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.

Get it at Amazon today.

1-05-25

With all the new snow and pent up demand, there has been a total powder frenzy for the goods. The wind has been a large part of the equation for stability, but the Patrol has done a great job getting things open. It was not so long ago we were doing training laps and what has transpired up to date makes all those training laps come into focus.

The hill is coming on in fine shape and, with the predicted overnight accumulations, will just add to the quality and great conditions. Expect marginal visibility, strong winds out of the North, cold temps, and still pockets to find all over the hill. I missed last night’s post due to a Interweb outage, sorry about that!! Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!!

1-03-25

There was a stout wind blowing this morning out ahead of a front that will move in early Saturday morning. It will deliver yet another installment of Essence, which will fatten the pack and further cushion and fill over the old layer that is still echoing under the turns. The Grooming Crew did a great job working in that last material into the mat, which made for some silky smooth turns and a much more consistent feel underfoot. With all that wind, it will be moving the product around, filling in some more of the sections that were in need, and will be worth keeping an eye out for improving access and line feel.

Tomorrow, look for a storm riding day, with predicted heavy snowfall during the morning hours, delivering significant accumulation. With the heavy snow fall and wind, it should be a free refills kind of day. The rumble and static will be smoothing out and some favorite lines will be coming into the equation. I’ll be looking for the smooth and the steep for maximum rock and roll. Speed Safely!!!

1-02-25

With 8 new inches of freshness delivered over night, the pack is beginning to add up. It was snowing briskly this AM, with wind up high and a full court press by The Faithful, who were stoked and ready to rock from the get go. The fresh snow was a treat, which made the turning a bit softer after yesterday’s variability. The wind helped smooth some of the sections out, with the trees picking up some very nice silky lines that kind of remained hidden.

Tomorrow, look for freshly prepared lines, which will offer great turning and a velvety feel. Look for some more opening lines as mitigation is completed, so keep your ear to the rail for timely updates. As the pack adds up there will be more consistency on those steeper sections that needed a bit more cover. See you there dark and early for the day’s festivities. Dial it up, Dial it in!!!

1-01-25

Well, Happy New Year everyone. Time is just flying by. The light was very flat, but visibility overall was good. The pack has been worked over pretty well in the past couple of days. The old layer is in play on most aspects, but there is enough soft snow to keep consistent turning going. It has been great to see how much fuller things are looking. The wind has moved that pack around, so look for the guts to find those threads.

More snow is in the forecast, and the hill is getting in better shape with each additional installment. I am still scoping the hill and checking out the traverses. Keepin’ it real in every exploration. Tomorrow, look for some freshly worked lines on both sides of the hill, and, perhaps, some additional accumulation. Straight Ahead!!!

12-31-24

There was clear skies, great snow, and bonus terrain for today’s opening. Peruvian Gulch opened with much of the areas open off the top. Great quality, with smooth first of the season early snow fall surface. That old layer had been fully worked over and this new product was dense enough to really add a complete change to the feel on the hill. Many first of the season first tracks were had by the cognosenti who went to get the rare and best. There was plenty to go around, and folks really enjoyed the chance to get what they came for.

With all this snow and a fairly consistent substrate will provide some great turning before the next installment dials in. You know it will! Tomorrow, look for incredible machine worked lines that will be as good as it gets, still soft snow off trail, and new shots still waiting in the wings. This is a good time to get another close look at the hill as it gets worked to get a handle on the possibilities going forward. Watch Your SIX!!

12-30-24

It is an exciting time, with the holiday season in full swing, the new snow has really arrived just in the nick of time to provide all the folks who were wondering if the Promise of the Wasatch would come through. It came through with just what our visualizations imagined. Funny how that works. There was a full court press for the goods and the Faithful were rewarded with soft snow, wonderfully prepared surfaces, new extended terrain to explore and high energy to fuel the experience. All sections of the hill that were open for sampling were providing excellent conditions.

Tomorrow, look for continued great conditions wall to wall, with soft snow, and smooth lines that will be waiting for those who perhaps missed out on today’s offerings. These are the days we have been training for during this past month, and dialing in those consistent turns will be the pay off for all the visualizations and training. Straight Ahead!!!

12-29-24

Overnight snow, and high winds were working the pack for this morning’s offering, causing a short delay for the opening. The new installment is perfect for base building, with higher density product filling in the low spots and making for soft consistent turning. It is a treat to be able to feel that full platform engagement with each turn instead of the firm training surfaces we have been working with. Traffic was brisk due to the holiday season, pent up stoke, and, of course, fresh Essence to work. Face shots were happening really for the first time of the season and getting off the prepared lines was much more forgiving. The wind smoothed sections that were sheltered and offered smooth silky texture. What a treat!!

Tomorrow, look for more accumulation as the flow continues to bring impulse after impulse that is embedded in the flow. Wind is still an issue, and loading will keep filling the low areas with the goods. I’ll be looking for much expanded choices with the lines I have been scoping out filling in nicely. I will be looking for those smooth wind filled sections that I have been avoiding. Now, they are good to go, but caution is still warranted. See you there for the morning fun and soft snow sliding. IBBY!!!

12-28-24

The Essence has been building with each passing impulse, adding to the sensitive snow pack that has developed during the early season. Delays in opening uphill access during extensive mitigation efforts was expected with the fast moving snow and wind events. Our visualizations have kicked in and have been delivered as expected. As the hill gets sorted and available terrain gets worked over, we can expect much improved quality all over the hill. It will be fun to get a look at the newly covered terrain up close and personal in the coming days.

More accumulation is on tap for the overnight hours with some clearing as the day develops. Expect continued mitigation efforts in the AM. I am excited to get back into the soft snow zone which is shaping up nicely. Enjoy the full experience of an exciting snow cycle. Keep it tight!!

12-27-24

There was some accumulation overnight as more impulses moved in waves up the Canyon. The winds were wild and it was snowing briskly, with the Faithful on deck and ready to get the party started. This was really the first day of real soft snow sliding after weeks of training surfaces to hone the reflexes for just such the occasion. The wind was smoothing the lines, making the turns feel consistent and elegant. There were still many echos of the old layer peaking through, which kept me on my toes to stay in the NOW zone to keep the flow going. After all those training laps, the effort was paid off with real turns and silky lines. While the new product was quite dense, it was cold and dry and did not grab and stick, which was very interesting.

Traffic was brisk as one would expect after such a dry spell, but the snow remained consistent with the free refill effect thanks to the wind and fresh falling Essence. Tomorrow, look for more great snow to be on tap, with the cover improving the ride top to bottom. There will still be echos of the old layer where the wind may have worn high points off, so be aware. Remember that with the new snow, features that had been visible are now buried, so aim for the fat lines and watch the edges. Stay Frosty!!!

12-26-24

The front that moved in for the opening bell was a real fast mover, delivering very stout wind, rapidly accumulating snowfall and difficult visibility. The Tram was down for the morning session, as well as the Peruvian Chair that was super exposed to the nuking wind associated with the front. The new product was fairly high density, which was bonding to the firm surface, providing some added traction and softness to the turns, which was a treat underfoot. Traffic was brisk, but the lifts were keeping pace with the attendance.

I took the down time in the Forklift while I assessed the options, getting the down low from the team members as they came off the hill. The front moved through quickly with the Tram and Peruvian Chair reopening, keeping the party going. Tomorrow, look for continued snowfall overnight as it is raining here at The Trailer, so look for fresh lines in the AM. Getting a little accumulation at a time is key in building back the quality feel underfoot and establishing a trustworthy pack that will let you dial in the turns. Check the Canyon report for access before leaving for the hill. Remain Standing!!!