After a very persistent High Pressure system that has been parked over the West, there is a definite change in the pattern, with a series of Lows lining up. With the days till opening ticking off quickly, this may be just the situation to make the opening go ahead as planned. That early snow is still up on the hill, and folks have been working Alta for quite a while and they have been having fun. I have been enjoying the warm days and have got The Trailer all set up again next to the corral and Snoopy and Prickly Pete are happy to have company.
A brand new Winch Cat waiting to be deployed for the coming season. These industrial smoothing machines work wonders on the hill.
The days are clicking by quickly, and I am going to hang on to every one and squeeze as much as I can out of each day. We will be back in the Fun Zone in no time. Wildman Would GO!!
There is snow on the hill after a fair early installment that made the hill look like it was getting ready for the season. Oktoberfest’s last weekend was last weekend and the next thing we know we will be back on the hill. I have moved the site to Mystic Media which is now hosting the site. I want to thank Chris for all the help getting it all move over from the previous server. I will post again soon when I get a handle on adding photos. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the opening date.
The Morning Crew gathered for a Forklift visit to get a look at the hill. Everyone is stoked.
It is full on Summer and, here in the middle of August, the temps. are flirting with the triple digits. Up on the hill, it is much cooler and perfectly clear. A huge rain event caused some serious mud and rock slides in the Canyon, which took quite a while to get cleared. Here is a shot of some of the mop up efforts after the majority of the material had been removed just below Lisa Falls.
Previously, this pile was over 15′ high with the material that came off the Canyon walls. Yikes.
Oktoberfest is now underway each weekend, and all the activities are in full swing. Mountain Biking is wide open and the folks are really having fun on the single track trail. Here is a shot of Team Mountain Rider getting their very first look at the peak and surrounding vistas. They are in for a treat.
This crew was getting a first hand look at the peak for the very first time. It is adventure time!!
I went on a time travel journey, where I went 2 hours into the future to the beach where I grew up. I watched my life pass before my eyes, and it was such an amazing time contemplating Fractal Time.
York Beach ME. and the Nubble Light as it always has been.
I have returned to the present time now and have been back up on the hill to reorient. The Wild Flowers are going off and full on summer is on, but it will be just a flash and we will be back on the Essence. Stay Frosty!!
Well, we are deep into the Summer with the heat hitting triple digits and the Sun is scorching. Up on the hill the snow still exists up high, but the mountain bike trails are open and folks are having a great time. Here is a cool shot of Brian Beck just beginning to exit this massive powder blast last season. I put this in just to help bring cool thoughts.
Enough to give you and ice cream headache in the heat of the Summer. This is one of the Shots that really speaks to last season.
The Cool Air Concerts have been going off every Saturday Night, with great bands playing for the folks getting out of the heat in the city. I took a Tram to the Peak and got this great shot of Team Olsen Twins who were taking in the vista from the top of the world.
Mr. Olsen, on the left, had never been to Hidden Peak, but used to ski Alta in his younger days and would tour into the Peruvian Gulch before Snowbird was built.
Here is a shot of the fins on the South wall of the lower Canyon. You only get to have this much light on it when the Sun is high in the sky.
These formations have seen a lot of Winters as they have stood over the aeons. Just a snap shot in time.
Get on up to the hill as often as you can and absorb the amazing energy that is resident there. The Concerts will be happening for a bit yet and then they will be getting ready for Oktoberfest. The Bird is truly a year round resort and it is right there in the back yard. Stay Frosty!!
I got an extra early start this morning to get a jump on the crowd, but the parking lot was filling up fast and, try as I might, made 2nd Tram of the morning. It was beautiful on the peak and the stoke was high. Here is a shot of the T Shirt that was made up for the day modeled by Chris Cage.
This is a really great design for this rare day. It was selling like hot cakes, and there were hot cakes on the Plaza for the pancake breakfast.
I made my way out to Mark Malu, where the Sun was softening the pack, but the shade was still frozen. I worked the less traveled lines in the shade that still had plenty of smooth and crystal traction. Here is a shot of Rick out on Hoopie’s.
Rick trying to blend into the surrounding landscape. This was his 4th run.
After one run, I bailed to hang out on the peak and take in the energy that was happening. I got to meet a lot of folks who were so stoked to be standing on top of the world. Here is a shot of Team Bliss mounting up for a great day on the hill.
Team Bliss soaking up the rays and checking out the pack. It is so fun to meet the folks that read the site.
As each Tram docked more ecstatic Faithful hit the peak. Here is a shot of two folks that were getting national TV coverage and were dressed in the spirit of the day.
It was really warm on the peak and I was obviously over dressed.
I took the Tram back down to the Plaza and there was a great band rocking the crowd gathered for the pancake breakfast. There were a lot of folks and it was hard to find a seat. Here is the Tram line as I was exiting to go to breakfast. It stretched clear to the top of Chickadee. Yikes.
Full Tram mazes and the line still extended to the top of Chickadee. There were a lot of folks who showed up for the festivities.
I hope everyone had a great day and a great season. The snow will return before we know it. Don’t forget the Fresh Air concerts on Saturday nights. It’s always a treat to get to the high elevations. I’ll be posting a season wrap up this weekend so stay tuned. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!
There was a full showing for the first Tram this morning, and the stoke was high for the day. The pack was very frozen, with no machine work off the Road to Provo and only minimal machine work was performed on Regulator as the pack is getting quite thin, but still with good coverage. There is a slight walk off the peak as the melt off is advancing. I got the first line down Regulator, which had plenty of traction to keep the speed under control. With no grooming out off the Road to Provo, the pack was quite difficult, with sun cups which demanded full attention. Here is a shot of two folks who were experiencing their first Peak Experience at The Bird. Both of them were blown away and the kid from Stow said he was down for next season.
High Stoke factor for these two who were seeing The Bird for the first time. We can all remember our first time. Priceless!1
Tomorrow, look for there to be firm conditions for the opening bell, marginal machine worked lines, but well covered lines to the bottom of the chair. There is a big push for the goods, so expect tightly packed traffic patterns before softening occurs when the crowd will be more dispersed. Here is a shot of a young bull Moose, who was enjoying breakfast in the fish pond. Mom was watching from the deep trees. Got to give this guy a lot of room.
A young bull Moose up close and personal. This is a telephoto shot, so he had plenty of room
Have a great time on the hill, and I’ll see you on the 4th of July for the last day. Speed Safely!!
Summer sliding continued today, with cool temps. on the peak and nicely prepared machine worked lines on both sides of the hill. I dressed up for the cold temps, but the Sun was warming things up quickly and the freshly tilled lines were softening up fast. There was a slow arrival of The Faithful, so the early hours where wide open, with the Road to Provo going begging for the first hour. I was able to put down hot laps there for quite a while before anyone showed up. Here is a shot of Olivia Kennedy, who was stoked to be on the Peak, and celebrating 100 days of skiing for the season.
Olivia Kennedy enjoying the sunshine a hitting the 100 day mark for the season.
With the cool temps. the pack maintained consistency for a long time and was still fully fun and fast at 11AM when I took the Tram down for the day. While I was waiting for the Tram down I ran into Burke Weir and The Ski Cop who were adding to the festive feel of the morning.
Nothing like a shot of Margarita to get the party started. These guys always bring the party.
It looks like we will be seeing some warm temps this week, so the pack will be taking a hit, but it looks like there is still enough to work with for next weekend. We’ll have to see. Have a great week and keep the stoke alive. Stay Frosty!!
It was Winter cold this morning, and my thin Spring gloves just weren’t cutting it for the morning session. The Grooming Crew did a great job finding snow to fill in the thin spots on the cat tracks and the open lines had been given tenderizing passes, so there was some nice granular softness to ply. Off trail was frozen solid and was insanely difficult, which I found out when I went to get a shot of the Sun cups off trail. DOH!!
This distressed snow pack had Sun cups that were full 8 or 9″ deep. Very difficult to traverse, let alone ski.
There was a fair turn out for the opening bell and it is fun to share the stoke with the early morning risers anticipating the day. Here is Alene and Beverly suiting up for the morning session.
A quiet morning in the locker room and getting ready for the day.
The Road to Provo had machine worked lines that had been given the tenderizing treatment and were feeling very consistent top to bottom. Here is a shot of Mark Malu from the Peak in the morning Sun.
Still plenty of cover out in the big bowls. The Grooming Crew did a great job making the lines smooth and sassy.
Lots of folks began to arrive after the first hour, but there was still plenty of room to keep the pace moving. It was so much fun to see the stoke as folks arrived on the peak. Here is a shot of Team Kruck, who were ready to get the party started.
Team Kruck stoked and ready for the morning festivities. Jeff was just a tad under dressed for the Winter Cold temps. It did warm up a bit.
I took some time and warmed up my fingers, which were very cold and stiff after the first hour and I took a few minutes to warm up in The Summit. Here is a shot from my spot at the very center of THE VORTEX looking out the at The Twins. This is the POWER SPOT, try it and see.
This particular spot in The Summit makes my hair stand on end from the Teluric Energy that is pumping up into Space.
Some fast moving flurries moved in around Noon, making the visibility a bit flat. Tomorrow, look for another cool morning, with good Grooming efforts on both sides of the hill. Going to the bottom is a VERY long walk now and taking the Tram down is highly recommended. See you there for the early smooth lines. Syrup Won’t Stop ‘EM!!
The pack is melting, with the warm temps of the early part of the week, but cooler temps have moved in and slowed things down a bit. My friend Mike was up hiking up high and sent this shot of Fernspiegel, which is a very rare and wonderful skiing experience. The released crystals slide down with you as you descend and it sounds like breaking glass.
A view of perfect Fernspiegel glistening in the morning Sun. Perfect, smooth, and as good as it gets!
It will be a cold night tonight, and there are some clouds coming in from the North. I think we should expect very firm conditions for the first couple of hours. Getting to the bottom will be much more of an issue this weekend. Expect a fair bit of walking. I will be hitting the peak and going back down on the Tram. Still looks like there is plenty of snow up high and I’ll bet it is getting a bit more mature, we’ll see. Here is a shot of the crew last weekend when we were rocking the corn goodness.
The Vibe’s so high for the goods during these late season days.
Dress for a cold morning, and perhaps some moisture, maybe. See you there for the morning explorations. Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!
It was a beautiful day with a cool morning, but the soft conditions were still in play. . Brew Fest was happening today, so there was a lot of traffic in the Canyon. I took the day off to avoid the push. The Creek is running even higher than the other day. Here is a shot of the pack making the transition from Essence into it’s water form as it begins it’s journey back to the Sea so it may return.
Morning signs of the Seasons pack making it’s way back into the Big Cycle.
Here is another shot from the Season that represents echos of the fractal similitude that the element carries with it.
Some where, on a beach, a wave is breaking hard on the reef. This is an echo of the cycle replayed in the frozen realm.
Tomorrow, look for another great day of Summer snow sport sliding. I think we can safely assume it will be another soft sorbet morning with Sun and fun. The lower mountain exit will be getting increasingly difficult, so staying up high will get you the maximum quality vertical. See you there for the early morning turns. Speed Safely!!
