Hello skiers,
I was under the impression that winds would be blowing at the ridge top this morning, but I was wrong. It was still at the top of Summit Chair, at least until 10am. The air was definitely warmer this morning than it was yesterday morning. I believe the early morning thermometer reading showed the air to be over 50 degrees. It was over 60 at 11am. Blue sky covered us during the time we were on the hill.
Sun and warmth is beginning to shrink the white ribbons that most people are skiing. Groomed runs are white/beige ribbons that are becoming more narrow with each passing day. This morning the ribbons were nicely groomed and offered up a relatively smooth surface for making slow, soft, spring turns. Reaching off-piste trails is getting tricker as more dirt appears at the normal entry areas of some trails. Skiing over deep suncups, dirt, or rocks is required to reach some trails.
The Face is filled with deep moguls, but they were nice and soft this morning. I happen to enjoy skiing large soft moguls because I can ski them very slowly. Reaching The Face from the bottom of Wolverine Bowl required skiing down a rather thin ribbon of snow filled with moguls or crossing a suncupped field. I watched a number of skiers having difficulty with the thin ribbon of snow that is directly under the Summit Chair. Although it is bumpy using the suncupped entry, it is easier. We did not venture to Medium Yellow today as the rumor was that the traverse is rocky. It looked good from below, but I did not see anyone skiing it today.
The Face with large moguls required entry under the lift through a rather narrow ribbon of snow that included moguls.
Yellow Trail is just about done for the season. It has not been groomed for the past few days as the snow is getting too thin and narrow. A thin ribbon has been skied, but on each side are deep suncups and patches of earth.
Yellow Trail with a narrow path between suncups and dirt.
There was a good crowd on the hill once again this morning. Summit riders enjoyed a rather long line that extended out the entry gates, although it really did not take long to get to a chair. As we have noted before, the main groomed runs appear pretty busy. Often these limited trails are too busy for my taste.
This picture does not show how many skiers and boarders were merging at Sandy’s Corner during the peak time this morning, but there were too many for my comfort level.
However, off-piste we found soft spring snow with moguls that I enjoyed. The Face, once you got to it, Peril Ridge, D6, D7, and D8 put smiles on our faces and on occasion I heard the word excellent from one of our group. The same was true for Pygmy Forest, and Palisades. Sympathy Face was also pleasant enough.
If you have dropped into Wolverine Bowl on the groomed portion of the Bowl, you may have noticed a deep canyon that has appeared at the ridge top. Snow has separated at the ridgeline as it is creeping downhill on the Wolverine Bowl side of the ridge and remained in place on the ridgeline. If you are at the top of Wolverine Bowl ready to drop down the groomed surface take a look to your right at the crevasse-like space that has appeared from snowcreep.
Top of Wolverine Bowl where snow is creeping downhill at the ridgeline
Have you seen the terrain park at the base of the Palisades Run? It appears man is already on the moon.
Will there be enough snow for the crowd that is expected over the Fourth of July? The Alpine crews are doing a great job of storing snow and then moving it to areas that are needed to access trails and lift entry and exit ramps, but this is getting move difficult each day. Hopefully there will be enough snow remaining for the ski area to offer a reasonable number of runs over the holiday.
Enjoy your day,
Andy
The picture at Sandy’s Corner is pretty demonstrative, as there is a lot of traffic forced through that funnel back to Roundhouse and Summit. For the last two days, it’s been me that has been turning sun cups into slush bumps on Yellow to avoid the more busy areas of the mountain. It is getting awfully thin out there.
I have so enjoyed your daily ski reports and they put me where I use to flourish. Unfortunately, I flourished a bit to much. My medical team told me it would be “catistrophic” if I ever made the attempt to enjoy it again. I came here for the Squaw Olympics and as a child, I was memorized by the beauty. I promised my mother that I would get an education first, and I did, but came here upon graduation. I skied every day, mostly Alpine, my son grew up on that mountain as well. It was all that I had remembered, and more so! My son was on the Truckee high school ski team and practice was called the morning of the avalanche. I Roberta Huber was our neighbor, who had complete trust in her dogs. We certainly have come a long ways. So, may your summer be blissful and your journey continues in the next season. I enjoyed your writings and I am of the few, who loved this past winter .☘️☘️