The air temperature was a little cooler this morning than it was yesterday. I was happy to have my warmer jacket on, as winds were brisk at the summit on the first few runs. Of course it did warm by early afternoon, but only to the low forties at the summit.
We slid on every patch of nicely groomed corduroy that we could find during the first couple of hours on the front side of Alpine. By 11:30 we were skiing soft spring snow on the Sherwood Face and South Face slopes.
I followed Mark down Power Line and earlier in the morning through Chicken Leg. Both of Mark’s ideas on this day proved to be best erased from the mind. Chicken Leg remains mostly very firm and best left alone while Power Line varied from firm skier tracked left over from days past to softening spring snow that was not ready for either of us. We did find some lightly tracked corduroy that was very pleasant underfoot on the far left of the main Sherwood Run. It was soft and creamy most of the way down.
We headed up Lakeview to try Bobby’s and Ridge Runs where the snow along the right edge of each trail was just right. We found good smooth spring snow on each trail.
Perhaps someone reading this post can answer a question that has been eating at us ever since Lakeview opened this season. Tower 11 on the Lakeview lift makes a rather loud noise at consistent intervals. It sounds like steel expanding or contracting. It is a constant topic of conversation as we near the top of the lift. It would be helpful to know that there is nothing for us to worry about so we can turn our attention to other topics of conversation.
The word on the street is that tomorrow will be excessively windy at some point during the day and that a real snow storm is possible beginning this weekend with more coming on Monday. Fingers crossed.
Enjoy your day,
Andy
I’m pretty sure I followed you into Chicken Leg! Then, when I went to Powerline, I did announce “Don’t follow me!” I continued skiing a couple of hours longer than Andy, eventually heading back to Lakeview. The corn on Mountain View this afternoon was perfection.
I stand corrected. You did follow me into Chicken Leg which was a bad idea although there were a few acceptable turns at the beginning, and you did warn us not to follow you into Power Line, but who listens to such nonsense.
Sherwood was the perfect blend of firm corduroy with a little slush on top right around 10:00. Groomer skiing has been great lately.
🙂
Hi Andy,
I grew up skiing Alpine in the sixties and ever since, but never got to learn the names of all the different runs you mention in your writings. I have reviewed the trail maps, but they lack the detail you describe. I’m retired now, an official local, and would like to be able to learn the names of runs you refer to but are not on trail maps. What is a good source for the detail of Alpine’s named runs or is it local knowledge to be passed down?
Kris
Kris,
I will ask Mark for your email , if that is okay with you and then I will explain where these runs are at Alpine. The reason you do not find them on the map is that we make up names within our group to describe certain terrain.
Andy
When a lift tower or sheave or lift chair makes odd sounds, I always report it to either a lift op, or to the Head Office. They will have maintenance go check it out. There’s been a couple of sheaves on the Funitel (at the Other resort…) that were replaced as a direct result of my reports…