This fast moving front delivered the perfect storm, where the winds ahead of the front smoothed the dance floor and deposited 13″ of stellar Essence in the early morning hours. The faithful showed up early to get the goods and were rewarded with amazing quality on all sides of the hill as the different sections of the hill opened in order. All aspects on the hill were prime for full engagement, with the previous cover providing the consistency around the dial to make any call a good call. The quality of the product was blower and picture perfect wall to wall. It just doesn’t get better.

Tomorrow, look for more great conditions on the hill, with more pockets of goodness still waiting to be found. Another storm is moving in, which will bring clouds, so dress for cold and expect some flat light issues. All aspects still should be feeling smooth after the wind buffed the substrate, so enjoy some full on power blasting. I’ll be taking tomorrow off, so dial some face shots in for me. Remain Standing!!

The winds were shaking The Trailer all night long and did not let up at all today. With wind speed that high, it kept all the lifts but Chickedee off line for the day. The wind also was super smoothing all the surfaces as it swirled, buffed, and deposited all the loose material on all aspects. Gone now are all the interference patterns, rumble and static that was resident on the the hill, and a fresh canvas is now prepared for the incoming storm that is on the doorstep.

Tomorrow, look for continued wind as the front approaches, and will deliver another installment to add to the pack. With the smooth substrate, the hill will be in perfect condition to throw down with unmitigated audacity. Be sure to check the Bird’s site for updates on openings and current weather conditions. Dial it up, Dial it in!!!

The wind was nuking out of the South today moving a lot of material from those West faces to the North aspects. The Tram was down due to the super high gusts, but the chairs were operating with the Little Cloud Chair in the mix for those intrepid enough to brave the conditions. Wind blown dust covered the machine worked lines, which offered silky smooth turns that felt luxurious under foot. There were still some pockets of powder to be found if you looked.

The Sun was fully blazing, but with the low angle and cold temps the quality remains excellent and only affected by the wind. I was scoping out the lines to have all the features stowed in my mind for the next installment. You don’t want to snag one of those stray branches that is easily avoided now when it gets covered. Tomorrow, look for some of the aspects to have been filled in with the transported product. There may be some very delightful lines waiting for the observant slider. The Groomers were amazing, as anticipated, and I expect the quality to improve as the lines get continually massaged. IBBY!!

17″ of fresh Essence covered the dance floor this morning, which was cold dry and totally blower for all the faithful who showed up for the festivities. The density was around 7or 8% but seemed a bit denser with the wind work that affected it. Some aspects were totally blower light, but others took a full throttle fall line approach to power blast through the medium. There was plenty of depth to buffer the old substrate, but here and there that crusty layer echoed it’s presence.

More and more sections of the hill opened, offering everyone a share of the sweet, sweet product. It did not take long for sections to get worked over, but the cold dry consistency and low Sun angle made for dialable Blastitude. No lines on the lifts made getting back at it fast and fun. Tomorrow, look for the groomers to have been worked and will be offering stellar quality for your Ligety Laydown turns, and the off trail will still be offering plenty of options, so keep your eyes open. More areas are waiting in the wings, so it is still going to deliver an amazing window for more epic lines. Big shout out to Mikey M and the gang for sending shots that really represent!! Straight Ahead!!!

The front held off until 1:30PM, but up on the mountain it was blowin’ and snowin’ to beat the band. There was 4″ of fresh Essence on top of the firm base layer which was quite crunchy and variable in the very marginal visibility. Staying with the trees was best, so as to have some reference points in the blowing snow environment. Low angle aspects were feeling the best for consistency as the steeper sections required a careful and deliberate approach.

Tomorrow, look for another storm day as the flow is still coming out of the West and the accumulation should be significant. Expect cold and a slow start with mitigation efforts being performed on the hill. Today’s density was just right, and I’ll bet it continues to be just right as the temps are cold and will stay that way. The coverage is excellent, however, with the new accumulation, those features that were evident these past days will be getting covered. Glad I got a good look at all the aspects before this installment got started. IBBY!!!

After a fast moving impulse dropped an inch of Essence on the dance floor, the morning dawned clear and blue. As the Sun rose it really made the hill look super 3D. I returned through the Time Portal after encountering some dodgy Quantum Foam that made the transition interesting to say the least.

The snowmaking was in full effect, offering some delightful lines of Gun Powder that just begged for deeply carved turns to extract as much goodness from those silky sections as possible. The Grooming Crew had done a great job, and the snow quality, while still firm, was easy to negotiate and offered plenty of traction. The off trail is getting a touch stiff again, and a deliberate approach to the turn there is required. There has been plenty of new terrain open since I left, and it was fun to take a look at the sections of the hill

Jake sent me these shots of his Gad 2 investigations the other day, where the cover is great as well and the Grooming Crew has prepared some very dialable lines.

Traffic was light and back to back laps were on tap, with wide open sections that let you work on stamina and flow. Tomorrow, look for the weather to be changing quickly as the storm moves in for the next couple of days. We can expect some good accumulation, so dress for storm conditions.

The hill remains fairly smooth overall, but those high traffic areas have got a bit worked with rumble, interference patterns having built up. However, the coming installment will take care of that trifle with ease. Lay it over like Ligety!!!

With super light traffic, smooth grooming efforts, and gun powder sections that felt great, it was a great day to dial in some hot laps to get the momentum going for the season. Coverage remains excellent with no sign of any areas getting worked off. That base is super strong and it not going anywhere. Off trail is beginning to build some static and interference patterns, but the quality is good and is quite consistent.

Tomorrow, look for some scattered clouds as a weak front moves through with, perhaps, a few flurries. Visibility will not be quite as good as it has been these last few days with such great Sunshine and high definition. Conditions will remain unchanged and can be counted on for consistent slide ability. I will be going Off Planet for the next few days, so I will be off The Grid, but no surprises are expected, however, The Tram may open on Friday, so keep an eye on the Bird’s site for confirmation. Don’t forget to SIZZLE!!

The temps were still chilly, but a touch warmer than yesterday, and, when the Sun came up higher, the inversion was really evident. Grooming efforts had been worked on all sides of the hill, making some of the slicker spots easier to get some traction as the pack is getting firmer by the day. Interference patterns are beginning to build in the high traffic areas that are being hit off trail, but the coverage is good and it inspires confidence. Still, I was looking around at the pack and taking notes of some of the untracked areas that will become open in the near future, so I can have those features logged into my mind for the coming accumulation.

Tomorrow, look for more great turning, with special emphasis on training, control, flow, and finesse. With such light traffic, it is easy to get comfortable letting it loose and gliding the slick spots. Good Gun Powder is still available under the operating guns, which provide silky smooth traction on those steep sections. Felt like I made a couple of real turns today, but my legs are feeling wobbly. Be sure to watch for slick conditions in the lower canyon as this inversion is making for some black ice. Be aware. Rock Steady!!

Temps were much warmer this morning and the crowd was very light to start out the day. That made for a much more relaxed atmosphere with lots of room to work and no feelings of concern about extraneous contact. The snow guns were blowing strong, depositing some really lovely Gun Powder that made some of those exposures below the guns silky smooth and carvalicious. I was making non stop runs and worked from one side of the hill to the other and back again.

The hill remains in great shape with the Groomers offering good soft dust that lets you keep things real without having to jam the turns to keep it under control The off trail has set up and is now quite stiff as it has been worked over in most of the available areas. There are, however, little nuggets of goodness stashed away for the observant slider. While the coverage is very consolidated and trustworthy, it is wise to keep a close eye to the lines that are now visible which have some features that will come into play as we get more cover. It is good to know where those features live before hand. Tomorrow, expect continued excellent early season conditions, and warming temps. It will still remain cold enough to keep the pack well refrigerated and consistent. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!

The day was clear and cold on the hill today. Moderate traffic made the uphill laps quick and fun. The Grooming Crew did a great job providing some excellent corduroy, and there is plenty of cover to keep you from having to worry about any clutter.

Tomorrow, look for more great conditions with freshly prepared carpets, and still a few pockets to find. I will be staying on the pack to get my legs back in gear after a Summer roaming around the High Desert!! Speed Safely!!