6-26-13

A Guide to Big Mountain Skiing by Jackson
Hogen and Guru Dave Powers


Snowbird Secrets: A Guide to Big Mountain Skiing is available for you to enjoy right now.

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3-19-25

After yesterday’s storm riding day and the significant accumulation, today was a picture perfect day, with bright Sun, cold temps, and blower powder wall to wall. Days like this are what fulfill our dreams and make them real. I’ll let the gifted shots from my friends speak the words.

Kevin Canton sent this shot from the far side of Little Cloud with the Sun highlighting the goodness.

Mikey M sent these two shots of the blower nature of the Essence that was delivered overnight.

Mike McCarthy sent this shot of Wilma Chute with sweet lines early in the running.

Neil sent this shot of the Forklift tables indicating the fresh accumulation. Sooooooo goood!!

Mike McCarthy getting the full body massage from the Super Deep!!! Tomorrow, look for some overcast skies as a slight impulse is on the way which is not predicted to produce much in the way of accumulation. There still will be plenty of soft snow to find and some areas still waiting in the wings. The machine worked lines will be off the chart carvalicious on all aspects and I expect that all those slick spots to be gone. The hill is in amazing shape and will be offering great sliding wall to wall. Enjoy the dream come true. Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!!

3-18-25

Lots of fresh Essence fell overnight and The Faithful waited patiently for the Canyon to open to be there for the storm day that was on tap. It was snowing really fast and hard, and the accumulation was adding up fast. Gad Zoom and Gad 2 were open to give the seekers a great sampling of the goodness. With visibility at a premium, the trees were the place to find reference when vision fades. The fresh Essence was light and fluffy, offering face shots with every turn. These are the days you dream about, and there is more to come as the flow continues with Interlodge and a Canyon closure in place as I write this.

Here is a great shot of Tracy E and Wynonna on the peak ready to throw down a smokin’ run with the blue skies we had last week. Tomorrow, expect the Canyon to be closed with no estimated time of opening. It is still snowing with light and lacy Lake Effect here at the trailer, and that translates to a lot more epic Essence up on the hill. When things open up it is going to be amazing. Stay Frosty!!!

3-17-25

It was 40 Degrees at my car as I parked this morning, with some overcast that would give way to sunshine later in the day. The wind was nuking for the opening, delaying the Tram, but the Quads were ready to go. Traffic was quite brisk, but the uphill capacity worked through the back up quickly. Some wind smoothed lines had developed overnight, which were smooth and supportable. The machine worked lines were feeling very nice, but those West facing aspects were quite slick, and sticking with the more North facing aspects offered the best feel. Lower Primrose Path was feeling great, with a fresh till and wonderful traction top to bottom. The Tram opened later in the AM, which opened up the options with fairly fast turnarounds. It was nice to have the Sun break out and light the dance floor, illuminating all the details.

JIMMY DCT was basking in the Sun and taking a break after a full on throw down on the hill. He was stoked to have such great snow for his day on the hill. Tomorrow, look for overnight stormage to begin, bringing the start of the next impulse of this cycle. That South wind was still blowing hard ahead of the front, transporting the loose snow and filling in the low areas. Look for a full on storm riding day, with much colder temps, and some of the usual heavy snow implications. Check the road report for Canyon access and plan accordingly. This installment will add another great coating to the hill and bring a totally refreshed surface. I am excited about the prospects.

We were all celebrating this super fun day today as the shift changes. Lilly, Chris, and Bill, joined me for some locker room stoke before going out for the afternoon session. We’ll have to see how the morning shakes out with the storm impact. Remain Standing!!!

3-16-25

The overnight accumulation had a smooth feeling that filled in the pack, making the off trail feel consistent and fun. This was a day where that rare full platform engagement feel lets you totally stand on each turn and extract maximum arcability. It is so much fun to lower the hip and get that centrifugal dynamic out of each turn. What fun. The Faithful were early risers, ready for the Promise of The Wasatch once again. The wind was blowing stoutly out of the South, transporting product and filling in the Northern aspects with soft dialable Essence. It is always a treat to see things filling in run after run.

Jake sent this great shot of one of the classic West facing aspects that was filling in, and offering rare conditions top to bottom. Any guesses? The Road to Provo opened with smooth wide open lines that were as good as it gets, and The Faithful were waiting at the gate for the opening. After all this accumulation, it was amazing to get a taste of the bottomless pack that waited there. Tomorrow, look for a wind event as the next front moves in later tomorrow night. I expect quite a bit of product transport overnight, so look for more smooth lines to be on tap on those low lying guts and threads. This week looks really active, with impulse after impulse all lined up to the horizon.

The Chef sent this shot of his Rhubarb peaking through the cover, signaling The Promise of the Wasatch with deep cover and awesome face shots. He is very close to the Earth and knows so many of the nature’s signs. He is not often wrong. As Joe Man The Snowman says,”Don’t skimp on the Groove Sauce”!!!

3-15-25

The Faithful were in full attendance again today to take advantage of the new accumulation. There were a few inches overnight that were a bit higher density, making the consistency just a tad wonky in places. Visibility was very tricky with near Zero Zero on the dial and staying with the trees was key in navigating the pack. The new accumulation helped make the off trail perk up after yesterday’s traffic, and the machine worked lines were feeling very nice underfoot.

Mary Ellen and Bud were wrapping up another great extended stay at The Bird. They have been coming for years and it is always great to see them in the locker room living the dream. Tomorrow, look for better visibility, great carpets of AHHHHHH, and lots of soft snow all over the hill. Keep and ear to the rail for other openings as the may occur. There is more activity upstream and this next week is looking good for quite a bit more accumulation. The hill is in prime shape for as much as mother nature can deliver. Straight Ahead!!!

3-14-25

This is the kind of day you wait for all season, though there have been other great days, this one seemed to hit all the high points, with face shots wall to wall. This installment really came in nicely with higher density giving way to lighter Essence which totally covered and cushioned the underlying Substrate, which was so perfect for this beginning round of the cycle.

Flyin’ Brian Beck sampling the goodness and driving the line with unmitigated audacity!! The Faithful were in full attendance, and got the goods wall to wall. Tomorrow, look for more accumulation as the flow continues and Lake Effect does it’s thing. Look for what is waiting in the wings, and enjoy the bump up in quality and softness.This was just the first installment and it is going to get deeper yet. Keep it tight!!!

3-13-25

It was windy on the hill this morning, ahead of the beginning of the next cycle lined up for the next while. With the pack so firm from the previous days, it was wise to stick with the known smooth, since just a light dusting covered the dance floor to start the day. More intense impulses moved in and began to build up, but the heavy stuff was coming in later. Again, it was wise to stay with the known lines and avoid those aspects that have been particularly greasy in the past days. Today was a primer day, where that fresh accumulation gets worked into the pack, hopefully making it stick to the old substrate so that the new accumulation will build in nicely.

True legends of Snowbird wrapping things up after a fun day in the sun. Rick, Mike, Bruce and Hoppy bringing the joy and leaving trails of glory. Tomorrow, look for a canyon closure, with an estimated opening of 8:30 AM. It is dumping here at The Trailer, so I expect quite a good accumulation up on the hill as we keep the party going. That wind did not do much in the way of smoothing the substrate, so expect some echos of the old layer to be in the mix. It is going to be a great cycle and will push us ever closer to that magic 500 inch mark, and then well beyond I recon!! Straight Ahead!!

3-12-25

It was sunny this morning but cool, however, the wind was rising and beginning to move some product to the Northern aspects. That transport really began to work on the machine worked lines, where the corduroy nap captured the moving granules and began to add some depth and soft to the mat. The transport was still not enough to fill in the troughs of the interference patters, but with higher gusts building in the afternoon, those High North aspects were showing signs of filling in. Great machine worked lines were happening, that kept the flow going, and felt great underfoot. Temps began to rise up, but the wind kept the chill going.

Jake took this shot of me coming off a Lower Primrose Path carpet that kept me turning and keeping the pace under control. Tomorrow, look for weather to be moving in, with overcast skies, wind, and precipitation later in the day. It will be a good time to get a close look at the hill for profile studies when it all gets covered and you need to know the condition of the substrate. Wind will be a big factor on the day, so dress for those variations in lift access. This will be a great cycle coming up that will extend for the rest of the week. See the Line, BE the Line!!!

3-11-25

The pack is really firming up, but the North facing aspects are still holding the cold dry chalk, however, it is getting slicker by the day. The off trail sections are very stiff and gnarly, making smooth transitions very challenging. I was sticking with the prepared machine worked lines and paying close attention to the lines that have been prepared and those that were deleted for today’s offerings. It is good to check the trail report for grooming updates to avoid driving into a surprise. I found this out first hand….. DOH!!! Later in the day, the North aspects were still holding the cold, but the direct facing aspects slowly began to soften just smidge. Out of area touring opened off Gad 2, offering the last chance to get some untracked before the next cycle begins.

Olivia Kennedy out in the lower sections of Shady Acres after a descent down from the Birthday Chutes. There was a lot of variation from aspect to aspect and a real heads up approach was needed to keep in the soft zone.

Olivia working the apron under the Birthday Chutes today, showing the wide variations in quality and texture. This section is one of my all time favorite tour choices when I go out. Tomorrow, look for a bit more clouds to be in the mix as the next cycle begins to work it’s way toward The Front. The machine worked lines will still be the place to find the smooth lines, and the off trail will still be quite difficult as I don’t think there will be much in the way of softening. The early hours runs will provide the best quality of the day, even though the light is darker with the change in the time. Traffic will be moderate once again. Watch your SIX!!!

3-10-25

It was fast fun and sunny today, with the North aspects still holding the cold despite the warm day time temps. Regulator was not going to soften much at all, so keeping an eye on aspect was key. The Anderson’s Hill – Lower Primrose line was just killer, with a flannel consistency that felt luxurious with each turn shaving off the fuzz that felt great underfoot. Traffic was moderate, but looking around the hill would let you stay ahead of the crowd and get some of those peripheral sections all to yourself. The temps were warm again, but still cool enough to keep the product from morphing too much as the day warmed up.

Wynonna is back on the scene, taking the peak greeting shift for the Host Program. She brings such great energy to the peak and makes everyone feel so welcome. Tomorrow, look for more great machine worked lines. Still be aware of exposure for the best lines. Regulator should still be avoided in the early hours of the day. The Road to Provo was very nice with those North facing aspect feeling really fast and dialable. It sure was dark this morning with the change in time. It is going to take some time to work into the shift. Speed Safely!!