A clear warm morning greeted the Faithful who were on hand for the opening of the Cirque Traverse, which offered delightful untracked lines for the few who knew the way to the goods. Traffic was light, so the pressure for the fresh lines was modest, letting the ambitious seekers do some real laps for the goods. That, these days of mass consumption, was a real rarity and folks were able to really capitalize on this opening. Bonus lines. As the area got worked, the consistency stiffened up, making the turns a tad bouncy, but still blastable. Coverage was really good, but caution was still required close to those known reef sections off the ridgeline.

The prepared lines were dry cold and chalky on the Peruvian side of the hill, but a very firm situation was happening on the Gad side of the hill, where looking for the spare dry pockets was key in maintaining a grip on the surfaces top to bottom. I was working on my top to bottom, non stop, stamina today to get the flow feeling dialed in. The snow guns had deposited some very nice gun powder on the Peruvian side and Who Dunnit was open and offering a very nice dialable ride on the bottom of the hill. Tomorrow, look for more Sun and fun, with a fresh till job on both sides of the hill. Those early morning runs in the shade are a real test of your flat light perception, but as the Sun rises higher, definition improves markedly. Off trail is quite stiff and lumpy, with some interference patterns building on the high traffic lines. Great cover on both sides of the hill and nice warm days for building vertical stamina. Stay Frosty!!!

The temps were a bit warmer this morning, but still had a nip in the air. High clouds hung over the range, making the light very flat and hard to discern the variations. There was clearing in the West, but it never moved over the range. The Peruvian Gulch was open again today, and new lines were opened, with Rat’s Nest being the sleeper line. The quality was amazing as the last installment was quite light and fluffy, making that bit of freshness a total score if you were there for the drop. Coverage is looking good on the Peruvian Gulch side, which offered nicely prepared lines and excellent snow making, with only a few icy spots near some guns.

I am working on my stamina and am sticking with the prepared lines while the off trail gets worked over. The next installment will be the green light I have been waiting for, when I will feel comfortable going for the wide open terrain. Tomorrow, look for clearer skies, moderate temps, great off trail lines and, perhaps, more opening of new terrain. Keep your eyes peeled for new and exciting lines. See the line, Be the line!!!

There were clouds still hanging on the peaks, but clearing was happening as the morning moved forward. The temps were cold, supporting the continued snow making efforts all over the hill. That fast moving impulse of lake effect snow left a dusting here at The Trailer, and it also helped add some cushion and freshness on the hill. The Peruvian Gulch opened today for the first time of the season, offering more terrain to spread the traffic out on the hill. I am very excited to check out the pack on that side of the hill first hand. Still, I will be taking a look without getting too far afield due to the still thin pack.

Tomorrow, look for more clearing off of the clouds and I expect to get a close up look at Peruvian Gulch and will be able to report a better assessment. Look for continued cold temps, but no wind to speak of. Look for fresh prepared lines on both sides of the hill, and scope out for yourself the lines on the hill that will be opening as we go forward. Look for possible snags, outcroppings, and abrupt terrain transitions that will be nice to have in your pocket for top to bottom laps. See you there for a bigger dance floor to work. Straight Ahead!!

A light dusting covered The Trailer this morning as a front moved through over night. Up on the hill the storm was raging with intent, where the wind was swirling in all directions. The temps were not too cold, so the density was medium and piled up quickly. The Faithful were on deck early, but were relegated to Gad Zoom which had a delayed opening. The pack is really starting to build up, covering even more of the natural features, but caution is still important to keep in mind in these early season forays off the beaten path.

Tomorrow, look for some clearing as the weather moves East. There should be some really nice corduroy to dial in and some improved wind buffed lines off trail. Since there has been little to no traffic off the Tram the past couple of days, the side stashes will be worth a look see and the guts should be holding some depth. I expect a bit more traffic with the weekend. I’ll be taking the day off, so dial in some turns for me. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

A fast moving front moved through, leaving rain in the valley and snow up higher of the grauple variety. There was a few inches of accumulation which felt good under foot, however, with the last couple of days of Sun, the firmness factor increased markedly, making the consistency quite variable. High winds up at the high elevations put the Tram on hold, so I went to the Forklift to assess the options.

There were some spots of clearing here and there around Noon, but clouds still hung on the peak. Tomorrow, look for more accumulation as another impulse is forecast to move in. I expect similar delays in the openings due to the continued stability issues on the hill. The pack should become softer with additional cover, but that firm layer will still be in the mix. Traffic was very light and I expect traffic to remain light. Great training conditions both for the legs and inner vision in the difficult visibility. It all adds up to better performance when you can put it all together when you need it. Speed Safely!!!

Traffic was light today with walk on Trams and walk on Chairs, which made for a really good training day. Maximum vertical was available to work your turns and get the stamina building for the deep zone. Bright Sun was featured, and, as anticipated, the Sun had worked Regulator yesterday, leaving a bit of a crunchy feel to the prepared lines. There was plenty of traction to keep your velocity in check, but it was not the dry chalk we had yesterday. Big Emma was offering the dry chalk as it had escaped the direct Sun, so it offered some delightful velvet turns on the left of the prepared line. Very nice.

Tomorrow, look for some overcast and wind to be in the mix as a storm is moving just North and may bring some flurries. A stronger Low pressure is upstream and will be here for the end of the week. Coverage remains quite good, but the off trail is quite stiff and demands an aggressive approach to blast through the variations. I expect light traffic to be a feature again for tomorrow’s training runs. Back to back is really fun.

See you there for the opening bell and some more early season stamina work!! BE ROUND!!

It was a beautiful morning with fairly warm temps and not a cloud in the sky. Visibility was perfect wall to wall, and as the sun came up over the ridge, Regulator was dry and chalky!! Having that vivid resolution made dialing in the turns much sweeter after fighting the visibility during the last weather cycle.

The good visibility also made checking out the very active slide activity that has occurred with the mitigation efforts quite impressive. The Peruvian Gulch is looking better with the new accumulation and a moose was checking out the possibilities in the Tower 3 Area.

Tomorrow, look for more very nice grooming lines, with off trail lines offering stiff but consistent quality. With Sun shining so brightly, and the warm temps, I expect the fresh tilled lines to be a touch crispy. Not crispy like the Spring, but it will have a bit of crunch. I expect continued light traffic and laps are fun to make. Watch your SIX!!!

High density snow and high winds have made for a very volatile snow pack that demands respect. The high density is great for building the base and covering the gnar quickly and flushing the weak layers from the early accumulation in October. The Faithful were in full attendance dark and early for the day’s festivities, but the opening of terrain was delayed till 10:30AM or so, when Gad Zoom opened. I had been assessing the options in the Forklift and called it a day after commiserations with the crew.

Coverage is improving greatly and venturing off the beaten path is much more trustworthy, with the density cushioning the ride. Still, caution is a must till we get a fair bit more product under foot. Tomorrow, look for better weather, a better look at what we have to work with and much softer feel to the turns. I will be looking for smooth prepared lines to get my legs moving again after a long stretch in the High Desert. Getting better by the day and it won’t be long till we are back at full on shredville. Stay Frosty!!

This storm has delivered a heapin’ helpin’ of high density product that will go a long way to building the pack and getting the party started. The Bird is reporting 38″ in the last 48 hours, but it is raining briskly here at The Trailer, and snow is accumulating in the higher elevations as I write this with not much indication of let up any time soon. The lifts did not open today due to the difficult stability issues with the new product and high wind factors.

Tomorrow, look for a slow start as the control mitigation continues. I expect the cover to have improved markedly off the prepared lines, but expect early season hazards to still be in the mix off the beaten path. Be most cautious as you tread for the next while as the pack builds and consistency improves. It is a long season and has only just begun. Think Deep Thoughts!!!

More Essence accumulated overnight, and along with the snow making efforts, the base is building up little by little. It won’t be too long till more of the hill opens and the coverage improves. There is more in store tonight and tomorrow as the Low Pressure punches through the front.

With more accumulation predicted overnight, I expect there to be some restriction in the Canyon, so check the Bird’s site for up to date info. I am hoping this next installment will have a bit more moisture so it will help build the base we need to get more terrain open. See you there for the morning fun. Keep it tight!!!