Day 69: Mother Nature's a mean ol' witch
Today was closing day at Alta. That means costumes, the High Boy party, tailgate BBQs, and general all-around zaniness.
Today sure wasn't about the skiing. We had a massive splintering group of about 25, with more joining us for the tailgate party afterwards (including Liftlines user Tirolerpeter and his wife), but the theme of the day was "dust on crust." It never got sunny enough to soften, nor did sufficient snow fall to dress things up. I didn't arrive until 11, and the day was spent primarily on groomers with a core group of Skidog, Marc_C, Pat, Amy and Tele Jon, with several runs spent as well with Sam, Ken and a zillion kids - there's nothing like screaming down a groomer like Rollercoaster in a group of about 25, terrifying everyone else in our way. :twisted: We did find soft snow on a couple of runs out Baldy Shoulder and in Eagle's Nest as well.
By 3 pm, after 10 runs covering 15,260 vertical feet, I declared it happy hour. We began our BBQ right as the heaviest snowfall of the day hit...of course. :roll: After a winter when snow fell less often than we would've liked, it was a cruel ironic twist that it started snowing in earnest after the lifts closed for the year.
I stuck it out in the parking lot until 6:40 pm as we grilled italian sausage with sauteed peppers and onions, and buffalo bleu cheese burgers. One group built a fire in a firepit. Another headed by the owner of the Shallow Shaft restaurant was grilling delicacies such as ahi tuna, fresh asparagus, and lamb...anything left over now that the restaurant has closed for the season. Liftlines user Mbaydala had a separate group going right next to ours. The naked Barbie doll showed up again, as usual. A half dozen kids took pot shots at Kelsey with snowballs. The Alta Marshalls made regular rounds through the lot. And the folks attending the High Boy party disappeared in a cloud of snow.
I'll let the photos do the talking. Another Alta season is in the record books.
Today was closing day at Alta. That means costumes, the High Boy party, tailgate BBQs, and general all-around zaniness.
Today sure wasn't about the skiing. We had a massive splintering group of about 25, with more joining us for the tailgate party afterwards (including Liftlines user Tirolerpeter and his wife), but the theme of the day was "dust on crust." It never got sunny enough to soften, nor did sufficient snow fall to dress things up. I didn't arrive until 11, and the day was spent primarily on groomers with a core group of Skidog, Marc_C, Pat, Amy and Tele Jon, with several runs spent as well with Sam, Ken and a zillion kids - there's nothing like screaming down a groomer like Rollercoaster in a group of about 25, terrifying everyone else in our way. :twisted: We did find soft snow on a couple of runs out Baldy Shoulder and in Eagle's Nest as well.
By 3 pm, after 10 runs covering 15,260 vertical feet, I declared it happy hour. We began our BBQ right as the heaviest snowfall of the day hit...of course. :roll: After a winter when snow fell less often than we would've liked, it was a cruel ironic twist that it started snowing in earnest after the lifts closed for the year.
I stuck it out in the parking lot until 6:40 pm as we grilled italian sausage with sauteed peppers and onions, and buffalo bleu cheese burgers. One group built a fire in a firepit. Another headed by the owner of the Shallow Shaft restaurant was grilling delicacies such as ahi tuna, fresh asparagus, and lamb...anything left over now that the restaurant has closed for the season. Liftlines user Mbaydala had a separate group going right next to ours. The naked Barbie doll showed up again, as usual. A half dozen kids took pot shots at Kelsey with snowballs. The Alta Marshalls made regular rounds through the lot. And the folks attending the High Boy party disappeared in a cloud of snow.
I'll let the photos do the talking. Another Alta season is in the record books.
