Day 29: An Alta 8 inches.
I picked up Mrs. Admin from work out near the airport last evening and the commute home was hell on earth, although it was clearly worse for some others. The strong cold front arrived just in time for the evening commute and it came down far harder and faster than the plows could possibly have hoped to keep up with. It took an hour to get home whereas it normally takes 15 minutes, although if I had to use I-215 or I-15 I'd probably still be stuck out there. Some people couldn't get up the gentlest of grades and there were slide-offs and spinouts all over the place.
I awoke this morning with two feet or probably more at the Auberge Guido.
I was therefore disappointed when I checked the mid-Collins Snotel at Alta and saw only 8 inches. But no matter, I worked for a couple of hours before heading up for a couple of hours to sample the goods.
True to form it was an "Alta 8 inches." AmyZ and I spent our first two runs on Wildcat to avoid the opening line on Collins and to gain the visibility of the trees, and it turned out to be a great choice. It skied thigh deep, bottomless and untracked. Consistency was damned near perfect with face shots on literally every turn.
We then headed out the High T, though Piss Pass to Greeley Hill. On the upper sections the prevailing wind made it ski more like the 8" that had been reported, but by the time you crested the saddle and began descending toward the Snake Pit it was deep again.
So for once, lower elevations were skiing better than the upper ones. That sparked an idea, and we spent the rest of the morning lapping the face of Vail Ridge where absolutely no one else was. That was another good call.
Jtran, you picked the right time to return!
It's still snowing and will likely continue into tomorrow morning, so for those who bundle up (it should be below zero tomorrow) Saturday should deliver a repeat performance.
I picked up Mrs. Admin from work out near the airport last evening and the commute home was hell on earth, although it was clearly worse for some others. The strong cold front arrived just in time for the evening commute and it came down far harder and faster than the plows could possibly have hoped to keep up with. It took an hour to get home whereas it normally takes 15 minutes, although if I had to use I-215 or I-15 I'd probably still be stuck out there. Some people couldn't get up the gentlest of grades and there were slide-offs and spinouts all over the place.
I awoke this morning with two feet or probably more at the Auberge Guido.
I was therefore disappointed when I checked the mid-Collins Snotel at Alta and saw only 8 inches. But no matter, I worked for a couple of hours before heading up for a couple of hours to sample the goods.
True to form it was an "Alta 8 inches." AmyZ and I spent our first two runs on Wildcat to avoid the opening line on Collins and to gain the visibility of the trees, and it turned out to be a great choice. It skied thigh deep, bottomless and untracked. Consistency was damned near perfect with face shots on literally every turn.
We then headed out the High T, though Piss Pass to Greeley Hill. On the upper sections the prevailing wind made it ski more like the 8" that had been reported, but by the time you crested the saddle and began descending toward the Snake Pit it was deep again.
So for once, lower elevations were skiing better than the upper ones. That sparked an idea, and we spent the rest of the morning lapping the face of Vail Ridge where absolutely no one else was. That was another good call.
Jtran, you picked the right time to return!
It's still snowing and will likely continue into tomorrow morning, so for those who bundle up (it should be below zero tomorrow) Saturday should deliver a repeat performance.
