tseeb
Well-known member
The best laid plans...but I did make it from 90' at SJC to skiing at 12,500' the same day
Last summer, I booked a 7 AM flight leaving San Jose at 7 AM that arrived Denver at 10:35. When Southwest put it on sale for $69, I was able to re-book at the lower fare and get a credit for the difference. My wife, who is suffering through project and bosses from Hell, dropped me at SJC at 6 AM on her way to work, about a mile away. While in airport security line, I received an e-mail saying flight would not depart until 8 AM (probably due to snow at DEN), then got another shortly after that said it would be 7:40 which is about when it did leave. They did not make up any time on the flight and even though bags and shuttle to car rental were quick it was after noon before I was on the road. First, after showing me new I-70 traction device rules, the rental car company threatened to give me a rear-wheel drive Mustang (convertible?) to get me to upgrade. After waiting for a few minutes for them to bring that out, they said to take the Chevy Spark that was outside the door, but after loading it with my four bags, it would not start. Then they said I could take anything in the B (last) row) which was all Toyota Varis. After barely getting the one I picked out of plowed-in parking spot, I transferred my bags and headed West. Roads had some snow, but bigger danger was snow thrown from trucks, especially 4X4s entering freeway at speed. Plus the Varis only has one windshield wiper and the washer is on the wiper so you have to time your squirt to get washer water on windshield.
I made it over 12K+ Loveland pass without problem or getting stopped for not having traction devices and parked in empty spot on the beach before 2 PM. After changing my pants and boots and adding a heavy jacket to the shirt I had worn on the plane, I took a warm-up run on Black Mountain Express before riding it and Lenawee to the top. I followed guy I had ridden lift with into chutes on N side of Zuma where snow was mostly tracked but skied well. After riding the lift, I went to S side of Zuma and found a little untracked and a couple of rocks and was careful to not follow Bierstadt below the lift as I did 8 years ago.
At the top, I tried to wrap around Norway to get to Pali but was too low as I was trying to avoid hiking or too much pole-ing so I skied a little untracked and wrapped around onto International. I only got to ride and ski Pali once before it closed at 3:30. I came down lookers left where snow was smooth. I finished my day riding and skiing Black Mountain Express three more times and probably could have gotten a 4th as one lane did not yet have closed sign on it when I went past shortly after 4. But my plan was to drive 5 miles to Keystone and take a couple of night runs there using gondolas as my Vail Tahoe Local Pass gives me 5 free CO/UT days. I should have checked schedule better or flown a day later as Keystone does not have night skiing on Mon/Tues. So my day totaled 9 lift rides and less than 9K. By not night skiing, I got to motel in daylight and saw there was a place called Bakery Brewery across the street that I visited later. I would have posted this sooner, but motel cuts off Internet from midnight to 7 AM to prevent illegal downloads of movies.
Off to Vail today then joining EpicSki Gathering in Aspen tomorrow.
Last summer, I booked a 7 AM flight leaving San Jose at 7 AM that arrived Denver at 10:35. When Southwest put it on sale for $69, I was able to re-book at the lower fare and get a credit for the difference. My wife, who is suffering through project and bosses from Hell, dropped me at SJC at 6 AM on her way to work, about a mile away. While in airport security line, I received an e-mail saying flight would not depart until 8 AM (probably due to snow at DEN), then got another shortly after that said it would be 7:40 which is about when it did leave. They did not make up any time on the flight and even though bags and shuttle to car rental were quick it was after noon before I was on the road. First, after showing me new I-70 traction device rules, the rental car company threatened to give me a rear-wheel drive Mustang (convertible?) to get me to upgrade. After waiting for a few minutes for them to bring that out, they said to take the Chevy Spark that was outside the door, but after loading it with my four bags, it would not start. Then they said I could take anything in the B (last) row) which was all Toyota Varis. After barely getting the one I picked out of plowed-in parking spot, I transferred my bags and headed West. Roads had some snow, but bigger danger was snow thrown from trucks, especially 4X4s entering freeway at speed. Plus the Varis only has one windshield wiper and the washer is on the wiper so you have to time your squirt to get washer water on windshield.
I made it over 12K+ Loveland pass without problem or getting stopped for not having traction devices and parked in empty spot on the beach before 2 PM. After changing my pants and boots and adding a heavy jacket to the shirt I had worn on the plane, I took a warm-up run on Black Mountain Express before riding it and Lenawee to the top. I followed guy I had ridden lift with into chutes on N side of Zuma where snow was mostly tracked but skied well. After riding the lift, I went to S side of Zuma and found a little untracked and a couple of rocks and was careful to not follow Bierstadt below the lift as I did 8 years ago.
At the top, I tried to wrap around Norway to get to Pali but was too low as I was trying to avoid hiking or too much pole-ing so I skied a little untracked and wrapped around onto International. I only got to ride and ski Pali once before it closed at 3:30. I came down lookers left where snow was smooth. I finished my day riding and skiing Black Mountain Express three more times and probably could have gotten a 4th as one lane did not yet have closed sign on it when I went past shortly after 4. But my plan was to drive 5 miles to Keystone and take a couple of night runs there using gondolas as my Vail Tahoe Local Pass gives me 5 free CO/UT days. I should have checked schedule better or flown a day later as Keystone does not have night skiing on Mon/Tues. So my day totaled 9 lift rides and less than 9K. By not night skiing, I got to motel in daylight and saw there was a place called Bakery Brewery across the street that I visited later. I would have posted this sooner, but motel cuts off Internet from midnight to 7 AM to prevent illegal downloads of movies.
Off to Vail today then joining EpicSki Gathering in Aspen tomorrow.
