Today was one of those days where I found some good skiing and some not-so-good skiing. In my mind, fog in the upper bowls and flat light are not considered good skiing. The groomed runs were pleasant enough in the morning, but I do not like skiing blind. We tried to follow the sun, finding more of it on the Scott and Lakeview side of the mountain, but the sun played hide-and-seek with us all day.
Off-piste was variable. Soft powder turns could be located in various areas of the mountain, especially on lower-angle slopes. It was one of those days when the overnight snowfall, added to yesterday’s snowfall, did not add up to enough to cover the underlying firmness on much of the hill. We have not received enough snow (4 inches at the base and perhaps 9 inches at the peak) to fill in the troughs of moguls. Low-angle slopes without moguls were the best. Steeper slopes with moguls created a scratchy and loud surface. Ice that is just under the surface makes for an uncertain trip down the slope.
Just before noon, I tried the slope under Idiot’s Delight. There are smaller moguls in this area of the mountain, but the ice underneath my skis created an unsteady experience. In the morning, the groomed area of Wolverine offered good turns, but the flat light added an element of uncertainty.
Where was the better skiing? Skadi Hill, known as Chicken Leg to some, offered nice soft snow. Scott Meadows, with its low angle, was joyous, and the small areas between trees off Lakeview and Scott allowed us some quiet skiing. The groomed runs off Lakeview were pretty good, and Scotty’s Beam brought a smile to my face as I maneuvered between snow bumps, weeds, short treetops, and a tree stump or two.
Just before the noon hour, Gentian Gully and Promised Land were opened for skiing and riding. I was not the first to trek through the forest, but I still enjoyed the run. Dropping down to the ridge that leads to the trail is somewhat intimidating to some, but a slow approach makes it doable. There were some nice turns in new snow to be traveled that were associated with scratchy conditions just below the surface. As usual, it was just the beauty and peacefulness of this forested area that I enjoyed the most.
I was not expecting snow today, but as I am writing, it is snowing outside. Perhaps we will have a little dusting of new snow tomorrow.
I rarely complain about anything at my favorite ski resort, but I just want to say that the hot chocolate served at The Chalet is poured in ridiculously small cups. It would be nice to have slightly larger cups filled with hot chocolate, whipped cream, and marshmallows (for some of us).
Enjoy your day,
Andy
Thanks for the report, Andy, and I agree with you on the cup size for hot chocolate at the Chalet. It dawned on me that the smaller size might be for kids, but let’s have a bigger mug for the grown-ups–whatever the cost!
That 4 to 9 inches barely covered a lot of solid obstacles that can end a season – I know because it’s happened to me before. If next weeks storms deliver as expected then it should be relatively safe.