Wait, Wait, and Wait More!

Wait! Wait! Wait!

Today was a long waiting game for those that love Alpine Meadows and cannot go home without at least a couple of lift rides. It snowed overnight, exciting those that love skiing powder. According to the Palisades Tahoe app, the Alpine Meadows side of the mountain received 13 inches of snow overnight and some additional snow during the day.

It was also very windy yesterday. It seems as if a wind gust of 118 mph blew over the ridge of Alpine Meadows during the past 24 hours. These high winds caused another major power outage last night as a tree or two fell on the Liberty Utility electric lines. Sometime around 11:30 pm, the power went out in most of Alpine Meadows. Power was finally restored within the valley and at the ski area at approximately 1pm. The resort area was intent on opening most lifts so that we, the patrons, could take full advantage of the new powder snow blanketing our beautiful slopes, but the power outage threw the proverbial wrench into the best intentions.

The power was out at my house in Alpine Meadows, so I had a pretty good idea that opening would be delayed due to the power outage. I decided to head up to the lodge anyway. I grabbed a cup of coffee at Treats around 8:30 am in hopes of taking my time sipping it, hoping the power would come on and our lifts would begin to spin within a reasonable time period. I thought it would be best to hang out in the main lodge where a person can look out the windows to see if lifts were operating. Not many people were at Alpine early because traffic was halted a number of times while avalanche work was done over the main road. Thus, the photo below shows the main lodge just before 9am this morning.

We waited and waited for word as to the time power would be restored. Rumors flew every once in a while, but reality did not set in until 1pm. That was a long wait followed by an additional wait at the lift while the crew did their pre-check work to make sure all was well with the Roundhouse Chair. Many people waited in line for two or more hours hoping the power would be restored and the lift open. When the lift finally began loading, the line was pretty long, but it actually did not take all that long to get to the point where a person could set his or her rear end on a seat.

I ended up taking two runs up the Roundhouse Chair. The only other lifts turning were Subway and Meadows. The snow was soft and lovely. It was not too deep. It was not as deep as I expected, but I left a mark in the snow where I completed turns. I would have taken more runs, but the line was pretty long and the lift seemed to be stopping often, and I did not want to be stuck on it for any length of time.

Late this afternoon blue sky is appearing and winds have died down. Tomorrow will be crowded but skiing should be very good.

I met a Palisades skier in the Crest Café, one of my favorite places to grab a light breakfast or yummy lunch, who indicated that the lines for the open lifts were 40 minutes long.

One good thing about hanging around in the locker room or up in the main lodge dining area for five hours was the opportunity to socialize. I met a number of people whom I have not seen in a while and others that are always heading out to the lifts. Catching up with friends was worth the wait for power to return and lifts to run, even if my time on the mountain ended up being limited.

I imagine this weekend will bring a large crowd to the slopes. If you live in Alpine Meadows, and you do not have a parking reservation, you might want to consider using the Mountaineer Shuttle Service. The other day I mentioned something about this service that was incorrect.

The Mountaineer service is provided by Mountaineer Transit Company to Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley residents and guests. It is not provided by Palisades Tahoe, although they are one of many businesses that contribute to Mountaineer’s funding. The service is paid for by many assessed businesses, including all Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows lodging properties, short-term rentals, and Palisades Tahoe’s daily lift tickets, etc.

I had complained about wait times and was instructed to call for the service, especially on busy days (weekends and holidays), well before the time I am ready to walk out the door. The app will notify a person if the time of arrival changes more than 15 minutes. Times can be rather long, so prepare by scheduling your desire for a pickup time well in advance. Perhaps 45 minutes to an hour would be reasonable. However, you should also check the app occasionally to make sure your ride time has not changed significantly.

Enjoy your day,

Andy

Editors Note: There were two inbounds avalanches today on the Palisades Tahoe side, both off of KT-22. One was in the Enchanted Forest and the other near Olympic Lady. Standard searches of the area were performed and no injuries were reported. We have conditions out there that have resulted in high avalanche risk in the backcountry. Inbounds control work can mitigate risks, but it’s never 100% a sure thing. As more of the mountain opens tomorrow, keep in mind that the relationship between the new snow and the firmer and somewhat icy snow of last week is tenuous. Consider wearing a beacon, ski with a partner and respect closures. Skiers and riders choosing to ride the Alpine Meadows “side country” should be completely equipped and knowledgable regarding avalanches. That’s always true, but even more important with this storm cycle.