Day Five: Winter returns
The front that brought winter back to the Wasatch really petered out moisture-wise. Except for a band of flurries, it was essentially dry. On top of that, after this week's warm weather, temps in the teens atop Collins meant that the early season base would harden up.
Tony's right about a lot of things, including that I've become spoiled in the two years since moving here. So has Marc_C, who's been here for 6. I called him this morning, and "dust on crust" was his assessment of anticipated conditions. He was bagging it and doing other things today. While I wasn't as pessimistic, I knew that it wouldn't be The Greatest Snow On Earth®. Marc_C's expectation was unfortunately closer to reality than mine.
The Kid headed to Snowbird with friends first thing this morning. I decided to let the front do whatever it was going to do before heading up, so I didn't board the lift at Alta until nearly 1:30 after it had pushed through. The return of cold air meant that snowmaking resumed, and I saw the cannons going on Big Emma as I drove past Snowbird. At Alta, they were running in numerous strategic locations, including Main Street and Devil's Elbow, as well as the face dropping from the top of Sunnyside down to Sugarloaf.
First run was down Mambo to board Collins at mid, and it was fast and firm underneath. I found myself employing a now seldom-used eastern tactic of turning where the loose stuff was, and running flat skis where it wasn't. I headed back up and noticed that the Backside gate was open, so what the hell, I'd take my first run of the season back there.
It was probably the best snow that I'd skied today, but that isn't saying a heck of a lot. It was smooth as it hadn't been skied much yet, which was a good thing in the flat light. Smooth, nearly edgeable chalk is the best decriptor I can come up with. Gullies that are nearly filled evenly during the winter are deep at this time of year, and I worked my way down the one immediately to skier's left of Glory Gulch, finding its narrowness (maybe two ski lengths wide) tricky with a double fall line.
I hadn't eaten anything at all yet today, and with everything closed for the holiday I decided that I'd grab something on the hill. This seemed as good a time as any, and I climbed up to Alf's for a chili-filled baked potato.
The place was deserted, and I found myself with other riders on the Sugarloaf chair for the only time in all four runs today. Not wanting to ski in the guns on Devil's Elbow, I headed across Germ Return to ski Main Street with some of the better groomer snow I found all day. I boarded Collins at mid again -- skiing right onto an empty chair -- and took one more run, this time heading wide to the groomers whose names I can't remember that drop down from where the old Germania lift used to terminate.
I found myself content to leave after only four runs. Not only was the snow harder than I was looking for, but I just couldn't get dialed in today. I felt sloppy and tentative. It was cold. I just wasn't finding the joy.
The Kid reported good snow in the trees under Gad II at Snowbird, which opened for the first time today, but in reality he's not yet to the point that I trust his judgment on snow conditions. It's amazing how in his mind three inches becomes three feet. I also heard rumor that Snowbird opened skiing off the Tram today, but that I have yet to confirm. I'll likely head up there tomorrow to check things out, for I have yet to ski there this winter since they opened.
Alas, no pictures today, for my Canon finally crapped the bed as I went to take my first shot.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Our little Utah orphan's club in the land of Zion is gathering at the home of one of us in Park City to celebrate the holiday and gorge ourselves silly with tryptophan. Our next chance for snowfall arrives Monday through Wednesday, and at the moment that one's looking like it could be potent.
The front that brought winter back to the Wasatch really petered out moisture-wise. Except for a band of flurries, it was essentially dry. On top of that, after this week's warm weather, temps in the teens atop Collins meant that the early season base would harden up.
Tony's right about a lot of things, including that I've become spoiled in the two years since moving here. So has Marc_C, who's been here for 6. I called him this morning, and "dust on crust" was his assessment of anticipated conditions. He was bagging it and doing other things today. While I wasn't as pessimistic, I knew that it wouldn't be The Greatest Snow On Earth®. Marc_C's expectation was unfortunately closer to reality than mine.
The Kid headed to Snowbird with friends first thing this morning. I decided to let the front do whatever it was going to do before heading up, so I didn't board the lift at Alta until nearly 1:30 after it had pushed through. The return of cold air meant that snowmaking resumed, and I saw the cannons going on Big Emma as I drove past Snowbird. At Alta, they were running in numerous strategic locations, including Main Street and Devil's Elbow, as well as the face dropping from the top of Sunnyside down to Sugarloaf.
First run was down Mambo to board Collins at mid, and it was fast and firm underneath. I found myself employing a now seldom-used eastern tactic of turning where the loose stuff was, and running flat skis where it wasn't. I headed back up and noticed that the Backside gate was open, so what the hell, I'd take my first run of the season back there.
It was probably the best snow that I'd skied today, but that isn't saying a heck of a lot. It was smooth as it hadn't been skied much yet, which was a good thing in the flat light. Smooth, nearly edgeable chalk is the best decriptor I can come up with. Gullies that are nearly filled evenly during the winter are deep at this time of year, and I worked my way down the one immediately to skier's left of Glory Gulch, finding its narrowness (maybe two ski lengths wide) tricky with a double fall line.
I hadn't eaten anything at all yet today, and with everything closed for the holiday I decided that I'd grab something on the hill. This seemed as good a time as any, and I climbed up to Alf's for a chili-filled baked potato.
The place was deserted, and I found myself with other riders on the Sugarloaf chair for the only time in all four runs today. Not wanting to ski in the guns on Devil's Elbow, I headed across Germ Return to ski Main Street with some of the better groomer snow I found all day. I boarded Collins at mid again -- skiing right onto an empty chair -- and took one more run, this time heading wide to the groomers whose names I can't remember that drop down from where the old Germania lift used to terminate.
I found myself content to leave after only four runs. Not only was the snow harder than I was looking for, but I just couldn't get dialed in today. I felt sloppy and tentative. It was cold. I just wasn't finding the joy.
The Kid reported good snow in the trees under Gad II at Snowbird, which opened for the first time today, but in reality he's not yet to the point that I trust his judgment on snow conditions. It's amazing how in his mind three inches becomes three feet. I also heard rumor that Snowbird opened skiing off the Tram today, but that I have yet to confirm. I'll likely head up there tomorrow to check things out, for I have yet to ski there this winter since they opened.
Alas, no pictures today, for my Canon finally crapped the bed as I went to take my first shot.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Our little Utah orphan's club in the land of Zion is gathering at the home of one of us in Park City to celebrate the holiday and gorge ourselves silly with tryptophan. Our next chance for snowfall arrives Monday through Wednesday, and at the moment that one's looking like it could be potent.
