Snow?

About 100 flakes of snow fell early this morning our of a very grey sky. Alpine Meadows was hiding in low clouds as a few flakes of snow fell. There were not enough flakes to cover my deck in a blanket of white. It was not long before the low clouds lifted and visibility improved.

By the time lifts opened the flat light was beginning to disappear. Soon after the opening hour,  patches of blue broke through the grey cover and not much later the sky overhead was completely blue. Overnight temperatures were over freezing and the day time temperatures have risen to 44 degrees as of 1pm.

At the opening bell this morning lift lines were nil, but as the morning progressed lines increased until they were in the moderate range at noon. There appeared to be more cars in the parking lots at Alpine Meadows today then there have been for the last few days.

What about the snow conditions? Early tracks on the nicely groomed trails were definitely enjoyable. There were a few slick spots but I smiled turning down Rock Garden, Dance Floor, and Weasel. The snow on the groomed area of Weasel was the best as it was mostly soft and winter-like.

We did venture off the groomed areas, especially as the morning moved along and more skiers and boarders arrived. Charity has plenty of moguls growing on its trail, but careful slow turning can allow one to avoid hidden objects. The snow in these areas is pretty good. I would venture to say the surface is in winter condition with the caveat that rocks and bushes are waiting to grab your skis. We also found good snow parallel to the Weasel Trail. I did not attempt
Werner’s Schuss today, but it looked to have a winter surface with good size moguls. I am sure the surface would hold an edge.

It feels a little like spring, but I was told that cooler temperatures are on the way although snow falling from the sky may be a bit further into the distance.

Enjoy your day,

Andy