A cool wind was blowing at the top of Summit Chair this morning with a temperature hanging around the freezing level. I just did not have the correct jacket on for the first couple of runs. I chilly wind blew up my loose-fitting jacket giving me the chills. However, it did not take long for the air to warm up, especially at the base area, before my core was nice and toasty. Of course, the sky was clear blue offering excellent visibility on the trails that receive full sun in the early morning. This was true even in the shaded areas that do not receive full sunshine at the opening bell.
Groomed runs remain limited, but those that are groomed had a lovely corduroy topping this morning. The groomed area off Summit Chair is basically a ribbon of corduroy beginning just a few moguls below the Alpine Bowl ridge and continuing to the base of Rock Garden. The lower section continues widely down Dance Floor to the bases of both Summit Chair and Roundhouse.
The rest of the mountain is pretty much the same as it has been all week. Mogul fields that look like the Himalayas as seen from space. The good news is that the surface condition on most moguls remain chalky. These small mountains hold an edge, and do not jar one to death, if they are skied properly. In order to save your back, and not loose control in a mogul field, try to ski through them slowly.
On the Wolverine side of the mountain, I enjoy bouncing around in D7 and D8. Softness may have returned to the sunbaked slopes today, but I was not around long enough to take advantage of them.
One thing to watch out for are the tippy tops of small buried trees that show up on both the groomed and ungroomed slopes. These little obstacles will catch your edge and send you flying somewhere down the hill. There are a few hidden in the mogul field on the skiers right of Alpine Bowl near the Alpine Bowl Chair. We also saw a few to the skiers right on Dance Floor.
I believe some ski team begin practicing this weekend so there maybe more than a few young people ripping down the mountain. Keep your eyes open and ski safely this weekend.
Andy