tseeb
Well-known member
My friend’s seasonal renters moved out on 4/15. He was lucky that Kirkwood extended their season for two weeks after originally scheduled 4/14 closure. He could not come up until late afternoon and will stay until 4/28 closing. I left San Jose at 525, (Altamont Pass sunrise with Sierra visible on horizon on the other side of CA Central Valley)
arrived at 845 but didn’t get on Reut chair until 920 after gearing up including rubbing on wax to prevent sticking I experienced on my last Kirkwood day. I skied Conestoga which was groomed and in great shape. Then I rode Cornice where there was moderate wind out of W/SW at the top. I skied Zachary’s twice dropping into a steep little bowl above top of Solitude chair at the top on my 2nd lap. I moved to The Wall too early as very steep groomed top was too firm.
After going in and re-filling my water bottle, I did another Reut lap, the went up The Wall again and skied to empty and excellent E-facing Eagle Bowl to get to chair 2 to go to the Backside.
I skied Cold Shoulder on Backside and found E-facing a little softer than perfect, but still very good. Next time up I had an almost 15 minute lift stoppage in a place where it was cold and windy enough that I kept thinking chair was restarting when it did not. I was wearing a thin base layer and light/medium jacket that used to be windproof, but felt a little under-dressed in some places in the AM. I exited Backside heading for Thunder Saddle, but decided to take Hell’s Delight even though it was still in AM and N-facing, then I saw Open sign heading into Permenently Closed Cirque. I started in, but saw a couple of Cliff Area signs and decided to look at it from the bottom so I ducked rope back into Hell’s finding good snow on left and in center, firm on the right, then great snow on apron and into Thunder Saddle bowl at bottom.
I did the long two-slow-chair lap to return to the Backside. Chair 4 stopped on both laps, but for less than a minute both times. I skied right edge of main groomer Elevator Shaft then returned to Hell’s. This time I continued into 2nd Level of Hell’s and had to side-step up very steep soft snow to stay above cliffs and have an easy route to ropeline
that I skied to avoid them while hoping there were no wet slides or big chunks coming down. Snow quality and hazard level were both very high.
You can see the traverse I took. I hiked up above tree above cliffs. Regular Hell's Delight at center. The 2nd level is at right past the cliffs.
On the way back to frontside, I rode chair 2 and did a lap in W-facing Low Whiskey, then rode and skied The Reut, then the Wall a couple of times. I moved to Cornice that I rode and skied 5x with a couple of laps into Timber Creek in between. I was going to do one last last lap on the Wall and quit before 3:30, but hiked over top of Norm’s Nose and found such good snow that I repeated the Wall skiing the main groomer after ridding long slow chair. I skied to within 5 feet on my SUV with 28.2K at 3:45. I joined the tailgating in the parking lot until I received call from my friend that he was at his cabin about a mile away. I took this picture for cousin who said to have a beer on his birthday for him since he was working. Everyone else who got there as early as me were long gone.
Steps cut into snowbank at friend's cabin are much steep than they look in this photo. Also had great sunset from his place.
I skied Cold Shoulder on Backside and found E-facing a little softer than perfect, but still very good. Next time up I had an almost 15 minute lift stoppage in a place where it was cold and windy enough that I kept thinking chair was restarting when it did not. I was wearing a thin base layer and light/medium jacket that used to be windproof, but felt a little under-dressed in some places in the AM. I exited Backside heading for Thunder Saddle, but decided to take Hell’s Delight even though it was still in AM and N-facing, then I saw Open sign heading into Permenently Closed Cirque. I started in, but saw a couple of Cliff Area signs and decided to look at it from the bottom so I ducked rope back into Hell’s finding good snow on left and in center, firm on the right, then great snow on apron and into Thunder Saddle bowl at bottom.
I did the long two-slow-chair lap to return to the Backside. Chair 4 stopped on both laps, but for less than a minute both times. I skied right edge of main groomer Elevator Shaft then returned to Hell’s. This time I continued into 2nd Level of Hell’s and had to side-step up very steep soft snow to stay above cliffs and have an easy route to ropeline
You can see the traverse I took. I hiked up above tree above cliffs. Regular Hell's Delight at center. The 2nd level is at right past the cliffs.
On the way back to frontside, I rode chair 2 and did a lap in W-facing Low Whiskey, then rode and skied The Reut, then the Wall a couple of times. I moved to Cornice that I rode and skied 5x with a couple of laps into Timber Creek in between. I was going to do one last last lap on the Wall and quit before 3:30, but hiked over top of Norm’s Nose and found such good snow that I repeated the Wall skiing the main groomer after ridding long slow chair. I skied to within 5 feet on my SUV with 28.2K at 3:45. I joined the tailgating in the parking lot until I received call from my friend that he was at his cabin about a mile away. I took this picture for cousin who said to have a beer on his birthday for him since he was working. Everyone else who got there as early as me were long gone.
Steps cut into snowbank at friend's cabin are much steep than they look in this photo. Also had great sunset from his place.
