Knee Deep and Smiles

Hello skiers,

Snow is still falling at Alpine Meadows this afternoon of February 24, 2023. Perhaps I am incorrect, but I thought we were supposed to indulge in a few inches of new snow today on top of the white gold that fell yesterday. A lot more fell overnight and has continued pretty steadily all day.

Riding up Lakeview looking down at the skiers right of Scotty’s Beam

I was not expecting much to be open this morning after the near shut down of lifts yesterday. Based on the number of lifts that operated yesterday for just a portion of the day, I was surprised that the ski area opened at all. Winds were whipping around yesterday as snow fell that most likely kept lifts from turning. Ever since friends of mine died in the big avalanche many years ago, I do not try to second guess management.

My thoughts of many skiers clogging the parking areas and hillsides with just a few lifts turning kept me from jumping out of bed and rushing up to my locker to be ready for the 9am opening. I was wrong. The parking area was not full at 9:30 or so when I arrived at the base lodge and almost every lift was operating. I missed first tracks, but I found a few even though I was late to arrive.

The tracks closest to the trees are mine

My senses kept me from Summit Chair as I did not want to ski blindly. I spoke to a couple of people who ventured up Summit early in the morning. They report what I surmised. Visibility was zero in places, but the skiing was very good.

I rode Roundhouse a couple of times and found foot deep snow in and around Yellow Trail.

Gentian did not disappoint as there is always a line to be found between the trees. Sometimes my helmet will scrape a branch if I am too close to a tree, but turning in fresh is worth it. The same was true when picking my way down Scotty’s Beam under Lakeview Chair.

Almost fresh tracks were offered on Standard Run and South Face (all though the visibility was not that good at Sherwood). Powerline was a mixture of deep, and not so deep, snow as was my experience at God’s Knob where I hit some firm snow. I supposed the high winds blew the light snow off these slopes overnight.

South Face was looking good

The feeling of blasting through snow that is light enough, and deep enough, to fly over my knees makes me smile. Today was a day when my lips spread into a smile many times. I run into Andrew P. and Dave L. at the top of Lakeview. They spent their morning lapping Lakeview before very many other patrons arrived. Dave, without prodding, declared the morning, “Epic”.
That is all I have to report this day. It was a wonderful morning of powder skiing with plenty of smiling faces cutting up the slopes.

Enjoy your day,

Andy