The wind was howling again this morning as a new impulse moved into the area, with limited visibility and transported snow filling in the low areas quickly.  Working the sides and hollows was the call, as the interference patterns have yet to be buffered by the accumulation.  Snow continued through out the day, and it seemed that the higher density was beginning to bond a bit.  The wind was stripping some of the high points where  the glaze was exposed.  Keeping the variations in mind was wise as seeing any type of indicator to it’s presence was nil.   I was most fortunate to be ambling by the Mineral Basin gate after lollygaging on the peak for a bit, and was greeted by the Patrol crew assigned with opening the gate for the first time of the season.  Here is a shot of the crew who was waiting on the word GO.  Just one other skier was on hand for the rope drop with no one else around.  There was every type of snow quality back there, so a cautious approach was warranted.  I made one pass through, but the visibility was tough so I moved back to the front of the hill to get some bearing.  Tomorrow, look for additional accumulation after the hill closes, much quieter  traffic on the hill, and much more consistent bonding as the density was holding high moisture and was not drying out.  It will take some more time to get a look at Mineral Basin as I needed to be able to see what was up.  So glad to get that area open as it is one of my most favorite areas back there.  See you in the AM.   Peace Out

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 22nd, 2013 at 3:23 pm and is filed under Snow Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.