Is this getting tedious, day after day of gorgeous blue skies overhead? My weather guru tells me that we can expect 3″ to 5″ of snow on the mountain Friday night. I cannot wait to have the hillsides refreshed, even if it is just to clean up the face coating.
In the early morning the nicely groomed trails remain enjoyable as one can carve a turn in the fresh corduroy. However the top surface, especially above Roundhouse, is soon scraped off leaving a hard slick slope to negotiate. Off the corduroy, at least in the morning hours, is a slope that is hard as rock. It’s solid ice in most areas. Depending on the air temperature and the winds this surface has been remained firm all day. Many trails are closed due to the dangerous conditions. You do not want to go beyond a closed sign if the slopes remain as they are in the near future. One slip on a steep slope and you will find yourself careening downhill at a speed that will leave your pants wet and most likely your body bruised or broken.
Let’s hope the next couple of small storms and a larger one coming next week will change conditions to the better.
I do like to carve big wide turns at speed taking up the entire width of a groomed run on any given day, but with so little off piste available and other skiers and boarders screaming downhill in a more straight path, this type of skiing requires an empty slope and plenty of caution on the skiers part.
Enjoy you day,
Andy
It is all about knowing where to go and when to go. I’ve been minimizing my Summit laps to just a few in the morning before it’s scraped to ice. Then making hot laps on Roundhouse until lunch, as the snow is softer down low. Then if you catch it just right, Ridge and Bobby’s mid-day has been a lot of fun. Of course, with some new snow inbound, hopefully some of the off piste terrain will be fun once again. At least the crowds have been very slim this week!
A late day sun dog above Summit lift.
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