“All You Can Eat” Corn

If you are a fan of spring corn the same way that I am, then you too might be in hog heaven. Since last Friday, we have enjoyed “all you can eat” corn for five days straight. As of now, it looks like this streak will continue right on through the end of the Alpine Meadows season on April 27th. I am totally okay with that possibility, as the skiing has been fantastic, if you like spring conditions. If you think all spring skiing is like the sticky slush we endured last week, it is not. Corn snow is magical.

I am going to share a possible controversial opinion here. Hate mail will ensue. High Traverse is no longer offering the best skiing on the mountain. I’ve mentioned concerns about this in my last post. It’s awesome when High Traverse is pristine and offering buttery smooth turns. But when it’s been well used and there’s ruts and piles left from previous days, it’s not my cup of tea. Later in the season, we sometimes get afternoon warmups that can cook that stuff down and smooth it out again. We are not getting to “later in the season” this year.

We went straight to High Traverse this morning right at 9:08. It was good but not great. It was soft enough but not buttery. We hunted around for smoother snow, but it’s been used up. I found myself wishing I had dedicated a couple of laps on the smooth groomed corn of Sunspot, Lower Rock Garden, Terry’s Return and others that likely offered the smoothest, most buttery corn. Instead we stayed at Sherwood and hot lapped the Sherwood groomer a few times before it got busy. Again, it offered a much better experience than High Traverse.

All aspects of Sherwood Face and Chute Zero were firing this morning. With the earlier closing of Sherwood yesterday, nobody was out there leaving huge trenches and chunder piles in the late afternoon sun. We got right back to the fun that we were having on Sherwood yesterday morning without any need for rehabbing the snow. Eventually we did 10 laps at Sherwood, and on the tenth, we said “They should close this now”. The signs were up when we got to the bottom. This managed rotation of Sherwood and Scott is far more than just saving money – it makes the skiing and riding so much better for those that love spring snow.

After a short lunch break, we headed to Scott as soon as we saw movement. Scott Ridge and Bobby’s offered perfectly smooth corn to those that were in the right place at the right time. They do not share the mystique of High Traverse. Telling people “I got six laps on Scott Ridge” will not earn you as much credit as claiming 6 laps on High Traverse.

If we want to talk magical, let’s talk about Gentian Gully. Looking back, we don’t get a lot of seasons where Gentian Gully gets fully corned up before the Scott chair closes for the season. This season, we have it and it’s a treat if you are skiing at an expert level. There are still moguls, tight trees, tree wells and scattered debris. You have to be comfortable with these things. Also, Subway is closed, so you need to know how to get out to the Promised Land, which is not crystal clear to many. I know, I am sending more people that way by mentioning this. But up to a point, spring corn gets better with more traffic as it keeps the snow consolidated and less sun cupped. I think Ski Patrol should consider putting up one of those new skull and crossbones signs. Please be smart about your abilities.

There’s scattered thunderstorms around Tahoe this afternoon, and currently a number of lifts are on lightning hold. The threat of thunderstorms increases over the next two days. The weekend still looks good.

Expect The Weekend To Be Busy

We have been enjoying some country club skiing and riding at Alpine Meadows over the last couple of weeks, even through last weekend. Things will likely be different this weekend, with several popular events all happening on the same weekend. Here’s what we know about:

The 39th Annual Snow Golf Tourney is happening on Saturday, April 19. People love this event, no, I mean really love it. It was something that was unique to Alpine Meadows. It’s no longer that way. It’s been taken over by the borg and become something I just can’t enjoy any more. Completing 9 holes used to be something you could do in 90 minutes, now it takes much longer, with long lines to sign up, lines at every hole and a massive party with far too many people at the Chalet end zone. Truth be told, I stopped participating when the free golf visors that are given out said “Palisades Tahoe” instead of “Alpine Meadows” and had some hideous football team logo. No thank you, I will just go lap Sherwood and avoid the scene. Oops, there’s my second unpopular opinion of the day!

The Golden Egg Easter Hunt is scheduled for Sunday April 20th. Clues are generally posted at some lifts and sometimes via social media channels. It’s been inconsistent. The finder will get a ’25-’26 Palisades Tahoe season pass. The hunt can be fun and I have been so close a few times. Maybe this is my year, especially as I have come to learn I only want a Palisades Tahoe pass, or just an Alpine Meadows pass.

The Beacon And Eggs hunt, sponsored by the Alpine Meadows Ski Patrol, will be held near the top of the Subway lift on Sunday, April 20th. Teams of up to four use avalanche gear to find buried beacons that can be redeemed for prizes. Registration is from 10:00 to 11:30 at the top of Subway, and the hunt is on at noon. Because you must provide your own gear and have some knowledge to operate it, this is your best chance of winning something this weekend.

There’s only a dozen more days of skiing and riding at Alpine Meadows this season….see you out there.

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The idiom “jumping the shark” means that a thing has evolved and reached a point in which it has exhausted its core intent and is introducing new ideas that are discordant with its original theme or purpose. The phrase was coined in response to a 1977 episode from the fifth season of the American sitcom Happy Days, in which the character of Fonzie (Henry Winkler) jumps over a live shark while on water-skis.