It was a beautiful ground pounding morning with the Tram running fast and back to back lifts stoking the vert meter.  The light was flat, but the groomers were smooth and silky with new snow making goodness under each gun.  Some of the guns had blown a long way down slope so the extra smooth was just that much better.   Regulator was good, but got better with the sun on it.  Later in the day the right side softened nicely, but kept the winter cold and resisted getting sticky.   The glazed areas are still sprinkled about, but the snow making efforts are covering them rapidly and noticeably from day to day.  Light traffic on the Tram kept the pace going if you could stand up to the punishment.  That is the way to get in shape for the deep days.  Stamina training pays dividends when those days happen, but it takes days like today to dial in the flow line.   Smooth and cruising!! Tomorrow, look for another fast a furious day of industrial smoothing.  Look for those sweet deposits of fresh gun powder that holds up all morning.  Off the beaten path is

EARLY PEEK

getting continually better with the  consolidation of the snow pack, just stay on point and be ready for anything.  I have found some nice peripheral lines which have been improving the more you ski them.  See you there for the fast track in the AM.   Ciao!!

Little Cloud Chair

It was a beautiful morning with an inversion which made it very warm on the peak but quite chilly on the deck.   The light was flat before the Sun came up but clear skies let the Sun work the magic as it came up.  Back to back Trams were the order of the day, as it was moving fast and no lollygagging.  The snow making guns were working top to bottom on both sides of the hill providing some nice Gun Powder to luxuriate in as you passed each one.  It as cold enough to keep the quality of the freshness consistent and carve able all day long.   Over all the main runs are quite firm, but there is enough dust and softness to get an edge and keep the flow moving in the right direction.  Tomorrow should be another nice day with similar conditions, which will still offer some of the off trail lines that make you work for it, but still increase the fun factor over the machine worked runs.  Here is a shot of the top of the Little Cloud Chair waiting the grand opening on the first of December.  The larger area here makes it much more spacious with more room to stay clear of the clutter.  Nice.   See you there for the first Boat.   IBBY!!

OLD TIMER

Storm clouds were making their way out of the North with a cold front that was trying to get here.  The light was very flat with the high overcast, making the visual details on the surface very difficult to see.  Going with the groomers was the best bet, but some of the off trail features help with visual references.  The high North is still holding the smooth, though the high entrance points are becoming a bit more challenging.  There was a very light turn out, with only some waiting as the folks showed up later in the morning.  The Tram was running fast, and it was a push to make each one back to back.   It is good training pushing the back to back pace to be ready for the next dump when it will require all the bullets to stay ahead of the fray.  I have been looking out and about for some of the less traveled lines which are providing some interesting consistency as the snow pack consolidates and the wind continues to smooth the leftovers.  Most of the features are clearly visible and easy to negotiate, but still expect the unexpected when dialing in a new line.  Tomorrow will be a quiet time on the hill, but the conditions will still be fun with good dry chalky lines to practice the staccato turns through the terrain details.  Look for the groomers to again offer some of the best rides of the day early on, when they are offering the corduroy goodness.  See you there for the first bell.  Wow, the server seems to be letting me work. Here is one of the shots I have been trying to load for days. Whew!!  Ciao!!!

I had a rough return from the Mother Ship on Thursday due to a radical outburst of Tachyon beams which fouled up the signal on return.  There has also been some issues with the server, so loading the site has been problematic.  We are working on those issues and will have them addressed soon.   The hill was in great shape today with a very light turn out for the morning session.  Smooth groomers were consistent and fun, with dry corduroy on both sides of the hill.  The upper North East facing shots are still holding the smooth that was worked in last Wednesday during the wind event.  I love that supportable wind slab which reminds me of the early years.  You have to love it when you find it.  As the day wore on the traffic increased causing a moderate line for the Tram, but it offered some time to chill after the back to back pace of the morning session.  The snow pack is consolidating nicely, with all of the features visible and avoidable.  There are some slick spots in the middle of the main runs where the  traffic is highest, so a line on the sides will find soft and silky traction even late in the day.  Tomorrow, look for another smooth lap fest in the morning hours, but there may be some overcast to deal with, but no worries.  Good skiing is happening and there is easy access to as much as you can get.  See you there in the AM for first Tram.   IBBY!!   Still having trouble loading the photos, so keep checking back.  I will insert them as I can.

It was a beautiful day with the Sun shining and a stiff South breeze blowing which was transporting snow in a very nice fashion.   The early morning flat light was a given, but as the Sun rose up the visibility became perfect and revealed these long lines of wind deposited snow on sections of the hill that kept freshening every run.  That is some of the best skiing you will find anywhere with a quality that was worth making extra turns to get the most out of it.  The snow pack is consolidating and becoming more consistent with the groomers offering some real velvet.  The snow guns are working in various parts of the hill, covering the hill with some very nice gun powder.  Tomorrow, look for another fun day with more of the same creamy conditions and rapid up hill access.   I will be visiting the Mother Ship for a couple of days, but I will be posting using my on the hill contacts for exact information.    I am slowly getting in shape and these conditions are perfect for maximum laps and turn reps.  I have also been loving the carve ability of the snow pack, which lets you dig deep for goodness.   See you Saturday for more excitement.

Freshness

It was clear in the valley as I drove up to the hill this morning, but the hill was shrouded in a big cloud.  The first few trams had variable visibility with light snow falling, though by 11:00 AM the Sun began to break out.  The small overnight accumulation had a super dense and luxurious feel reminiscent of smooth beach sand.   As the Cat crew continues to work the main lines, they become increasingly more consistent and smooth as many of the tricky variations average out .   The Cirque Traverse opened today offering some very nice untracked on both sides of the traverse.  There were still reefs lurking in the upper entrances all along  the drop in zone, but lower down the cover was plush.  The traverse itself was very good for the first few laps, but began to show signs of fatigue as rock outcroppings began to show up.   A low line offered the best escape from the snags and teeth, as well as a deliberate approach.  There was strong pressure from behind all along the traverse, so a continuous monitoring over your shoulder was mandatory as there were some folk in a hurry to get where they were going.  The off trail adjacent to the main runs is also solidifying quickly with this dense snow, but keep an eye out for telltale signs of reefage.  A little grass sticking up, or a suspicious high point will indicate a thin area.  There is no missing some of them as you hit a ledge in mid turn, but that is what P TEX is for.   Tomorrow look for no additional accumulation, the groomers to be very sweet and the new access to the Cirque Traverse still worth some exploration.  The Gad side will be a touch more variable, but reports from that side indicated  a consistent ride with interspersed hazards, but you know that going in.   See you in the AM for fun and excitement.  Here is a shot of  Route 5 Shot 1 from down the traverse a bit.  Nice turning.   IBBY!!   Stand by for photo.

There was a light turn out for first Bucket this morning, but folks showed up later pushing the line out the door off and on.  The unsettled flow brought 5 to 6” of fresh frosting to the hill, with a dense consistency that felt luxurious and forgiving.  The Groomers were the best bet with consistent terrain as opposed to the severe off trail terrain features.  Now is the time to be scoping out the visible hazards so you know where they are when they get covered by the continued flow of moisture that is predicted to keep adding to the base.   There is very little ice on the main runs, though some of the concentrated snow making areas are a bit firm, but pose no serious problems.  It is the off trail sections that hold the extreme variations that will get you.  As we get more cover from the prefrontal blitz it will improve each day

GRAVITY FIELD

, but in the mean time be careful.   Tomorrow, look for additional accumulation to be added overnight and a light turn out, so it will be prime for early season training.  The hill is shaping up quickly and is poised to take full advantage of any additional accumulation.  I was not able to get a good photo today due to the visibility, so here is an example of one of my art experiments this Summer.  Ciao!!!

Today was the first day of Tram operation of the season, and there was a very excited group waiting for the first car to ascend the cables.  Anticipation is always the hardest part, but there was some good turns to be had off the top.  Regulator was groomed with some loose snow to gain traction, and the steep pitch was not as sketchy as I thought.  Peruvian Gulch was fairly well covered, though the off trail areas still had very gnarlitudinous sections to be sure.  There are open holes where the warm rocks have melted the cover and areas where the wind blew

Hurry up and wait.

off the cover leaving scree deposits just inches below the surface.  I tested out Anderson’s hill just for drill and found it to be doable, but very sketchy and thin.   I did the Rat’s Nest entrance into Great Scott because it was open, and that was a huge mistake as all the cover had been scraped to the ground.  Some folks were taking off their skis and walking in, but I just sucked it up and used the entire edge to keep some semblance of stability as the folks who took the skis off were grasping at straws trying to maintain.  Once in the shot I found nice cover, though the overnight precipitation had left something of a grabby crust to deal with.  A good adventure, but not worth going back until there is more snow in the entrance.   Tomorrow, look for some additional accumulation from the unsettled impulses that have been moving through all day and are predicted to continue into tomorrow.  The terrain features are in super high relief, so expect abrupt changes in terrain continuity and approach accordingly.  Here is a shot of the line waiting to get their passes, though they came up with a innovative solution and moved it along much faster.   See you for the first Tram in the AM.  Stay frosty!!

Lure of the Essence

It was overcast and mild with a light turn out for today’s festivities.  The markedly warmer temps. made the snow pack seem a bit less  compressed, with the machine worked areas offering some nice velvet.   The light was so flat that you had to look deep into the field to see the variations where the terrain features are in high relief.  Off trail things are settling out revealing much of the sub surface features.  Here is a shot of the Land Sharks swimming just under the snow surface just waiting for someone to venture into the area.  You might get through unscathed, and perhaps not.  The Sun peaked out for just a second so I was able to get this shot in hi definition.  As the day wears on the sides of the main runs maintains some of the soft snow that is getting kicked off, so look for the edges to soften the ride without having to go far afield.  Tomorrow, look for the Tram to open with Chips and Regulator to be in play, but the cover still remains thin, so be aware of the areas you go into.   Remember the grassy areas that were looking so verdant last Summer.  The forecast is for more unsettled weather, so the visibility could be variable again.  It will be great to hit it from the top and ride the Tram with all the electricity focused in one place.   The quads are nice, but the energy vibe on the Tram is unique.   See you there for the first Boat of the season.   Also, watch the black ice  in the bottom of the canyon, as I saw numerous indications of folks who blew into the ditch. BE aware!!!    IBBY!!

It was clear and cold this morning for the opening with the main runs worked, and corduroy providing a fun time for all the seekers who showed up for the opening day.   The coverage was very nice overall with very few rocks on the few main runs that were open off of Gad Zoom.  Seeing everyone back from the Summer adventures was great, trading quick snippets of story until more time was available, but it was time to rock and roll.  Folks were coming out hitting it hard,

SNOW STORM

going big in a small space, so over the shoulder vigilance was mandatory.  Off the groomed areas  was covered, but the hazards were lurking and those traversing those areas were finding it.  I saw some heinous wipe outs in these areas under the chair where the off trail was being worked.   Care should be taken and as the “Chef” shared;   ” Never get out of the boat.” a line he gleaned from the movie Apocalypse Now.   I thought it was appropriate as the rumble out there was tricky, which is not to say don’t go, but use caution when venturing off trail.  Tomorrow will offer more of the same, though I think the attendance will back off a bit.  They are trying to get the Tram open for Saturday, so one more day of warm up for the larger picture later.   The Sun was out and the air warmed up by 11:00AM when I was able to put the top down and just go with sun glasses and no hat.  Nice!!  It will be very nice sliding again in the morning so plan on fun.   See you there for first chair.  Peace Out!!