From the Valley it looked like it was going to be sunny this morning with warm temps, however, there were some clouds hanging on the highest peaks. Those clouds signaled some very quick changes that were in progress as the opening bell went off. The wind was picking up and brisk, with the temps dropping like a stone. Visibility was good, but details on the surface were very difficult to discern and a cautious approach was wise. Great machine worked lines helped deal with the lack of contrast, however it was touch and go moving from section to section top to bottom. There were glimmers of Blue Sky, but the clouds fully filled in quickly.

Traffic was brisk to start, but got spread out quickly, leaving walk on back to back Trams easy to make. Who Dunnit had been given an extra special re shaping where the snow gun had been building pack, which offered some wonderful skate park type variations that let you dial through the contours with ease and grace. Tomorrow, look for much colder temps, snow in the forecast, and an increase in traffic due to the Holiday weekend. Look for the machine worked lines to offer the most consistent feel, with the off trail still having a lot of static and rumble, however, with some wind action the surfaces may begin to smooth and fill. Keep your eyes open for some improvement off the beaten path. IBBY!!!

Traffic was light this morning, which made the hill experience a study in solitude. All sides of the hill were prepared with machine worked lines that had that dry chalky feel top to bottom. The Peruvian Gulch was offering totally vacant lines that were smooth, consistent and totally dialable. That Anderson’s Hill-Lower Primrose Path line was epic, with wall to wall goodness and a dry chalky velvet that is as good as it gets. It gets deeper, it does not get better. I had to lap that line for the entire morning so as to extract as much of that rarity as possible.

Here is a long shot of the Peak from the Who Done It corner showing the cover on the upper section of the hill. Coverage is excellent, however caution must be taken to avoid some of the obvious features. Mineral Basin was great as well, with bright Sun, mild temps, and full on machine worked lines that let you flow the line to your heart’s content.

Kate Knopp taking a moment from a full morning on the race hill to enjoy a “slab o ‘zzah” on the Plaza before returning for more arcing the lines. Tomorrow, look for at least one more warm day before the temps drop ahead of the a cold front moving down from the North as part of that Arctic air mass that is filling the states. Look for more amazing fresh corduroy on all sides of the hill, continued light traffic and plenty of back to back walk on Trams to pump up the vertical meter. See you there dark and early for the hot laps and sweet lines. Dial it up, Lay it down!!!!

The temps were much warmer this morning, which was a real treat after this last blast of frigid air. The Sun was high and all sides of the hill were offering great options. I opted to hit the Peruvian Gulch to take advantage of those sweet machine worked lines that have been vacant with all the traffic going toward the Sun. Mineral Basin was also quite nice, with some machine worked lines that brought back the memories from last year’s ground pounding fun.

Perfect corduroy was on tap for the early risers, which let you dial in as much touch and go as desired. All those training days of sketchy glaze came into play with solid contact and perfectly tracking edges. Traffic was light and back to back walk on Trams were a treat with few folks on the hill. With the warmer temps, the comfort level was bumped up a few notches, making for a much more relaxed feel. Tomorrow, look for more excellent lines on all sides of the hill. Freshly tilled lines will be happening, giving you the option to dial in those top to bottom runs that gets your motor runnin’. I think the temps will be holding out for a bit yet before the big Polar air mass drops down going into this weekend. Stay Frosty!!

It looked like it was going to be a gloomy day during the drive up the Canyon, but The Bird was up above the cloud deck, which made for a heavenly scene from the peak. The prepared lines were epic with all that fresh product tilled into mat, which made the wide open lines good for unmitigated audacity top to bottom. Think Young and Lower Primrose were as good as it gets, with a dry chalky feel that was perfect, and transitions that let you take all the dynamics to the line. What a treat. It made all those training runs earlier in the season all come into focus.

Light traffic made back to back non stop Trams easy and fast. I had to hit those frontside drops to absorb as much of the magic as possible with no one around and no fast movers in the mix. Later, the clouds did move in, making the visibility go away, but knowing the pack was smooth and consistent made it predictable.

Looking for the pockets paid off with some epic lines still holding out for the intrepid seeker. The Jazzman got some serious goodness out off of Tiger Tail and had it all to himself. He’s not wasting any time. Tomorrow, look for continued great conditions, light traffic, wide open machine worked lines and still some pocket of goodness available with a bit of looking. Expect continued cold temps so dress for the occasion. The off trail is getting re worked again with rumble, static and interference patterns building slowly. Traverses and entrances remain sketchy, so move with caution. See you there dark and early for the hot laps in the AM. Don’t Forget To SIZZLE!!!

It was a very cold morning, with bright Sun, wide open lines and lots of options to choose from. The traffic had worked a lot of the hill over, leaving some rumble and static over most of the easily accessed areas, but the Grooming Crew did a great job providing some serious carpets of AHHHHHH, that felt great and offered that consistent response that made each turn feel delightful. Lower Primrose Path had been given a sweet till for the first time of the season, so I had to do some laps there to absorb that dry chalky goodness with no one around. Temps were quite cold and it paid to keep skin covered to avoid frost bite.

A clear cold look down canyon first thing this morning was a treat. Clouds moved up the Canyon and sent the visibility into a very variable mode around 11AM, so it was good to get a good look at what was what before it all went down. Tomorrow, look for more excellent lines all over the hill, with the Machine Worked lines offering that dry chalky consistency that lets you feel like every turn is magic. I still think it will be quite cold as the flow is out of the North, so dress for the occasion. Traffic should be moderate as it was today with fast turnarounds all day long. Keep it tight!!

The storm moved off and sky cleared for today’s powder Sunday extravaganza. This was the day everyone has been waiting for all season when the hill hits prime time conditions. The Faithful were in full attendance for the occasion and they were rewarded with amazing quality wall to wall. Mineral Basin was the highlight, with the Path to Paradise open, which offered smooth, fluffy, cold, dry powder that checked all the boxes. The prepared lines were also offering the full platform engagement feel that made every turn feel like hero turns.

This is a shot of Olivia Kennedy getting righteous Utah light and getting the first lines of the season. What a treat to get the goods and you got to know her spirit is soaring. The conditions were great on all sides of the hill and there was plenty to find with a bit of looking. Tomorrow, look for the cold to really be setting in, so dress for the occasion and cover the exposed skin. I will be looking for the machine worked lines to keep offering the smooth dry carpets, but still expect echos of the old layer popping up here and there. While this new installment had added extra cushion, be aware that the traverses and entrances still need to be given close attention. The Sun will be shining and visibility will be 5X5. See you there dark and early for the opening bell. Remain Standing!!!

There was clear skies, great snow, and bonus terrain for today’s opening. Peruvian Gulch opened with much of the areas open off the top. Great quality, with smooth first of the season early snow fall surface. That old layer had been fully worked over and this new product was dense enough to really add a complete change to the feel on the hill. Many first of the season first tracks were had by the cognosenti who went to get the rare and best. There was plenty to go around, and folks really enjoyed the chance to get what they came for.

With all this snow and a fairly consistent substrate will provide some great turning before the next installment dials in. You know it will! Tomorrow, look for incredible machine worked lines that will be as good as it gets, still soft snow off trail, and new shots still waiting in the wings. This is a good time to get another close look at the hill as it gets worked to get a handle on the possibilities going forward. Watch Your SIX!!

It is an exciting time, with the holiday season in full swing, the new snow has really arrived just in the nick of time to provide all the folks who were wondering if the Promise of the Wasatch would come through. It came through with just what our visualizations imagined. Funny how that works. There was a full court press for the goods and the Faithful were rewarded with soft snow, wonderfully prepared surfaces, new extended terrain to explore and high energy to fuel the experience. All sections of the hill that were open for sampling were providing excellent conditions.

Tomorrow, look for continued great conditions wall to wall, with soft snow, and smooth lines that will be waiting for those who perhaps missed out on today’s offerings. These are the days we have been training for during this past month, and dialing in those consistent turns will be the pay off for all the visualizations and training. Straight Ahead!!!

Overnight snow, and high winds were working the pack for this morning’s offering, causing a short delay for the opening. The new installment is perfect for base building, with higher density product filling in the low spots and making for soft consistent turning. It is a treat to be able to feel that full platform engagement with each turn instead of the firm training surfaces we have been working with. Traffic was brisk due to the holiday season, pent up stoke, and, of course, fresh Essence to work. Face shots were happening really for the first time of the season and getting off the prepared lines was much more forgiving. The wind smoothed sections that were sheltered and offered smooth silky texture. What a treat!!

Tomorrow, look for more accumulation as the flow continues to bring impulse after impulse that is embedded in the flow. Wind is still an issue, and loading will keep filling the low areas with the goods. I’ll be looking for much expanded choices with the lines I have been scoping out filling in nicely. I will be looking for those smooth wind filled sections that I have been avoiding. Now, they are good to go, but caution is still warranted. See you there for the morning fun and soft snow sliding. IBBY!!!

The Essence has been building with each passing impulse, adding to the sensitive snow pack that has developed during the early season. Delays in opening uphill access during extensive mitigation efforts was expected with the fast moving snow and wind events. Our visualizations have kicked in and have been delivered as expected. As the hill gets sorted and available terrain gets worked over, we can expect much improved quality all over the hill. It will be fun to get a look at the newly covered terrain up close and personal in the coming days.

More accumulation is on tap for the overnight hours with some clearing as the day develops. Expect continued mitigation efforts in the AM. I am excited to get back into the soft snow zone which is shaping up nicely. Enjoy the full experience of an exciting snow cycle. Keep it tight!!