One more beautiful morning greeted the Morning Crew as the Tram hit the peak.  Mineral Basin was the obvious call for the first hour, as the overnight temps. had set up the pack from yesterday.  More modest lines were on tap, but the consistency was still good, with the fresh till feeling granular and smooth.  The off trail would take a while to soften, but the first hour was a treat, doing the big lap time after time. On the front of the hill, tenderizing efforts had been employed, and staying close to the prepared line was easy to do with the great visibility.  High thin clouds began to mask the Sun’s harsh rays, keeping the softening lines from becoming sticky and sloggy.  That was a real treat, as the sorbet feel was hard to beat.  As I was heading up for first Tram, I stopped to say good morning to these three key folks who are responsible for keeping the wheels turning every day.  Without their efforts, as well as all the other folks that work tirelessly to make each day unfold seamlessly, the wheels would not turn.  Thanks guys for being there and keeping it all moving straight ahead.  Tomorrow, look for a big change in the weather, as a front is moving through as I write this.  There could be a bit of accumulation associated with the passage, and the hill will be not be softening up as it has of late.  Look to the Groomers to be the best bet for consistency, and stay clear of those off trail sections that got worked by the ambient temps..  The High North is holding on to the last of the cold in the pack, and will be the off trail place to find something more challenging.  Be aware of melt off on the high points that have cropped up on some of the lower elevations on the hill, especially if they get covered over.  Here is a shot of the Tram docking as a reflection in the window.  It seems as if it is a mirage.   IBBY!!

The Sun was really cooking today right from the word go, bringing a balmy feel to the peak temps., and a quick break to Mineral Basin.  The White Diamonds- Lower Silver Dipper line had been reworked once again, which offered smooth corduroy that begged to be caressed as opposed to ripped.  That big combination is a real big mountain treat that gets taken for granted as it is lift serviced, but it is as good as any back country high mountain drop anywhere.  The Morning Crew was working the fresh tilled lines out on a Lewis and Clark sojourn, where leaving lacerations in the pack was fun and fast.  Here is a shot of the entire crew with Timp. in the background.  The front of the hill broke a bit after Noon, but some lines held off much longer due to aspect.  A Gad 2 lap was a treat indeed with good lines all the way to the bottom of the hill.  Tomorrow, look for another early break as there will be a bit of a freeze overnight with the clear skies. Mineral Basin will be first to go, and will not last long.  The hill continues to hold up well with the high temps., but the ambient temps. are beginning to work down into the pack, drawing off that residual cold that has been keeping the melt from accelerating too much.  Tenderized lines will be worked on all sides of the hill, but it is wise to tread slowly so as not to lose the thread.  See you for the Spring fun and fast laps.    Syrup won’t stop ‘EM!!

Cold temps. overnight set the hill up solid for today’s festivities.  Fresh tills on the front and back of the hill gave tooth and consistency for the first hour before the traffic began to pile up the sugar.  I took the occasion, after the first hour, to visit the Forklift Chair extra early to let softening occur in the back as well as the front of the hill.  After 11:00AM the break began to hit the front of the hill, with Mineral Basin past prime, but during the break back there you could get some righteous sorbet lines on those direct aspects.  The Gad Valley began to break as well, and a Gad 2 lap still needed a bit more time, however, Regulator was just beginning to get the break as well.  Here is a shot of Door #2  that completes the glimps at some of the obscure sections.   The Spring conditions are the perfect time to take time out and get together with friends who have been part of the journey all these years.   Here is a great shot of Sully’s Bypass Road extravaganza that is an annual right of Spring.  On this day, the weather more than cooperated, offering perfect temps., great friends, awesome food, and a constant cycling of the personalities as they lapped the Tram.  Tomorrow, look far another cool morning to start if this clear air stays in the pattern, and I suspect it will.  The break will again be quick by following the Sun, but you can expect the West faces to take an longer time to be sure. The High North still looks to be offering some nice lines if the performances I saw over there were any indication.  The Groomers in Mineral Basin will be the place to start, but letting things soften is not a bad call either.  Here is a shot of the Master of Ceremonies, holding the Sceptors of Power.   Thanks for holding such an incredible Tradition and keeping the Flame alive.  See you for the morning fun fest.  Peace Out!!

A beautiful morning greeted the Morning Crew with balmy Temps., smooth lines, and a quick start to the fast laps.  The break was quick to hit the hill, with the Mineral Basin lines good to go from the start.  Those High North lines, while still good, are getting worked by the late afternoon ambient temps, but warm up with the day.  It is still wise to avoid those South, East, and West aspects until that warmth gets things stirred up, but all in all that Spring feel is well established.  Around 1:00 PM a dry front moved through the Front, bringing just the slightest drop in temps., but only had some sparse clouds associated with it’s passage.  With the Spring time looking like it is here to stay, I offer this very unusual shot of the Bookends, taken by Jones Malone last Summer  from an undisclosed location.  It has so many elements going on here that I just had to share such a nice perspective on the hill now covered with snow.  Tomorrow, look for another Spring day, though, with the passage of that cold front, the temps. might be a tad cooler to start and the break a bit longer in going off.  Look to the Groomers for the smooth ground pounding lines that have been the hallmark of the morning sessions.  Later in the day, after the break, the hill will be opening up more terrain as the off trail softens up and becomes approachable.   I had a great day off, where I recharged and got a lot done here at the Trailer.  See you for the morning session in the Sun.  Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

I was driving with the top down from the very first Tram, as the peak temp. was balmy and still for the morning session.  Very nice Grooming had been worked on all sides of the hill, but the Mineral Basin drops were offering the goods right from the word Go.   Once again, the White Diamonds- Lower Silver Dipper line had been prepared, and with the morning Sun, was sporting a perfect break of sorbet sweetness that kept me doing the big laps to get as much of that Spring rarity as I could get.  On the front of the hill, Regulator was going to take a lot more time to break, but in the mean time, the tenderized lines were good to go and gave ample tooth right from first Tram if you wanted to rock the Tram laps.  When the break hit the entire hill, the goodness was a treat, with only some of the cat tracks hinting at the sticky factor later on.  Here is a shot of Door # 3 with the Sun peaking over the cliff band.  It looked very sketchy, as that old layer looked very crunchy before the break.  Tomorrow, look for another warm day and an earlier brake than today.  Look for the Groomers to be offering the goods for the first few hours out in the back, with the front following close behind.  An earlier start will pay dividends as the super soft conditions of the later afternoon may be very sticky on the lower mountain.  It is predicted that record breaking warmth is in store for the day, so take advantage of the early goodness, and today’s example was hard to beat.  The High North is still holding up and smoothing out, but I think the high ambient temps up high will begin to work even these lines. Here is a shot of the great music happening on the Plaza for the afternoon crowd.  Great conditions and great cover are still happening on all sides of the hill, so get there and get your share of the Spring fun, and stay for the Plaza performances.  See you Sunday.  Ciao!!

Bright Sun and cold temps. greeted the Morning Crew as the Tram hit the peak.  Deluxe corduroy had been prepared on all sides of the hill, as the Cat Crew was able to use the quality of that last installment to work the goods into the mat.  Out in Mineral Basin, The White Diamonds- Lower Silver Dipper line had been given yet another fine till, which let you choose which approach was best for you.  It could be the full on minimal turn assault, or a more contemplative involvement in each turn.  What a treat indeed.  Lewis and Clark also was offering the low angle buffage, that let you lay it down like Ligety, leaving lacerations that rival the tracks that TrenchZilla has been seen to leave.  On the front of the hill, a dry chalky feel was on tap top to bottom with a special fresh till of 4 new passes on Chips face that screamed for a dig deep approach.   Here is a shot of some of today’s Hydro Velvet up close and personal.  How sweet it is!!!  Tomorrow, look for more great Grooming lines to be fast and fun on all sides of the hill.  The marginal warmth of today’s temps. did not really affect the pack beyond the most surface layers, so we can expect more dry chalky feel for the first few hours of the day.  The High North is still holding up nicely, with the cold dry soft snow still happening out of the Sun’s reach.  The lines have been smoothing with the lack of heavy traffic, so more aggressive lines can be taken with out the jarring effects of the interference patterns.   Here is a shot of Pagan Bowl that has finally been signed with some nice looking tracks.  Great conditions are happening despite the low snow fall this year.  IBBY!!

It was full on Winter cold this morning as the Tram hit the peak.  The Temp. was 13 degrees with a fair breeze still blowing after the front had moved through overnight.  1 inch of accumulation was all we could squeeze out of the last impulse, but it was enough to make the conditions fun and fast in the bright Sun.  Out in Mineral Basin,  White Diamonds and Lower Silver Dipper had been re buffed, tilling the fresh installment into the mat, which offered a dry cold feel.  Lewis and Clark had been over looked yesterday, and those blown in lines were very silky on the low angle aspects.  The High North was offering some of the best conditions of recent memory and there was a lot of pressure for those obvious lines.  The cold air held on all day long with only the very last couple of hours offering any kind of softening at all.  I stayed all day, as the consistency remained excellent and improving as the late Sun finally softened runs like Regulator.  Here is a shot of Door # 1 under the Zoom Chair with the Sun finally high enough in the sky to throw these rays on it.  Tomorrow, look for another cold morning, but warming will be a bit earlier.  Those freshly Groomed lines will be offering the goods to start, but the High North is still soft and offering smooth lines. Those aspects that baked all day and finally softened will be crispy, but I expect some additional tenderizing to be employed there.  The front of the hill will still be offering dry cold lines, though the lowest elevations will be a touch crispy for the first few hours.  A later start will get you the break, but an early start will not disappoint.  See you there for the fast laps and bright Sun.  Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!!

Bright Sun greeted the morning crew as the Tram hit the peak.  It was quite cold with a stiff breeze blowing out of the West.  Mineral Basin was calling, and some wind lines had built up overnight, however, that East facing aspect was seriously crunchy underneath the accumulated transported snow.  White Diamonds had been freshly buffed, and with the new snow from yesterday tilled into the mat, that drop seemed mid January delightful.  Lewis and Clark laps were offering low angle untracked lines that had been overlooked during yesterday’s visibility issues.  The bottom was in play, but the low angle lines made the ride smooth and tasty.  On the front of the hill, the Groomers were also very nice, though a bit firm, especially on the very lowest elevations.  The High North aspects were much improved with the new product, and reports from Great Scott were favorable.  As promised, I did a full on survey of one of the big off trail areas to see how the off trail was fairing.  I found the new snow cushioned the Gnar fairly well, but still one needed to be cognizant of the piled up frozen surface below.  I had fun doing the survey, but I will be sticking with the known smooth for the next time.  Here is a shot of some snow swells way out on the far reaches.  They were running 10′ every 15 seconds and stacked to the horizon.  Tomorrow, look for some additional accumulation forecast for overnight, giving way to a sunny morning as the system moves out of the area.  North wind will still be pumping very cold air, so be sure to dress for cold.  If this morning was any indication, put on an extra layer.  Brrrrr.  The Groomers will be offering more smoothness for the morning session, and the High North aspects will still be worth checking out with the new product.  Stay with the smooth lines, and avoid those South, East and West facing aspects that will not be thawing out at all if the forecast temps. hold up.  See you there for the fun and fast laps.  IBBY!!

A fast moving front moved into the Wasatch, delivering a 4 to 5” installment of medium to high density product, depending on the elevation.  After yesterday’s Spring time feel, this morning brought back a full on Winter blast that included blinding wind gusts, very marginal visibility, and some fresh frosting that was the perfect consistency to stick to the old layer.  Sticking to the smooth lines was key, as the off trail was seriously bouncy and jarring if you missed the line.  The morning crew split up to do recon work on different sides of the hill.  With visibility at a premium, I opted to let the other guys sound the Abyss of Mineral Basin, with reports of smooth untracked lines on the Groomers, though the visibility was Zero Zero.  I led a recon of Mark Malu, which also was rated Zero Zero for those morning hours, finding very nice smooth lines that actually gave me knee shots of fresh product.  We actually got kind of lost for lack of reference, but finally got some bearings lower down on the hill.  Here is a shot I got of the Mine on the other side of the Valley as it caught a window of Sunshine during the heavy part of the impulse that was hitting the hill.  After the new snow got skied out, the Harbor Chop built up quickly, sending me to the Forklift Chair to consider the options.  Visibility improved as the morning impulse moved off, but I was going to get some work done on the Trailer.   Tomorrow, look for additional accumulation to have continued overnight, so there will be fresh lines for the morning session.  The off trail, while still problematic, should be improving with the high density cushion that is building up.  I will venture off into the known smooth off trail sections tomorrow, to get a feel for the ride.  At this time of the season, the quality does not stand up for long like it does early in the season, so it is important to get to it early and fast.  See you there for the morning freshies.  Syrup won’t stop ‘EM!!

The Sun was out in force for the first few hours of the day, illuminating Mineral Basin, where those big lines had been prepared for the folks who showed up early.  The tenderized lines held up for the first hour and a half, offering that cold granular feel that kept me doing laps back there for the duration.   On the Front of the hill, tenderizing efforts had been employed, making those lines fun and fast.  Light traffic kept the pace moving with no waiting and wide open slopes.  It was Customer Appreciation Day today and there was donuts, hot chocolate, and coffee on hand for everyone.  Here is a shot of Mr Collins offering me a personally selected donut to go with the coffee.  Thanks guys!!The break came around Noon, when the hill started to soften up slowly.  It was great getting the goods before the consistency got too soft.  The off trail was slow in softening, and staying clear on those aspects was highly recommended until it softened up.  With the Spring feel, there are plenty of folks getting in the spirit of the day.  Here is a shot of Billy Bob sporting a very festive shell.  Tomorrow, look for the weather to have changed back into a Winter feel, with snow expected for the next few days.  This will be a welcome change to the current pattern. Remember those smooth lines to keep the ride consistent, as this initial accumulation will take a while to cushion the old layer.  The cover is still very good overall, and any more cover will go a long way to smoothing out the dance floor.    I was thrilled to see Luis and Elizabeth, who were back visiting us after they had retired from the ski life and giving a life time to the dance.  Rock on folks, great to see you!!  It will be an interesting morning, and I will be staying close to the Groomers while I wait for it to build up.  See you there for the weather change.  IBBY!!