Deep and Deeper

It was another blizzard day at Alpine Meadows. Traffic entering the ski area was backed up and slow this morning. This was partly due to the closure of the Alpine Meadows Road. The road was closed for a period of time so that snow removal crews could complete clearing the parking lot. Snow removal cannot be conducted during periods of avalanche control. Avalanche control was being conducted above the main parking area this morning.

Avalanche conditions are extreme. Do not wander beyond closed signs that have been posted by ski patrol. As many of you have heard, an avalanche broke loose and buried a number of people participating in a backcountry ski trip in the Castle Peak area. No matter how experienced you think you are, ski within the ski area. When conditions are as extreme as they were today, I would advise everyone on the ski hill to wear a beacon so rescue crews can find you if you are buried by an avalanche.

As of 11 am this morning, the storm total at the upper mountain area was reported to be up to 97 inches. Snow has not just piled up on ski runs; it has also piled up on roofs and decks. Many homes and condominiums in our area have metal roofs. Snow piles up on these and other types of roofs and can slide anytime. Stay clear of areas where a roof can slide. A word about decks. Overloading of snow on decks can cause them to fail, especially on older buildings. They need to be shoveled.

It was another day of low visibility and windy conditions with deep snow conditions. Depending on your height, the fresh powder was between hip and chest deep on many slopes. Steeper slopes were better, as forward momentum was easier to achieve on them. Deep snow on low-angle slopes can just stop one in their tracks. Early in our ski day we ended at the base of a low-angle slope hoping to hit a groomed area. We ended up trekking in deep snow for a good distance before finding a firm area to continue our run.

I was somewhat surprised when both TLC (to the mid-station) and Roundhouse opened at 9. TLC opened to the top later in the morning, but it was shut down later. We skied very conservatively this morning, but others enjoyed the deep powder in places we did not venture. Sympathy Face. God’s Knob, and Gunner’s, were steep enough for many to enjoy. This was also true of Expert Shortcut and other trails off the top of TLC, where momentum kept skiers and boarders from stalling in the middle of a run. Falling or stalling in the deep snow we played in today can be very difficult and exhausting.

Our annex on the other side of the mountain was open for a short time today, as was the Base to Base Gondola, but both closed due to wind and avalanche danger. I think more than a few people drove or took the shuttle over to Alpine, which crowded the open slopes to a certain extent later in the morning. When I left the ski area, the parking lot looked pretty full. I believe parking is sold out for this coming weekend. I cannot imagine the number of people that are itching to get on the hill. One way to note the increased interest in skiing is shown on the graph below. This is a graph of our Unofficial Alpine Meadows readership. As you can see, the number of people reading these reports has grown significantly with the recent storms.

I will have to end this report because I need to try and clear my deck and find my exterior stairs.

Enjoy your day,

Andy