It’s 58 degrees at the base today at 4pm and 53 degrees at the top of Summit Chair. This morning was another beautiful clear day that brings out skiers and snowboarders in short pants and short sleeve shirts (or less in some cases). Of course, this is not good for the skin. A prolonged time on the snow, with skin showing, will most likely cause a nice early summer burn that one might regret later in life.
Yesterday, I joined my friend on Lake Tahoe in our kayaks. The lake was without ripple making our tour along the shore smooth and memorable. It was also the first day, since last October, that I walked in public in short pants. All I can say is that it was “Pretty Ugly”. There is nothing like white legs exposed to the public after being covered up for the entire winter. Does anyone know of a spray on tan that works? I would be doing the world a favor putting color on my legs and arms.
Sherwood was running this morning mandating a tour across the High Traverse and over the Upper Saddle in to Sun Bowl, CB’s, or Big Bend Bowl. These warm days are melting snow quickly exposing more and more dirt and rocks. Skiing down Sun Bowl requires one to pay attention to the dwindling snow pack. It is possible to run out of snow on the downhill slide. You may have to hike up hill to find a thin patch of snow to cross, or perhaps a short patch of dirt to cross, in order to continue down toward the base of the Sherwood Lift. It happened to me today.
The very warm temperatures are also creating shorter times during which the snow is in good spring corn condition. We are also seeing deeper sun cups growing in all areas of the mountain. I did enjoy one run down from the High Traverse through a portion of Sun Bowl and the lower area of Big Bend Bowl. CB Chute is getting very narrow and thin.
Sherwood offered a couple of morning runs through Power Line, and down Sherwood Face. The snow was soft, but not too slushy. We returned to the front side making our way through deep slushy moguls in Expert Short Cut and Art’s Knob. As we mentioned yesterday, Lakeview and Scott are closed for the season. Of course, there were no lift lines and parking was not an issue. The area was very quiet today. No parking reservations required.
Mark, and his lovely wife Ann, took advantage of a coupon he received for skiing 100 days this season. The generous coupon allowed him to ride the B to B, and enjoy lunch in one of the Village Restaurants. In order to receive awards such as the coupon he was given, a person has to allow Palisades Tahoe to track them on the mountain using the Palisades App.. I do not check-in each day so I can be tracked all over the mountain, so I am skunked when it comes to free lunches. Maybe next year, even though I have been on the mountain more than 100 days this year.
Later in the morning Palisades, Pygmy Forest, High Yellow Gully and the Face were a pleasure to ski. Soft moguls in these areas as well as the Face and Waterfall finished off a very warm morning of good skiing.
Enjoy you day,
Andy
The 100 Days reward is actually only good for Sun Bowl, which has poke bowls over in the fake village. If you are not a fan of poke, you can get chicken or roasted beets instead of fish. The award allows $50 or basically lunch for two. We both had the Lomi Lomi bowls and they were very good.
I will note that we did not ride the shiny boxes over as that would have been like sitting in a broiler. So we drove over to the village and stopped on the way home. Fun Fact: The potholes in the parking lot at Palisades are giant.
Your caveats are epic, Mark. I have broiled sushi in my head and need to get it out, out, out………
A friend who has well over 100 days and in the top ten says he has not (at least as yet) been offered a coupon for exceeding the 100 mark. Maybe it was a one off for Mark for his great contribution to the Alpine experience with the blog.
It may take awhile. I was up to about 130 days before they sent the email.