The clouds hung low on the peaks this morning, delivering light flurries to start the cycle that will extend through the holiday, and perhaps a tad beyond. With all the clouds, visibility was marginal at best and the firmness factor was still fully engaged. There was still some traction to be found if you held the line that has been working all week on both sides of the hill. I am glad I got a good look at the features before everything begins to get covered. Traffic was very light and walk on Trams were happening, which left plenty of room to keep the vertical training laps going.

Tomorrow, look for the cycle to keep bringing the goods in manageable quantities to keep the hill open, while the pack builds in. I will still be sticking with the tried and true, avoiding the interference pattered sections I checked out and taking in the smoothing sections that were getting a bit of wind action. Traffic should still be fairly light, with lots of choices to keep things moving. See you there for the dark and early laps and fresh accumulation. Visualize Face Shots!!!

Another very warm day with shrouded sunlight, very firm prepared lines, light traffic, made for great training runs top to bottom. I was on a full on observation program, looking at the hill with an eye for lines that will be good to go when this incoming weather begins to fill things in. I was also taking careful notes of lines I will still be avoiding for some time till they get packed out once again, giving them a bit more cushion. Some areas of Sun popped out after Noon, making the visibility more well defined which was a nice touch.

Storms are lined up to move in over the next few days, with Christmas Day delivering the brunt of the energy. Tomorrow, look for some light accumulation, marginal visibility, still very firm prepared lines, and light traffic to be on tap. The flow is looking much better and I am confident that the hill will come together quickly and get more accessible with each passing impulse.

Now is the time to dial in your best inner visualizations of overhead face shots, so as to manifest an epic cycle. Why not indeed!!!!

A sunny Saturday, with warm temps, light traffic, and wide open lines made for another great training day on the hill. There was a lot of interest in the Gad 2 explorations, which gave those who were intrepid an opportunity to get an up close and personal look at the pack. The prevailing pack was variable and slabby depending on aspect. With a light touch one could stay in the upper layers, which was the best call for sampling the goods there. Good traction on the prepared lines was still holding up, though the firmness factor was still fully in play. Those well worked off trail lines in the Peruvian Gulch had some low amplitude interference patterns and rumble to deal with. The obvious features were well defined, which let you keep a flow line that kept it fun.

Tomorrow, look for another great training day on the hill. I expect traffic to be light once again and all those openings will still be waiting for you to check out the pack and the terrain features for data input going forward. Keep it tight!!!

With the firmness holding strong on the hill, it is beginning to feel like “groundhog days” with the conditions remaining the same day after day. The Sun was shining, but the high thin cloud deck made the light flat in the early AM and still kept anything in the shade murky as well. Gad 2, Peruvian, and Mid Gad opened today, which let you dial in some new terrain and get a look around at the pack. Reports from Gad 2 were encouraging with some fresh untracked lines if you were willing to venture off the beaten path.

Tomorrow, look for continued firm conditions, a bit more traffic on the hill, and the option to check out the new lines accessed by the new lift openings. Be sure to use caution as early season issues persist and will find you if you push too hard. Continued warm temps will be in the mix as well, letting the pack soften up later in the day. I’ll be taking the day off to rest up. Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!!

Solid training conditions were on tap today, with firm pack, well tilled lines, good traction, and light traffic. It was easy to make back to back Trams to work up the vertical stamina, which will be needed when the cover and quality improves in the not too distant future. There are a series of impulses upstream, that will be entering the area going into the holiday season. It will be happening just in the nick of time for the influx of seekers looking for the goods. I was checking out the off trail lines in Peruvian Gulch that have been getting worked with all the good skiers going for the fringes. Most of the obvious hazards and features are now visible, but there are still lots of snags threatening to surface from day to day. Slide with caution, but these are the days to get a good look at what will be getting covered for your need to know file going forward.

Tomorrow, look for more good training runs to be on tap on both sides of the hill. A fresh till will be worked on both sides of the hill, and I expect the traction to continue to be trustworthy and just enough to keep things real and under control. I expect continued light traffic to make max vertical acquisition a training plus. Hold your deepest visualizations clearly in your Inner Vision to maximize the manifestation effect. Think Deep Thoughts!!!!

With clearing skies and warmer temps, the mountain was offering great visibility for the day, with unlimited clarity wall to wall all over the hill. Regulator and lower sections of Gad Valley were smooth, with plenty of traction, and some light man made dust covering some sections, that added a lot to the silky feel. Having the Sun up and shining on the pack went a long way to improving the feel and attack on each turn. A nice touch on the day.

The Peruvian Gulch opened after an hour or so after first Tram, offering exploratory lines that demanded full attention to the abrupt variations that live there. I was sticking with the prepared lines to take advantage of the dry chalky feel of the snow that has been hanging in the shade for days. It is nice to stop and admire the soft openings of untracked areas in anticipation of the big deep days to come.

Tomorrow, look for more smooth lines to be on tap for training in the more consistent pack that is on tap these mornings. The Grooming Crew is doing a great job keeping the buff feeling good. The Sun should be shining and temps will remain moderate. Keep it tight!!!

It was a wild and windy morning with some brisk snow showers working the high elevations. Visibility was marginal at best, so I went for the known smooth lines on Regulator and was treated to some light accumulation, which provided some good traction going over the break over section. With the stout wind, the wind blown effect was really working adding up some more accumulation in pockets. Down closer to the trees, the reflected light provided some definition and captured the wind deposited threads.

The Peruvian side of the hill was still an exploration, especially with the marginal visibility, however, there were some nicely wind blown lines that let you feel that natural texture that only the wind provides. Tomorrow, look for better visibility as the impulse moves out and the High moves in for the next couple of days. Look for the prepared lines to be offering the most consistent feel, but look for some wind blown smooth in sections that might well be worth the time to check on. IBBY!!!

Traffic was light again today, but the hill was offering very nice prepared lines that were slilky smooth, which let you arc turns that felt real and consistent top to bottom on the Gad side of the hill. The morning light was flat, though there were some clear windows letting some sunlight through creating some amazing vistas.

A larger opening was on tap with a gate regulated entrance into upper Peruvian Gulch that let me get a first hand look at the pack back there. The prepared lines were smooth and consistent, but off the prepared lines was very stiff and slabby, with quite a bit of rumble from yesterday’s traffic. I was staying in strict observation mode top to bottom, checking out the variations that have yet to be filled in by the additional snowfall. That will come in time. Lower Chips Face and Willows was worked and offered consistent smooth, but visibility in the flat light made it tough to see any detail.

Tomorrow, look for some overnight accumulation as a quick moving impulse is on the doorstep, which will bring a few inches of freshness. The machine worked lines will, once again, be offering some carvacious texture with a fresh till. I expect visibility to be an issue for the opening with some clearing later. I’ll be venturing into Peruvian Gulch once again to push out the boundaries of my observations, stay tuned. Traffic should be light once again. Remain Standing!!!

As anticipated, the new product was worked into the mat, offering much improved consistency top to bottom. Being able to dial in a reliable arc with confidence was a real treat for sure. Traffic was brisk, but turnaround time was still negligible. The Little Cloud chair was turning, adding some welcome uphill options for the weekend. I expect continued operation of that lift going forward, but check the lift access on the Bird site.

Tomorrow, look for more excellent machine worked lines top to bottom, lighter traffic, and great conditions for piling up some vertical. Training days are over, now it’s time to get down to it. See you there for the early laps and wide open lines. IBBY!!!

After the long stretch of training conditions, this last installment really kicked in the base building for the season going forward. It was great to see that small opening of the Peruvian Gulch and I look forward to dialing in lines there when a larger window opens. The new snow also provided the material to re pave the prepared lines which will offer that solid traction that I have been dreaming about dialing in. I was able to dial in a few turns in the sweet soft Gun Powder that had been laid down in sections, but, having this larger addition, I am going to enjoy locking and loading the edges when I get back on the hill tomorrow.

Tomorrow, look for more fun in the new accumulation. Be sure to check the run reports for updates on openings and keep your ear to the rail during Tram announcements for openings as they occur. I am waiting on my first hand look at the rest of the mountain after which I will have a much better feel for the overall developments. Use care as you explore the new terrain. More accumulation is in the forecast so we can expect excellent conditions to be on tap daily for the coming days. I’ll be back on the hill in the AM, and will be looking for some larger windows to peer through.. Stay Frosty!!