getting scraped down to the old layer, and the interference patterns were building with the traffic. Regulator was offering some stellar Gun Powder that was depositing on the slope hundreds of feet below each gun. The slick surfaces are still predominate, especially after Noon, however the sides till are holding up. Tomorrow look for another day of deep focus on the fall line as it keeps you guessing turn by turn. Mineral Basin will offer some of the best runs of the day before they get worked so make that a priority. The days have been starting out a bit brisk, but it warms up nicely. See you Sunday. IBBY!!!
Great post Dave. Top of tram had sustained winds at start of the day of at least 25-30 miles per hour, but all in all the Basin was in good shape. A few dark patches on Bassanova but otherwise the Baldy runs were great once the lift opened (at base of tram at start of day I was told Baldy lift was open, but on top they said it had been closed due the wind. Once I got to bottom of the basin, the lift had re-opened).
On the other side of the mountain there were some icy spots at the very end of day on Lower Bassackwards to watch out for. Big Thunder Lift also was open today, though runs like Madam Annie’s will chew up your board / skis.