jojo_obrien
Member
Just to add a few more pics to make you drool......
Getting up the canyon was quite the experience. When I arrived, the traffic was backed up to the La Caille sign (where the incline begins). Interlodge was supposedly lifted at 8 am, and when I finished breakfast at Carl's, I noted that the road was now "green" from the internet -- no restrictions.
Apparently, the night before, the road was closed -- there were reports of 2+ hrs getting down the hill and talk of a bypass that I"m not familiar with.
Usually, the interlodge is lifted and the road starts moving. Not so much in this case. I sat in the car from about 745 to 825 stopped before the traffic really started to move. It was probably the slowest going on the road I've ever seen -- and the roads were 95% void of snow/ice. Must just have been a capacity thing, or some out of towner scared to death of the drive. Just like 330, all it takes is one person...
Got in line at 850 am.......didn't see any of the usual suspects in line with whom I was hoping to ski that day........
Headed up Collins to the high T for morning rush hour......I've always wanted to do an untracked alf's high rustler on a powder day but I figured that requires getting in line at 8 am, right admin? I opted for piss pass.....then into Greeley Bowl and Greely Hill. It was beautiful snow but an interesting "cream cheese" consistency -- a different consistency versus the previous three days. The wind did a number on it, but it was still a stunning blue bird morning.
I took the rope tow back to the other side.....with the intention of hitting up Catherines, hopefully away from the crowds. I could hear the bombs going off in Catherines so I took a few warm up laps in off Sugarloaf. Glory Hole was untracked but mostly covered w/ avalanche snow , so I entered through Keyhole Gulch gate and took some soft turns......with the intent of getting to Glory Gulch ? The snow had accumulated quite nicely in these areas. The hikers up Backside had already definitely made some tracks.....it was going quickly.
Headed over to Supreme once I saw Catherine's was opened. Everyone was headed up to Catherine's while it seemed nobody was going through the Supreme Bowl gate..........I took three laps through Supreme Bowl -- it was total hero snow......totally untracked and empty. It's not a terribly steep area but in my opinion, one of the most stunningly beautiful parts of the mountain. Always seems quite empty back there.......
As the line grew on Supreme, I headed back to Sugarloaf and noticed the lower gate to Backside had opened. There were some less skied lines that had still had good untracked......although I had wished I had headed all the way to Suzie's Trees, as most of the snow had been tracked by this point.
Took the rope tow back to Collins at 11:30 am to discover the line was as long as the 915 am opening ..... headed up WIldcat a few times (no lift line) to look for some scraps in......which I did. Loaded the Collins mid station for a few laps .....looking for scraps. Found some incredibly good snow underneath the lift -- lots of fun.
Called it a day at 2 pm to beat the crowds.
Crowded - yes.....(my presence didn't help anything either) ....but it was a stunningly beautiful day at Alta....
Getting up the canyon was quite the experience. When I arrived, the traffic was backed up to the La Caille sign (where the incline begins). Interlodge was supposedly lifted at 8 am, and when I finished breakfast at Carl's, I noted that the road was now "green" from the internet -- no restrictions.
Apparently, the night before, the road was closed -- there were reports of 2+ hrs getting down the hill and talk of a bypass that I"m not familiar with.
Usually, the interlodge is lifted and the road starts moving. Not so much in this case. I sat in the car from about 745 to 825 stopped before the traffic really started to move. It was probably the slowest going on the road I've ever seen -- and the roads were 95% void of snow/ice. Must just have been a capacity thing, or some out of towner scared to death of the drive. Just like 330, all it takes is one person...
Got in line at 850 am.......didn't see any of the usual suspects in line with whom I was hoping to ski that day........
Headed up Collins to the high T for morning rush hour......I've always wanted to do an untracked alf's high rustler on a powder day but I figured that requires getting in line at 8 am, right admin? I opted for piss pass.....then into Greeley Bowl and Greely Hill. It was beautiful snow but an interesting "cream cheese" consistency -- a different consistency versus the previous three days. The wind did a number on it, but it was still a stunning blue bird morning.
I took the rope tow back to the other side.....with the intention of hitting up Catherines, hopefully away from the crowds. I could hear the bombs going off in Catherines so I took a few warm up laps in off Sugarloaf. Glory Hole was untracked but mostly covered w/ avalanche snow , so I entered through Keyhole Gulch gate and took some soft turns......with the intent of getting to Glory Gulch ? The snow had accumulated quite nicely in these areas. The hikers up Backside had already definitely made some tracks.....it was going quickly.
Headed over to Supreme once I saw Catherine's was opened. Everyone was headed up to Catherine's while it seemed nobody was going through the Supreme Bowl gate..........I took three laps through Supreme Bowl -- it was total hero snow......totally untracked and empty. It's not a terribly steep area but in my opinion, one of the most stunningly beautiful parts of the mountain. Always seems quite empty back there.......
As the line grew on Supreme, I headed back to Sugarloaf and noticed the lower gate to Backside had opened. There were some less skied lines that had still had good untracked......although I had wished I had headed all the way to Suzie's Trees, as most of the snow had been tracked by this point.
Took the rope tow back to Collins at 11:30 am to discover the line was as long as the 915 am opening ..... headed up WIldcat a few times (no lift line) to look for some scraps in......which I did. Loaded the Collins mid station for a few laps .....looking for scraps. Found some incredibly good snow underneath the lift -- lots of fun.
Called it a day at 2 pm to beat the crowds.
Crowded - yes.....(my presence didn't help anything either) ....but it was a stunningly beautiful day at Alta....
