The first morning turns were made under a gray sky. Lighting was a little flat, and a cool breeze was blowing. I think we were all underdressed and feeling a chill beneath our specialized ski clothing. A couple of the members of my morning group went in earlier than normal to warm up.
Time passed, and once again the sky above us was blue, around 11am. We toured the mountain, skiing on mostly groomed slopes. After a couple of trips up and down Roundhouse on corduroy that held an edge, we rode Summit Chair. We were once again skiing on corduroy, but it was quite pleasant. I was somewhat surprised at the softish consistency of the snow in Alpine Bowl and Wolverine.
I do not think we had any complaints about the overnight grooming job on Werner’s, Charity, Dance Floor, or Yellow Trail. As I mentioned, it seemed cooler today than it was yesterday. This led us to think twice before heading to Sherwood, where we hoped to find spring snow.
Of course, we did not find spring snow, as everything off-piste was still frozen. However, the main Sherwood Run skied like sugar and not like a sloped skating rink. I enjoy the turns we made at Sherwood. Once again, the overnight crews have done an excellent job farming snow to make skiing safer and more enjoyable. Rocks and dirt that were showing yesterday must have received a cover of snow overnight, as they were not as visible today as they were previously.
Just before noon, we tested Ridge and Bobby’s trails off the Scott Chair. Both, especially Bobby’s, were uncrowded and allowed us to make sweeping turns on a soft surface. I tried, but I was unable to convince either of my compatriots to make turns in Gentian Gully. We did have fun turning on firm moguls that are not too large on Ladies Slalom. Before 1 p.m., it was best to stay on the groomed runs.
A couple of things one should not do when conditions are questionable. I would not advise anyone who is not an expert to ski Our Father or Counter Weight Gully.
They are firm and filled with moguls. One slip and you may end up hugging a tree. If you do not eat a lot and you bring a lunch every day, do not stop at the Alpine Chalet for a warm-up and a sweet cinnamon bun. You will end up taking your lunch home and bringing it back the next day. You do save time the night before or early in the morning, making lunch on the second day, but you will be eating yesterday’s sandwich.
For men: Do not stop under a chairlift to relieve yourself. This is especially important if you wear a bright jacket that can easily be seen by your friends who happen to be riding up the lift. I was greeted at the base of the chairlift by smiling and giggling friends who thought they had spotted me in my bright orange jacket hiding behind a tree. They were disappointed to learn that it was not me, but they were still giggling as we headed back up the hill.
Enjoy your day,
Andy