The winds were nuking this morning and the Tram was running on a trip by trip basis. I was anxious to get back to the Peruvian Gulch to sample a bit more of the new terrain and try and get a handle on the lines. The winds at your back, coming across the big flat above phone 1, was a wild ride as it felt like I had afterburners going. With the flat light, due to the overcast, it was just a guessing game about what was going on underfoot as I was shot across the flat. Yikes. On the Gad side of the hill, Regulator was very scoured, but did have a bit of grip if you worked at it. The wind also began transporting some dust to the prepared areas, with Lower Chips Face offering some smooth and velvety turns. After 3 laps the Tram was taken off line by the wind and the Peruvian Chair was fired up, but I made the retreat to the Forklift Chair to assess the options. Here is a shot of Mineral Basin as this was the first time I was able to ski Chips from the top. It is looking like it will need quite a bit more cover before it is ready for prime time. You can see the Sun was trying to add some light to the flat conditions. Tomorrow, look for another day of firm training runs, with the Groomers offering the best lines. There is some spauling on some of the Cat Tracks that is hard to avoid, but it is just pebbles and do not do much to the edge. That is what a stone is good for. Look for those steep smooth lines to keep the energy high. Having new terrain to ply helps keep the training runs entertaining and interesting. See you for the early morning laps. IBBY!!
NUKING WIND
12-06-15 by dave