Mellow Monday & Spring Operations Updates

It was a completely mellow Monday after a relatively busy weekend at Alpine Meadows. After a weirdly sticky day yesterday, things were a bit more skier friendly today. That said, nothing was as it seemed. Looking at the Remote Data sensors over coffee this morning, it seemed like there was a good freeze at the top and very warm temperatures at the base and mid-mountain. But air temperatures and ground temperatures are not always comparable. As we get into warmer springtime temperatures, it’s the snowpack that keeps the ground level air much cooler.

So in practice today, just about everything off of Summit was pretty mushy right away. Although Sunspot was really pleasant on that first run, I felt like I was leaving huge trenches, and by the third run, it was really torn up. Lower on the mountain, much of the terrain off Roundhouse actually skied much better. Timing did matter, as in you could ski just about any direction from the top of Roundhouse toward Sympathy or Sunday School, it was just a matter of finding the perfect aspect for you. My jam today was hot laps on Sunday School down to the rarely groomed Fall Line.

I heard good reports from Sherwood but never made it over there today, as I transitioned through being a part of four different ski pods.

I did hear some grumbling about Lakeview not being open today, and that the Tiegel terrain park disappeared overnight. But I get it…skier and rider numbers are pretty darn low this time of year. Over the weekend, lot 3 filled and barely extended into lot 4. Today there were just a handful of cars in lot 3. It’s hard to justify maintaining the whole mountain when visitation is down. I find myself grateful to have so much of the mountain still open. With the rate of melt accelerating, it’s becoming clear that there will be a lot of snow management needed to keep the lower mountain going for an extended season. Again, I am nothing but grateful.

Spring Operations Updates

If you are not a locker holder, then you did not get the email this afternoon that highlights some of the upcoming operations changes. Here’s a summary for Alpine Meadows:

• Beginning May 1st, operating hours shift to 8am to 2pm. I have absolutely no problem with that. It seems pretty silly to operate past 2pm when it’s so warm. I will gladly trade two afternoon hours when hardly anybody wants to ski for an hour in the morning, when it’s generally much better skiing. Note that I pretty much have ignored that Saturdays until 5 thing during April…because why.

• Alpine Meadows will be open Wednesday through Sundays only, with Mondays and Tuesdays being off days. The email says that a shuttle bus will run from Palisades to Alpine Meadows when Palisades is not open. It does not say whether a shuttle will operate to Palisades on Mondays and Tuesdays, when Alpine Meadows is closed.

• Scheduled lifts for May are: Summit, Roundhouse, Sherwood, Scott, TLC and Meadow. The email does not specify morning and afternoon shifts for Scott and Sherwood, as has been done in the past.

• Alpine Meadows will be open on Monday, May 29th (Memorial Day) but will not be open on Wednesday, May 31.

• In June and the July 4th weekend, the currently scheduled lifts are Summit, Roundhouse and TLC. The last one does surprise me as I know the B2B storage building work needs to be completed. Of course, this is weather and conditions permitting. June operations are Friday through Sunday only.

And…just 6 more days to enjoy all of the wonders that Melanie and the gang at Treats provide. I’ll give a heads up that she is already out fo cinnamon rolls for the season. Also…just 6 more days for B2B operations.

See you out there tomorrow. Tonight we should get a good freeze…after that its warm and warmer.