GLAZED OVER
Today was just one of those days that tests the intestinal fortitude of the attendees, with high winds on the peak, near Zero Zero visibility, and just a few inches covering some crusty rumble. Did I go for the trees on the first run? No…. I dropped into one of the toughest lines in Mineral Basin just to experience the abyss in all it’s severity. That decision would prove to be quite fool hardy, as each turn was a guess, and the exact location of the fall line was a toss up with each transition through that vortex. It might as well have been another dimension, because I was nowhere near where I thought I was. Doh!!! Moving back to the front side, the Peruvian Gulch was offering the groomers and the trees to attain reference points and a smooth line to flow through. Finally, with vertigo hitting me hard after the decent into the abyss, I made a hasty retreat to the Forklift Chair to regain equilibrium and assess the rest of the day.. After breakfast I made one more attempt, finding a freezing rain beginning to fill in and making the visibility fully Zero Zero as my goggles got covered with ice. Folks coming off the hill looked like glazed doughnuts with the ice covering and soaking everyone! Here is a shot of a fellow sliders ice covered lenses to give you an idea of the intensity of the mist. Tomorrow, look for there to be a crust layer underneath any accumulation overnight, a stout static rumble to deal with off trail, with the main bump lines still in full relief. The visibility may improve, but expect some variability. We are in a constant flow for the next bit, so a little here, a little there, all add up to low traffic and fresh tracks. Just stay close to the trees for reference, and avoid the high traffic interference patterns. Check the road report for access in the AM. Peace Out!!
Dave
You made my entire body hurt reading your morning experience. Just negotiating the tram exit was surely an experience let alone dropping into mineral.