It was a sunshine funshine morning with warming temps, wide open lines, and not a huge crowd for a big holiday weekend. The Tram was well attended as the day began, but the chairs and Mineral Basin pulled in the lion’s share of the crowd and left the up hill wait quick and easy. Having the Sun up and higher in the sky puts more light on the hill early and opens some other choices for the opening bell.

Tomorrow, look for more excellent conditions, with lots of prepared lines on all sides of the hill. There will be an early push for the opening bell, but I will bet it will ease up quickly after everyone gets spread out. I’ll be looking for the fresh untracked corduroy which will be waiting and smooth for accessing your inner Ligety. It is great having these warmer temps to start out the day. That last week was rather nippy. The hill has good cover with only a few spots that are getting thin, but they are easy to get around. Stay Frosty!!!

The weekend begins with perfect temps, where it was cold enough to keep thing refrigerated, and warm enough to keep my fingers from freezing. White Diamonds got the full treatment and was offering soft nicely prepared lines that let you dial into lower Silver Dipper with unmitigated audacity. It was a day to lay it over like Ligety. Off trail was still offering soft snow, but was still sporting some old static and interference patterns all over the hill. There was still cold dry untracked if you looked and went a bit out of your way.

Traffic was fairly light and there were back to back Trams to keep the party rockin’. The hill began to get busy in the afternoon, but the snow was still happening all over the hill. Tomorrow, look for a bit more traffic, still soft snow to be found and some very silky prepared lines to work for the morning session. Be sure to follow the Sun as it is getting higher in the sky these days and it is making a difference.

I’ll be taking the day off tomorrow to rest up and give my knees a break. It will be a great day and enjoy the ground pounding fun. Thank you to whoever turned my camera into Public Safety!!! It was a prayer answered!! Blessings!!

Speed Safely!!

8″ of fresh essence covered the dance floor for this morning’s festivities. The density was super Utah light, that offered little to no cushion against the hard substrate, which was fully in play on all aspects. Low angle lines were feeling the best and provided the most float. The groomers were feeling sweet and soft and let you really dig in to set up some high edge angles. There was a push for the goods, but the Tram line moved quickly and the chairs were empty with the exception of the Mineral Chair. A stout wind was blowing making for very cold temps, however, with the bright Sun, the day warmed up a bit.

Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be offering the best lines, with soft dialable corduroy that will be perfect for the morning session. I expect traffic to pick up with the beginning of the holiday weekend. Off trail is still going to be quite variable with such a short installment. Perhaps we will be getting more in the up coming week. The hill is in great shape to take on a healthy dose of Goodness!! IBBY!!!

After a very long wait The Front finally got snow falling on the dance floor. Today started out with just an inch, but increasing intensity began pile up the product. Light traffic was still holding up, with back to back Trams keeping the stoke up. Of course the old layer was in full effect on all aspects and remembering the smooth lines was key in the very limited visibility.

Tomorrow, look for additional accumulation as it is dumping here at The Trailer as I write this. The old layer will still be in play but having a lot more cushion will make for much better conditions. The snow should be letting up for the morning session, so visibility will be improving. I expect significant interest for this fresh Essence and traffic will reflect that. The consistency here at The Trailer is ultra light and the fresh product will be uber light as well. Dial it up, Dial it in!!!

The morning dawned bright and warm even though the wind blew hard last night. The expected front was delayed and is still on track to move in for tomorrow. The Sun was shining, however, there was a high thin cloud deck hanging over the Front all day, making the light a tad flat in the shade. The runs were wide open and the traffic was very light with walk on Trams going off all day long.

Tomorrow, I think we can look forward to some precipitation. How much is up in the air. Any addition will be welcome. I was scoping out the smooth lines for later reference when the visibility goes away. I expect light traffic again, and I will be dressing up for colder and stormy conditions. We’ll just have to see how it shakes out.

Remain Standing!!

It was a beautiful warm morning, with bright Sun, smooth Groomers, and light traffic for today’s festivities. The wind was light, so there was nothing in the way of transported snow to be found, but the natural smooth was still holding up on those lines that have been obvious for days.

Traffic remained light all day long and back to back Trams were easy and fast to make. Regulator was extra primo firm and even at 1PM it was still pretty slick. Tomorrow, look for some weather to be in the mix. There is great debate about how much accumulation the hill will get, so we will have to see how it shakes out. Visibility will be an issue, and you can expect some variable sections. Be sure to ride the smooth lines as the interference patterns will be tricky. Straight Ahead!!!

The Sun was shining bright and the temps were quite a bit warmer this morning. The Groomers were really fun and fast, with good traction on the firm mats. I was following the Sun right out of the chute and then stayed ahead of the crowd as they arrived. As the Sun gets higher, the reflected light from Superior brightens up the North side of the hill a lot more these days and there is good detail in the shade. Off trail, naturally smoothed lines are still happening and are well worth the effort to get there.

Trams were walk on fast all day and the back to back boogie was happening. Fast and furious.

Tomorrow, look for more top to bottom rock and roll as the hill will be wide open with light traffic. The temps should be nice once again and the wide open smooth is waiting to be worked and dialed. Coverage remains good, but there are a few spots that are rasty but very easy to avoid. IBBY!!!

The weather was perfect today out ahead of a change coming in the week ahead. Blue bird skies ruled and the warmer temps made it feel like spring. The High North aspects still are holding the cold and have not yet been affected by the increasing temps. Wide open Groomers were on tap for the early risers, who got to enjoy that untracked corduroy. Only those due South and West faces had seen the Sun and had that frozen kitty litter feel that made holding and edge a challenge.

Tomorrow, look for more warming as the South wind begins to kick in ahead of the weather. Those South and West faces will be interesting, however, the Grooming efforts make them much more dialable, especially for those first tracks runs. I expect fair traffic, so get there early for the emptiest lines of the day. There are still plenty of smooth lines to be found off trail if you look. See you there for the morning goodness!! Speed Safely!!

The wind was blowing once again this morning and had been blowing overnight, scouring some areas and depositing accumulations of dust in others. Large pools of dust had settled into the nap of many of the prepared corduroy, which provided sumptuous carpets of AHHHHH on many aspects. The Sun was working, but the air still had a nip in it, however, it was evident the day was going to warm up. A Freeride Contest was been held on upper Silver Fox and there was plenty of activity on the Peruvian side of the hill.

Traffic was fairly light all morning long, though it did build up for the Mineral Basin offerings. Traffic built up on the front of the hill in the afternoon, but the lines were still wide open and fun. Tomorrow, look for more great lines of smooth wind deposited dust, with the South and West facing aspects softening later in the day. Traffic will be brisk, so stay ahead of the crowd which is easy to do. The hill is in great shape and coverage is good. That contest will still be going on, so expect some congestion in the finish area. I’ll be taking the day off to recoup for the coming week. Stay Frosty!!

It warmed up quite a bit this morning making for some very tasty temps for the day. The wind was still blowing out of the North with just the least bit of nip to start out the day. The big smooth lines are still holding up and are improving with each day. The Groomed lines are amazing on all sides of the mountain, and, with the wind transporting the dust, deposits large dust puddles in the corduroy that make for some sumptuous turns. Got to take the perfect where you find it and there is a lot to find if you get it early.

Traffic was light again and fast uphill access was happening on the front of the hill. I was going for the full top to bottom lines with the Tram being so wide open. Hot laps are fun!!

Tomorrow, look for more ground pounding fun on all sides of the hill. The hill is holding up nicely and coverage remains very good. The big smooth lines are really happening and are in a really rare condition that must be experienced to be appreciated. Love the smooth. Remain Standing!!