It was a clear cold morning with the peak temps well down toward Zero. There was light wind and the snow was a bit grabby with the cold. The Groomers were perfect on both sides of the hill, which let you dial in your inner Ligety. Light traffic to kick off the day let you do hot laps if you kept the Tram pace. Off trail was still difficult, though High Baldy looked like it was offering some good lines up on the higher elevations, but the lower section still looked stiff and bouncy. I did go off the beaten path and found the pack to have consolidated a bit and was more consistent, but I headed back to the smooth cruisers to continue stamina training and save my knees from the strain of the off trail rumble. I stopped up to The Summit to absorb the vibes that resonate there. Here is a shot of Elizabeth, who takes her commitment to excellence very seriously.
As the Sun rose up higher in the sky, the temps warmed up quite a bit and the snow guns were being shut down. Earlier, the gun powder that had been deposited down slope was silky sweet and demanded a down shift in pace and a deeper carve quotient for each turn to extract as much goodness as possible.
Here is a shot of Mineral Basin as we scoped out the possibilities when it finally opens. Tomorrow, look for awesome grooming efforts to be offered on both sides of the hill. The off trail will continue to be good, but there is a low amplitude rumble that is wide spread and requires a deliberate approach. See you there for these early season days where the snow stays good all day long no matter the aspect. Stay Frosty!!