Early November 1010
I new it was going to be a storm day as I drove up the Canyon, with the road becoming increasingly greasy as I got past Tanner’s Flat. The Tram went off on time, with high winds on the peak. The dense snow from yesterday was being blown into long silky ribbons that you could follow all the way down. The new snow was very dense, cold, and granular,making the snow feel like deep velvet. Big Emma had a 5” layer that seemed like a surf session in morning glass. Just perfection; at that particular moment! I try to take mental snap shots of those moments. Each run gave you untracked lines, as the wind would fill any track in seconds. Finally the front moved through and the Tram shut down. The ZOOM chair was fired right up, and the games continued in severe snow storm conditions. Visibility was good, but for the snow fall, which pummeled and accumulated at a very high rate; let’s just say that IT WAS DUMPIN’. Tomorrow will provide another dose of the goodness to be danced upon. The Gut sections are decidedly getting filled in with a much higher confidence assessment in the overall choice of lines. This dense snow is going to be a nice SPACKLE layer. Another fine point of this time of the year is the lack of BUMPAGE, all of the lines are still smooth and well defined, as in a back country experience. Just a little point to consider as you choose lines; they are smooth. Nice!! The Peruvian side looks like it is filling in nicely, and we can look forward to some rare first runs when it finally opens. Have confidence in the snow pack, but be sure you keep in mind the continued early season hazards. Looking good for tomorrow, see you there!!! Ciao! PS> Here is Shot of what The Bird would have looked like if it was not snowing so hard. Photo by JAY DASH of Powder Shots