This morning was clear and cold with a peak temp. of 9 Degrees and stiff wind blowing up slope.  Mineral Basin was bathed in light, but the cold air and wind did little to warm the feel.  The Groomers were very nice, but they are getting quite firm overall, with some of the rime layer beginning to show through.  Even though that happened some time ago, the wind and ski traffic is beginning to work it’s way back down to that layer in select places, though there are some wind lines building here and there.  Still, the pace is fast and fun with the front side of the hill still holding the cold as it has stayed out of the low angle Sun.  Dry chalky lines can be found on the High North aspects, but a test traverse well into the far reaches of a West facing Lewis and Clark lap sent me traversing directly back to the Groomer to escape some treacherous breakable slab that has developed as the pack morphs.  Interference patterns are building in the high traffic areas, with some sections offering some high amplitude.  Here is a shot of a section that was being worked as I watched, thinking I was glad my knees did not have to deal with the vibrations.  The lighting helps to define the intensity of this line.  Adjacent to this line was a freshly buffed line of wind slab you could arc on with unbridled enthusiasm.  Tomorrow, look for continued cold temps., so be sure to dress for the morning cold.  I will be putting on my other coat as well as the insulated pants.  You won’t recognize me. Freshly worked Groomers will be on tap, and you can bet on smooth consistency.  Give Regulator a bit of time in the AM to soften and get worked a bit before hitting it.  Look for those steep machine worked areas on the lower front of the hill for some more excellent big mountain smooth.  For those who really love the interference patterns, there are plenty of lines to work all over the hill.  For myself, I will be looking for the smooth and the steep for the fix I need.  Here is a shot of Leopard Man sporting the most advanced development in Hydration Packs.  He better hope it does not start flying when he is in motion.  Fly fast Leopard Man, say hydrated.   Peace Out!!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 21st, 2015 at 5:19 pm and is filed under Snow Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.