Heavenly CA and NV, March 15-16, 2019 and long trip summary

tseeb

Well-known member
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I’d planned to do more skiing at Tahoe, including possibly Northstar, Squaw and Kirkwood, but my delayed arrival in CA meant I only skied Heavenly, which again lived up to its name. The sky was super blue sky (photos from iPhone have only been cropped/re-sized, color was even darker with goggles or sunglasses) and it was starting to warm up, but snow still very good, mostly winter-like and deep. I skied groomed from the top Ellies once before moving to NV where I rode Mott Canyon 7 times, first entering Outer Limits, which was almost corn, using highest gate into Killibrew.
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Before trying one of the N-facing Mott chutes, I asked patrolwoman how they were skiing. She said they were in great shape and that if I went to saddle past Rocky Pt. I would find some powder which I did although it's not very visible here.
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I also skied the longer leg of the Y (center of next picture), Bill’s (to the right) and Snake Eyes (last two pictures), where cliff is filled in.
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After riding Dipper, skiing to and riding Sky, I hiked above trail from CA to NV for the first time this year. I had some great views and turns in windsift above Milky Way Bowl before skiing Pipeline in Killibrew.
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It looks like it was kind of windy when this snow ‘fell’ - Monument Peak in background.
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At 1, I met up with SSSDave and we did a few laps on bumps under Comet chair and one on upgraded, but still 14 min ride Galaxy where we saw this in the woods. I returned to CA via very S-facing part face to right of Maggie’s Canyon that was getting baked before going into more protected part of area. I skied Advanced Roundabout, The Pistol and lower part of Face/East Bowl before doing one more tram lap where it looked like it was going to beat me down until I hit the groomed part where I quickly past tram that was slowing down. My walk to car was bout 100 steps. My watch counted 22 runs and almost 22.5K vertical.

After skiing, I worked on cabin roof for an hour and a half, uncovering skylights and ice dams on edges that I hope continuing warmer weather will either melt or make fall from roof. Very busy in restaurants and stores on CA side of Stateline. I will ski Heavenly from 830-10, then head home from trip that started on 2/17.

On Saturday, I loaded Gunbarrel chair at 8:25. I could have been a little earlier, but had to return to car when I realized pole-ing towards chair that I had grabbed my wife’s poles. I rode Sky chair 4 times, skiing upper CA runs the first three before taking Milky Way to Nevada to Stagecoach base. From the top of Stagecoach, I skied upper, then main North Bowl which continues to get groomed and mostly go unskied. I rode slow North Bowl chair, then Comet chair chair and skied to CA trail by cutting into wood off 49er trail. Instead of taking probably re-frozen S and W facing Maggie’s Canyon, I wrapped around knoll between there and Sky Deck, traversing about reservoir to get to a little of Maggie’s, then Stein’s Way. On my way there, I nearly was thrown into a tree when I was trying to look ahead and around corner to see if there was a creek to cross and buried a sky in deep snow before losing both of them.

After riding Groove chair, I skied to Tram base via Advanced Roundabout, The Pistol (very good winter-like snow along more shaded left side) and groomed lower part of Face/East Bowl. Ski Tracks said I was out just over 2 hours, skied 6 runs/11.5K vertical and hit 50.5 mph (which is possible as I could not find top end of the DPS Cassiars I was skiing fast early on Sky Chair and on empty North Bowl). My watch counted 10 runs and 12.1K. EpicMiss said I rode 3 lifts for 3,250 vertical. On Friday, EpicMiss said I rode 3 lifts for 3,260 vertical. My season vertical is 1.01M, the earliest ever over 1M.

I’ll put a short trip summary here as I’m not sure when I’ll have time to write more reports.
Miles driven: 3,937 Fuel used: 204.5 gallons Mpg: 19.3 (lower than usual, some from high speeds)
Saw fuel for $1.99 at Evanston and it was $1.94 at Costco SLC, but went up to $2.09 by time I bought
Most expensive fuel: Tank in Canmore, AB at C$1.09/l=C$81.50=US$62+ also paid $1.29/l in Revy, BC
Ski days: 26 Ski days with substantial powder: 18 New ski areas visited: 0
Days on Tahoe Local Pass: 3 1/2 (Two@Heavenly, one@Park City and was able to get 1/2 price for me and buddy ticket for Tony Crocker at Stevens even though a couple of employee said I had no benefit)
Days on Ikon Pass: 17 (Crystal 2, Revy 1, Big Sky 3, Jackson 3, Deer Valley 1, Altabird 5, Brighton 2)
Days not on pass: 2 (Ashland 1/2 day holiday - $45 + $6 snow park, Apex US$67.82)
 
Added missing pictures that were referenced in text above, but put me over picture limit.
We were not that close to Area 51 although in the same state
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South-facing to right of Maggie's Canyon got baked in hot PM sun
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My helmet left the mark in snow under branch way too close to tree
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