Alta, UT 1/12/2007 with video

[Admin]

Day 23: Best day yet this year for me

No, the snow wasn't the deepest, although we had 16 inches of 7% last night. No, the weather wasn't the sunniest, although we had a mix of sun and clouds. No, the company wasn't the best, as I had to put up with Dale's wisecracks and snow smears on the camera lens. :wink: What we did have were all of the above ingredients thrown together.

We spent all but the last run on Supreme, for there was no point in leaving there, the skiing was so good. Bases are now over 100" and it shows, you can pretty much go anywhere without fear of finding a submerged nasty. 72 inches in 7 days will do that to a place. The aforementioned last run was down Greeley Hill/Greeley Slot/North Rustler for the perfect end to a perfect day.

Tomorrow should be more of the same -- albeit with even more sunshine -- if they get either Backside or Devil's Castle open, as neither have been open in over a week.

Here's a lengthy video:

<embed src="http://www.skimovies.com/videoplayer/mediaplayer.swf" width="640" height="500" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="&displayheight=480&file=http://www.skimovies.com/flv/Alta_2008-01-12.flv&height=500&image=http://www.skimovies.com/flv/Alta_2008-01-12_thumb.jpg&width=640">

And this one photo says it all:

 

[salida]

Looks like a whole lot of fun!

 

[Acidchrist]

I love the helmet cam, even though it's making me sick!javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

 

[Admin]

I love the helmet cam, even though it's making me sick!javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

You think that's bad, you should see the clips where it accidentally got rotated 45 degrees -- it feels like sailing a boat while it's heeling. :lol:

Still working out the kinks of using that thing.

Good to see you back on here, AC! Hopefully it won't be another 2 years until your next post. :roll:

 

[CWHappyRN]

Wow! Lovely and amazing! Now all you need in sunshine, coming soon! You would not have wanted to see my day today on hard crud that had been rained on, then wind blown, carrying supplies to cover lift towers, on the steeps, that snare you if you drag them, or act as a sail if you carry them on a very windy day. I understood why someone died on the run that I was on.
Well, it was, well.............sour grapes! Thanks for posting what skiing can be when it is not rugged duty in the worst conditions! But, nice people to do the duty with. To top is off, I forgot my lunch and had no food all day. No one was out, just us roughies! Closed again, but, some hikers and two back country folks. That was all all day! Just preparations! Sort of dangerous, but, fools we are!

 

[Admin]

carrying supplies to cover lift towers, on the steeps, that snare you if you drag them, or act as a sail if you carry them on a very windy day.

I've done tower pads. Sucks.

 

[Acidchrist]

Doing tower pads is AWESOME, what are you talking about Guido?

 

[Admin]

Actually, installing them isn't bad as we simply dropped them from the chair to a patroller on the ground at each tower. It's skiing them back down in the spring, like an uncontrollable sail or wing in your hands, that sucked. That and digging them out/raising them.

 

[tirolerpeter]

Actually, installing them isn't bad as we simply dropped them from the chair to a patroller on the ground at each tower. It's skiing them back down in the spring, like an uncontrollable sail or wing in your hands, that sucked. That and digging them out/raising them.

Just a thought, and not to hijack this thread. Why not set up a "tower pad retrieval team?" Put somone on a lift chair (with a safety harness hook-up) equipped with a winch or pulley set-up and a radio. Have the team member(s) at the base of each tower undo the attachments, hook up the cable from the winch, and then run each pad down to a convenient collection point near the base, or at an access road that the lift crosses. Of course you would also need someone to stop and start the lift at appropriate points. There would be little strain on the lift since the "hauling" is down-hill, and all the other chairs would be empty. With a little planning you could even save time by having multiple "chair/ground" teams so that you could retrieve several tower installations at a time thus saving "travel time" for the chair lift. I think this would be faster, and safer for all concerned.

 

[Sharon]

drool

 

[CWHappyRN]

All fantastic ideas. The trouble was the lack of grooming and hard snow on double diamonds that even the sharpest edges cannot cut. So, that with the sail or snare effect equals danger. There is no grooming there as of yet. I hear that they have purchased two of Mammoths old groomers. They groomers are down the hill, however, not at Waterman. The crew is wonderful to be with. Some did not bring their skis, aware of the danger. They stuck to the patrol room duties. Me, I am a skier. I felt lucky I escaped without injury. Groomers would make a difference. I will try to get pics of the snow up. Carol

Actually, installing them isn't bad as we simply dropped them from the chair to a patroller on the ground at each tower. It's skiing them back down in the spring, like an uncontrollable sail or wing in your hands, that sucked. That and digging them out/raising them.

Just a thought, and not to hijack this thread. Why not set up a "tower pad retrieval team?" Put somone on a lift chair (with a safety harness hook-up) equipped with a winch or pulley set-up and a radio. Have the team member(s) at the base of each tower undo the attachments, hook up the cable from the winch, and then run each pad down to a convenient collection point near the base, or at an access road that the lift crosses. Of course you would also need someone to stop and start the lift at appropriate points. There would be little strain on the lift since the "hauling" is down-hill, and all the other chairs would be empty. With a little planning you could even save time by having multiple "chair/ground" teams so that you could retrieve several tower installations at a time thus saving "travel time" for the chair lift. I think this would be faster, and safer for all concerned.