There was no freeze at all last night and there had been extensive grooming on the open areas of the hill. Mineral Basin was offering butter cream groomed lines that were sumptuous and dialable. There was quite a bit of drag on the skis, but it enabled you to dig in deep and extract maximum juice from each turn. Jones Malone was on a mission and was leaving perfect trenches top to bottom. Off trail was also much more approachable with the soft conditions, and I worked White Diamonds, which was smooth and tasty. Here is a shot of Carol, who enjoyed that line as well and we traded notes on the great quality.

The Road to Provo was holding the cold the best, but was breaking early and was velvety and delightful. The Peruvian side of the hill is now back country access and has minimal grooming and requires a circuitous line to get to the bottom of the hill. The Gad side of the hill is still well covered top to bottom, with the exception of a stretch of the Bass Highway that requires a fair walk around the Wibre Ridge section. I stayed up high for the most part, and it was offering the best quality. While it is fun going to the bottom of the hill, it does have it’s drawbacks. Just sayin’. Tomorrow, look for, perhaps, a better freeze as the sky is clear, but I expect still soft conditions, so you can stay ahead of the Sun. Mineral Basin was great first thing and was slow to get busy. It will be a great day, so get the goods, because it is going fast. Straight Ahead!!

It was a fairly warm week, with cool nights, but the creek was running big. Here is a shot of the LCC pumping hard.

With the warm week, the pack has been hit, but I think there is plenty to go on, and we’ll have to see if we can get to the bottom without walking, and I’m betting we will. There were some thunder storms this evening and the clouds are going to keep the temps from falling too much. I expect barely a freeze tonight if at all. I will be looking for grooming lines for the best consistency. I will also be looking for corn lines that may be happening, but, again, we’ll see. Here is a shot of The Chef, who was working his garden and tending the chickens. His garden is awesome and he has the knack.

Here is a shot of one of his cabbages from last year.

See you there dark and early for the morning corduroy. IBBY!!

There was a very hard freeze overnight, making the pack consistently firm wall to wall. There was crystal corn lines that let you shave the granular nap off the corduroy, which had plenty of tooth to maintain a grip on the line. Mineral Basin was softening first, and was wide open for the opening laps before The Faithful showed up for the festivities. Top to bottom access is still happening, with some interesting variations on the lower part of Peruvian Gulch. Here is a shot of two good friends of mine who were fully in the spirit of the day in these fashion forward styles. This is coming back, you’ll see.

The pack started breaking in order and there was great turns to be had well after Noon and longer if you stayed up high. Here is a shot of Burke amping up the stoke factor on the peak.

The Twins opened for back country touring today, and a very few folks went for the approach, which was extremely sketchy. Here is a shot of my good friend Kevin out at the Waterfall in White Pine. It was his first visit and it is such a magical place.

Looks like another week of High Pressure, so the melt off will still be accelerating. We’ll have to see how the pack holds up for next weekend. Be safe. See the Line, BE the Line!!

That cold front moved through last night and brought cold air with it, freezing the pack hard and crispy. There was a fair bit of tooth to the corduroy, and keeping the line was easy. Off trail was very difficult until much later in the day when some softening did occur. Here is a shot of the Valley as the clouds moved off just in time for the First Tram. It was great to have some visibility.

Regulator got good around 9 AM, when the granular quality made it feel like silky. Softening on the bottom of the mountain gave the pack a much sweeter feel and there were some very sweet turns to be had. Tomorrow, look for another freeze. I anticipate crispy lines on all sides of the the hill, with the groomers offering the most consistent feel. Off trail will be really rough in the AM, just sayin’. Softening will occur, but there will be tenderizing efforts as there were today. Those lines were soft and had a great granular feel, so look for them. IBBY!!

After a week of very warm temps. the mountain has experienced the first real melt down that was noticeable as you drove up the Canyon. While there is still plenty of snow to the bottom, all the high points and heavily shrubbed areas have melted off and the dirt in the snow is building up on the surface. Here is a shot from the peak looking West down Canyon. The melt off is evident even in the higher elevations.

The Tram was open for this weekend, and getting fast access to the peak was a plus. Grooming efforts are still available on all sides of the hill, but the extent has been cut back quite a bit. With very warm morning temps., the pack was soft all over the hill to start the day. The first hour had a wonderful sorbet quality and smooth lines that made lapping the Tram fun. Mineral Basin was good for the early lines, but got too soft quite quickly and the front of the hill was the place to keep ahead of the sticky factor. Tomorrow, look for another nice day, with slightly cooler temps. as a cold front is moving in as I write this. Perhaps we might get a freeze or, at least, a firming of the pack and it may last longer. See you there for the early morning lines. Stay Frosty!!

It was a warm week while we waited for the next fun sessions to return. The Creek was running high and you could hear the boulders moving in the current. Still, there is still plenty of snow to enjoy going into this weekend. The Morning Crew has been meeting at Alpha Coffee at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon to catch up and plan for the coming days. Here is a shot of The Chef, Tram Rat, and Neil as we were wrapping up the time.

Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be offering the best ride. We’ll have to see if we get a freeze, but the forecast is for cooler temps in the next couple of days. I will be looking for the Tram, which will help expand the access options as we chase the break around the hill. Here is a shot of Neil’s classic, original ’67 Chrysler 300. It is a beautiful car and has been through a lot, including being run over by a Snow Cat in the early 70’s.

See you there for the early lines and late season fun. Straight Ahead!

The Sun was out from the opening bell this morning, with a chill in the air, that hinted at a light freeze, or perhaps a chill. The prepared lines were breaking from the start, and had good tooth top to bottom on all sides of the hill. Even Regulator was carveable for the early turns. Mineral Basin was offering soft sorbet lines, and I revisited the corn line from Friday, where it was again supportable and velvety. You got to love Perfect when you get it. Here is a shot of the Light at the end of the Tunnel.

I went in search of some smoothness out off the Road To Provo, but got too far outside the box and had to turn back and dream up a Plan B on the fly. Fortunately, there was a proper path close at hand. I referenced this admonishment as we worked our way along toward the exit.

Tomorrow, the Big Return continues and days are going to warm up. I will be returning to my inquiries into Quantum Foam Fluid Dynamics. See you next weekend. Remain Standing!!!

It was pouring rain when I woke up this morning, making me think several times if I wanted to give it a try. I rallied, and it was still pouring on the hill when I arrived. Fortunately, by the time first chair went up, the clouds had moved off and there was sunshine greeting the Faithful for the festivities. The rain had left a soft velvet feel to the pack, but the off trail was breakable and had not frozen. The Groomers were the place to find the most consistent lines. I went looking for smooth corn, but I bagged the line and saved the surface as it was just too breakable.

Here is a shot of Team Schnegg, who were out early and were looking at some of the options. I have known Schnegg since day one of my time at The Bird, and we all still have the fire. With no freeze, the pack was going down hill fast, so I worked the lines as fast as I could. Big Emma was extraordinary, with a soft sorbet quality that was untracked and stellar. Here is a shot of the big open area of The Summit with The Twins framed in the atrium window. This was taken today and the Twins are as fat as they get!!

Things got too soft for me around 11 AM, so I went to the Forklift to enjoy the ambience and quiet of this time of the year. Tomorrow, look for warm temps to continue. I don’t expect much of a freeze, if any, so stay with the groomers for supportable consistency. The off trail will continue to be very difficult and breakable. Traffic should be light and no waiting for the lifts.

In parting, I offer this alternate view of that large chunk that calved off the ledge. Will it stay there, or will it slide further down the hill as the snow melts? We’ll have to keep and eye on it. Speed Safely!!

The air was cool this morning and the early chairs were the ones to be on, as the window was going to be short with the warm temps and overnight rain. There was a light glaze covering the pack and felt granular underfoot. I was looking for the smooth corn faces and found Money with some low angle sections that were as perfect as it gets. Here is a shot of some lonely turns that were put down some time ago.

A lighter grooming effort had been made due to the warm temps and hard to work product. As the temps rose, there were some sorbet feeling lines that were fun and felt back country excellent. Here is a shot of the Provo Peak area with the Sun shining on it in between the clouds.

On the front of the hill, the break was held off a while, but happened fast when it hit critical mass. I was staying with the groomers for the best lines as the off trail was quite punchable. As the Big return happens with the pack, here is a shot of a large chunk of the rock calving off as the mountains erode back to sand. You wound have never have seen this perspective it had happened during the Summer, it would have gone unnoticed.

Tomorrow, look for a nice morning, with the groomers offering the best lines. The early chairs will offer the best lines of the day, and I don’t think there will be much of a freeze. See you there dark and early for the corn goodness. Straight Ahead!!

Four inches of thick frosting covered the dance floor this morning, which was surfy, consistent and smooth on the machine worked lines. The off trail was very difficult after yesterday’s product had frozen up. I stuck to the prepared lines and the ones I knew were smooth from yesterday. There was a quick glimpse of The Sun first thing. Here is a shot of the Morning Crew checking out the view as we run the clock out on the season.

I left after the first four runs as it was getting too stiff for my knees, and enjoyed a recon meeting with the crew at The Forklift. Here is a shot that Jake took the other day of The Twins in that quasi light we had.

Tomorrow, carry on with the alternate reality, and The Big Return begins, as all this snow will make it’s way back around till it returns again. For it to return, it must leave. I will spend this week looking into the chaotic dynamics of Quantum Foam fluctuations. That aught to keep me busy till next Friday. As Joe Man The Snow Man says, ” Don’t Skimp On The Groove Sauce”!!!