Surprise

Hello skiers,
The surprise this morning was that snow accumulated overnight just enough to create a new white palette for us to etch with our skis and boards. It must have been windy overnight as the new surface was a little stiff, but not enough to send my skis in a direction I did not want them to go. Surprise number two was the number of slab type slides that broke loose before lifts began to spin. High Yellow Face, Our Father, Palisades, and a number of other steeper slopes slid. The slides filled some slopes with small soft rubble. Bombs could be heard during the day as patrol attempted to break huge cornices loose.

Slides in Keyhole Slope and Lower Saddle

Our first thought of the morning was to head back to Our Father/High Yellow Gully and catch some fresh snow. After a very nice tour of Sherwood Face we traversed over to Our Father. We found that a slide had taken up most of the slope, but just enough was left untouched on one edge allowing me to enjoy making turns in the fresh. The soft new snow was wonderful and a real surprise.

High Yellow Face and High Yellow Gully/Our Father Slid, but we found some fresh snow to paint

The rest of the day was spent seeking fresh turns and loving soft snow on steeper slopes cut up by skiers that hit it before I arrived. Palisades East and West that are now just one slope skied so easily that it did not seem to be steep at all. Peter’s Peril was never better as it was filled with soft snow that begged for a turn that I could sink into and not loose my edge and slide to the bottom. North Peril and Waterfall made for a couple of smiling trips up and down Summit Chair.

Peter’s Peril

Sister’s was also covered with soft winter snow and a joy to ski. A number of people traversed into and out of Lower Beaver Bowl to access the area above Kangaroo and out to the Buttress. We skied Art’s, okay not Linkletter (my mistake), Knob and followed it up with my third or fourth trip down Gentian Gully. I said hello to Broccoli Tree at least three times. The first time allowed me to enjoy fresh tracks in the new surface. Later it was a combination of turning in left over powder and skier pack.

West side of Gentian Gully

East and West Palisades have merged.  Early morning when the snow had not been overskied.

First tracks of the morning on Sherwood Face

Today was an excellent day on the slopes. I am hoping for more days like today with the sun shining, the slopes in perfect condition, and not too many people on the hill.

Enjoy your day,

Andy