Another major  Wall of Voodoo is marching across the Valley as I write this, bringing with it the first of the next installments for the hill.  This morning, the light was passable, with the Groomers offering 3 large lower mountain drops, which kept me busy all morning and well into the afternoon.  The intermittent snowfall, combined with strong winds, began to improve the conditions markedly, first by smoothing the dance floor, and second by delivering the medium density product that will bind to and cushion the crusty layer that has developed.  There is a Junior Free Ride event being set up on Silver Fox, so that area will be out of play, but other exposures are developing nicely.  The Blast of Winter will only improve the over all conditions, but rest assured that the faithful are paying attention, and will be on hand for tomorrow’s opening.  Surprisingly, the off trial was improving quickly, with the High North benefiting the most from the prevailing wind direction.  The far reaches were also getting deeper, as the traffic ignored those shots due to the marginal visibility.  Remember that the old crusty layer is still holding some real surprises, so approach most shots with a bit of caution in order to avoid a Body Slam!!!  In my several ventures off trail today, I was quickly reminded of the sketchy nature of the substrate.  Check the road access in the AM. for possible restrictions. See you there dark and early!!!   Ciao!

Danger Zone

As much as I have been trying to stave off Spring’s arrival, it is April and  I guess there is no stopping time.  Yesterday’s warmth was absorbed by even the High North exposures, which froze overnight, and were covered by 5” of medium density Essence.  To say that the conditions were challenging typifies the struggle waged by everyone who showed up for today’s freshness.   Slow and steady was the key to surviving the bullet proof crust, which was not cushioned to any great extent by the new snow.  It was a blue bird day, with a crispness to the air that whispered Winter, but the crust screamed late May.  The only place that held any solace was far out under the Sunday Cliffs, where the mountain smooth offered more consistency than anywhere else I tried.  The Groomers had been worked before the snow started, so they were fully covered, and became a bit more tricky as they got skied out.  I must admit to making a hasty retreat to the Forklift chair to contemplate any further assaults on the hill, or should I say assaults on my knees.  Of course it is spring now, so one has to expect this type of challenge.  The week has quite a bit of snow in the forecast, so all is not lost, and we will be easily pushed over the 600” mark.  Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to be much improved after the fresh has been tilled into the mat, but the off trail will still be problematic at best.  The snow is not expected to begin until late in the day, so the  visibility may be flat as well.  Here is a shot I took of the lower Gad chutes festooned with basket ball size death balls.  The balls were frozen solid and frozen to the surface, so hitting one of these would be very bad. Also note that the balls in the distance are every bit as big as the ones in the foreground.  You can see the very tentative track that was placed through this morass, indicating the difficulty factor.  When these get covered they will certainly be a hazard, so keep this little treat in mind before you charge this line when it gets deep.  A word to the wise!!!  Peace Out!

The South wind was sending giant plumes of transported snow to fill the High North facing aspects as first Tram left the dock.  The winds on the peak were pounding, reducing the visibility despite the clear morning.  Dropping off the peak revealed some wonderful wind deposited excellence that continued to improve as the day wore on.  There had been prepared goodness, featuring two lower mountain drops, one of which has, to my knowledge, never been treated to this special treatment. The direct Sun exposures from yesterday were to be avoided, but the other off trail shots were very nice and held up well under the low traffic.  The Sun came out full force after the cloud deck moved off, making the radiant heat start cooking the snow pack, which took on a pasty and sticky consistency on the lower 2000′ of the hill.  This South wind is heralding another series of storms that will be moving through for the next 4 days.  The mountain has regained the smooth factor, so any accumulation will offer hard charging lines, though consideration of the Sun affected aspects will keep the ride much more reliable.  Tomorrow, the new accumulation will push us back away from the spring threshold and bring back the winter feel.  The corn cycle will begin soon enough, but in the mean time this extra dose of winter is a bonus round for those of us who are trying to stave off the inevitable.  Last season brought some truly memorable powder sessions in late April, so I think we can look forward to this season keeping up the pace that it has already laid down.   See you for first boat in the AM.   IBBY!!

The report of low accumulation, once again, did not draw the attention of the Faithful, though the Tram line backed up briefly to begin the day.  I did not think that the conditions would be nearly as good as they were, and the faithful probably had the same impression. The trip up the first Tram revealed some very interesting lines, and you had to know that Mineral Basin had not seen a lot of traffic yesterday.  So, what to choose?  A- go for Mineral, B- go for the obvious High North, C-make a Bee line for Little cloud,  D- head out the Traverse for the far reaches, or E- all of the above.  If you chose A, B, C, D, or E you would have, not only been correct, but you would have got the Gold Star, as each choice was a fluffulecent delight, offering knee deep blower turns top to bottom. The cold temps. had preserved the quality, and continued to hold up the softness as the day progressed.  It was only after 1:00PM. that the radiant rays of the Sun began to get around to the West faces.  Of course, the East went South first, followed closely by the South faces, where the fluff became thicker by the minute.  The High North seemed to resist the general deterioration, with those aspects continuing to offer explosive blasts.  The traffic of yesterday worked to bond the new snow to the old layer, which only became scratchy after high traffic wore off the patina.  Tomorrow, be looking for the High North to still be holding some softness, but be aware of the crustiness that will be tough to negotiate until the Sun softens the playing field. The Groomers will be offering ground pounding fun for the vert. crew, and I do not anticipate a rush for the first Tram, so maximum Rock and Roll will be a given.  Be there early for the Super G fun!!!! Peace Out!!

I came blazing through the HYPER DIMENSIONAL PORTAL late last night, and my atomic structure is still unavoidably miss aligned.  I did, however, make it to the hill to catch the third Tram of the morning.  How things change in a very short time.  The recent rain event that occurred, just ahead of the cold air,  set the snow pack up right to the peak.  The spring like conditions, and the good visibility, resulted in some significant interference patterns developing, where there had been the big mountain smooth.  The 14” of new frosting called to the faithful, who responded to that call with punctuality, backing the Tram line up early.  The chairs, however, were seemingly vacant, so I took advantage of the “ski on” availability, and got a lot of extra turns despite the full court press.  The higher density frosting was a welcome feature, cushioning the crust underneath, though the bottom was fully in play until things got tracked out.  As the product got worked, it seemed to bond to the harsh layer, softening the impact, and making the ride much more consistent.  Though the Sun was peaking out from time to time, the cold air combined with the continued snow fall, kept the snow pack from deteriorating to any significant degree.  Tomorrow, look for the groomers to be dance floor smooth, and the off trail to still offer some very nice lines.  I have not seen the weather report, as I am still discombobulated from my reassembly, but in any case the hill has rebounded from the spring transition that worked the hill last week.   I will have a much more detailed report for tomorrow’s post after I spend some more quality time scouting the far reaches.   IBBY!!!

What a day for April Fool’s day, with bright Sun and raising temps.  There were variable conditions depending upon exposure choice, but the High North and the Groomers were offering the goods.  As the day progressed the crusty sections softened up, so tomorrow morning might a tad on the firm side on some of the more exposed shots, so use a bit of discernment in line choice.   Once again, I am still involved on the Home Planet but will enter the HYPER DIMENSIONAL PORTAL  tomorrow for the return transit.  I will be unable to post due to the loss of solidity during the process, so please excuse the gap in the flow.  I will be posting again on Sunday with a first hand account, and a full evaluation of the dance floor conditions.   Until then,  IBBY!!!

I have been having trouble with the input signal, so I am just winging it here. The messages I have received indicate a nice day, with strong South winds and rising temps. The High North was benefiting from the wind, smoothing the dance floor, and keeping the product soft. After Noon the temps. began to morph the lower elevations, creating a thicker consistency, which may prove to be a tad on the crusty side for the first of the AM. session. Tomorrow, look for the Groomers to provide the high octane shred fest, though the High North will still be holding the smooth. Reports were also indicating some good conditions on the far reaches of the Cirque Traverse, so do a lap and get an eye on the possibilities before a full commitment. Mineral Basin should also be worth an early look before much traffic gets to it. I am still being buffeted by the Home Planetary disturbances, but I am making headway in my attempts to return ASAP. I will be posting again tomorrow, though Saturday looks dubious at best. Until later, Peace out!!!

THe TRANSMISSION channel is not cleAR.  However, I was able to get some scraps of data that might be useful.  A rime ice precipitation was working the hill inside the cloud layer that hung, obscuring the visibility  both outside and inside the goggles.  That is no fun at all, except if the snow is excellent and you are motivated to charge to lines with no pressure and no hype.   Today was one of those days, where you were free to choose any line and get the goods.  The hill is still in great shape, having dodged the lion’s share of the Sun damage, though those pesky direct shots did not entirely escape the heat.  There is still plenty of big mountain smooth to keep you going direct to the fall line.  Tomorrow, look for some great Groomers to be provided for the morning high octane push, then look to the High North aspects for continued off trail lines.  The weather is going to improve, with the Sun coming out, so the snow pack will again be taking a beating as the day progresses.   I truly miss the hill, with every cell of my SPACE SUIT  screaming to get back, but soon enough!!!   I will reestablish the CHANNEL at the best opportunity.   IBBY!!!

I arrived safely from my trip through the Portal, where one travels without actually moving.  At the Bird, the faithful did not respond to the short total report, thus leaving the wide open expanses for the few who made the effort.  They were treated to Essence that brought out the HERO in each seeker, with creamy desert topping wonder.  My inside source told me tales of fresh lines left well after 2:00PM, which , as this season will attest, is unheard of.  Powder Paradise and Little Cloud opened, offering a tasty treat wall to wall.  The big mountain smooth, that has been holding up for some days, made the full charge lines good to go.  The Sun and ambient temps. began to set the product up later in the day, so the high exposure shots will have felt the damage of this time of year.  Tomorrow, look for some more flurries to move through, so keep in mind the Sun exposed shots to avoid the crusty rumble.  The Groomers will be kicking it for carvacious fun top to bottom.  This Galaxy is a long way from The Bird, but I will return soon to be among the faithful.   I will post again tomorrow, if I can get another clear Portal.   IBBY!!!

I got up the Canyon a bit early this morning, in an attempt to beat the front that was moving in from the West.  Walk on Trams were going off with very little traffic, as the hill offered some stellar frosting that had been smoothed by the wind, and felt yet like another kind of perfect.  At 10:00AM a Wall Of Voodoo moved up the Canyon reducing visibility to nearly zero, with high volume precipitation in association with a dense frontal cloud kicking in with a vengeance.  I ventured out to Old Ladies to sample the wind filled gut, only to get totally lost in the milk bottle.  The consistency was excellent, so I trusted the inner vision and began my traverse over to Gate 10, but once again I got lost thinking I was where I was not.  It was a trip trying to maintain balance with such minimal references, and I must admit to have got a bit of vertigo going.  Fortunately, I was able to get myself safely to the Forklift Chair where the visibility was 20 20 and a calm ambiance settled me down.  It is hard to describe just how hard the snow was falling, but suffice to say that all reports coming off the hill did not indicate any improvement in the visibility.  The Essence was getting deeper with every passing minute, filling in the tracks as fast as the tracks were made.  Tomorrow, look for a real treat for the faithful, who are sure to be in full attendance, so plan on using the chairs as a sure way to maximize the up hill access.  I did that the other day with great results, while the faithful were stuck in the Tram line.   I have been called back to the home planet for the next few days, so I will try and get the posts out through the HYPER SPACE CHANNEL as best I can.  There  may well be some gaps in the TRANSMISSIONS, so please understand the vagueness.  I will return ASAP.   IBBY!!!   Here is a shot of the WALL OF VOODOO that was moving up the Canyon this morning; big, black, and packing a punch!

WALL OF VOODOO