Today really felt like spring. There were clear blue skies and very warm temperatures. I skied for awhile this morning, and found that we need a few days of warmth followed by some cold nights before the snow surface has a chance to turn into corn. This morning there was a warm light breeze at the top of the Summit Chair. Some of the people in my small group of friends thought it was more than a breeze, but it was not strong enough to cause the lift to be shut down.
We skied the groomed area of Alpine Bowl and Terry’s Return enjoying the corduroy that was firm enough, but not icy. Shortly after a run or two we headed to Sherwood where I thought the snow was already too soft. Soft, not corn, and sticky creating that stop and go feeling that spring weather can produce. A ride up Scott Chair shared very firm conditions on Ridge and Bobby’s Trails with us. By 11ish the sun had not had an opportunity to create slush as these trails face west. They were still somewhat firm.
We headed back to Summit and tried Wolverine where I found snow that was once again sticky. D7 and D8 were better, but not the corn I yearn for this time of year. A friend indicated that Palisades was not bad, but she did not like the size of the moguls dotting that area of the mountain.
The featured photo is of Twin Peaks with what appears to be a wet slide on its surface. This time of year it is important to be aware of wet snow that can avalanche on a nice warm spring day. Us caution when skiing out-of-bounds.
Tomorrow it will be slightly cooler, but still in the 40’s according to the Palisades weather forecast with windy conditions and possible snow during the night (1 to 3 inches. Currently it appears to be 50 degrees at the top of the mountain. Thursday it is going to get cold again with projected temperatures into the 20’s during the day. A little snow will fall Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. So much for spring.
Enjoy you day,
Andy