Bright blue skies, no wind, and little, if any, overnight freezing. I dropped a couple of layers of clothing because it was 40 degrees at the top of the mountain early this morning and even warmer at the base. By the time I arrived at the base of Summit Chair, after walking up from the lodge decking, I was overheated. However, once I was skiing, it felt just about right having on one thin, long-sleeved shirt and a thin jacket.
Sunspot and other upper-elevation groomed runs skied well. The early trips down soft spring corduroy definitely made the effort of getting out of bed worthwhile. The lower portion of the mountain, including Dance Floor, Charity, and Red Ridge, was more firm early but softened within the first hour. The FIS Spring Race Series was being run on Werner’s Schuss. This limited the public’s access to the trail. Racers and Gatekeepers were on the hill early this morning, well before the public was allowed to ride Roundhouse.
I dove into a portion of the non-groomed slope of Alpine Bowl on run number two or three. Most people might have frowned when they sank six inches into the soft snow that did not appear to have frozen overnight. I, on the other hand, occasionally enjoy the challenge presented by lesser-skied slopes. The snow below Tower 19 was mushy and deep but consistent. The surface was not frozen, so the miscellaneous deep skier tracks from the day before did not present an issue when turning. Very soft, consistent snow allowed me to make turns with confidence until returning to the easier groomed area of Terry’s Return. As I mentioned to my compatriots, the best snow I have skied this spring season was on the short surface of Lower Rock Garden. The surface of this short slope leading down to the base of Alpine Bowl Chair was an inch deep and perfectly smooth. Each turn was a joyful experience that is not forgotten quickly.
We headed for Sherwood, making turns on Maid Marian and the skier left of Sherwood Face. I think we were just a little too late as the snow on Sherwood Face and in Chute Zero had softened too much, making it difficult to complete turns without feeling pain in the knees or thighs. The areas of Sherwood Face and Chute Zero that we skied had not been well packed down by other skiers prior to our trips through them. This made it more difficult to complete the journey with a smile on my face.
Maid Marian offered a better surface because more skiers had used it yesterday and the day before, creating small moguls and a more condensed topping.
Leaving Sherwood, we tried Expert Shortcut and the lower portion of Art’s Knob. These trails were more condensed and firmer, making it more pleasurable for turning. I would say the conditions on Expert Shortcut and Art’s Knob offered a pleasant spring experience to those jumping off the cornice onto their soft slopes.
A couple more turns off the Scott Chair on Bobby’s and Ridge Runs finished my more than acceptable morning of skiing. I quit a little earlier than anticipated because the sky clouded over and flat light took hold. These days I want to be able to see the terrain I am skiing on instead of skiing blind.
Later in the day the sun was back out, and the Truckee River was looking good from the bike trail between Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley.
There is always tomorrow, at least for a few more days.
Enjoy your day.
Andy
We have a different idea of what Charity softening in the first hour means :-0 Same with Ridge Run, but otherwise I agree it was a nice day out until the cloud cover sent me home, too.