Alta, UT 12/12/09

[Admin]

Day 7: A surprise 6" of new.

Hooked up with Bobby Danger, skidog, jtran (after his tough 90-minute workday at the Snowpine), salida, Marc_C (yes, the old grump still skis!), Tele Jon and Perry for a morning at Alta, which was blessed with a surprise 6" of fluff. Snow report said zero. Not enough to bury the base or many of the rocks, of course, but that'll come tomorrow. Which is why I skied only the morning -- I want to save myself for Sunday and possibly Monday.

We spent the entire morning out West Rustler. The middle High T gate was open, which you'd ski to Spruce Forest and then drop down through Race Course and across the Saddle flats to a traverse line slightly lower than the usual. One by one, Christmas Tree, Stonecrusher, Lone Pine, High Boy and Rustler IV were deflowered. First tracks. Much goodness.

You had to remember where the rocks were. I got carried away on Lone Pine and got into the groove, but ventured too far right where I "christened" last weekend's tune. Damn. I stopped on Christmas Tree to snap action photos of the crew, only to find that I left the memory card for my camera at home. #-o jtran will post some photos to add to this report -- that is if his "brutal" work schedule allows. Things started out quiet again but by the time I left the parking lot was 75% full at Wildcat with a steady stream heading up canyon. Still, Collins was ski-on. Bumped into Adam Barker at one point atop Collins.

The latest Winter Storm Warning calls for 18-30" by Monday. Bring it on!

 

[Admin]

Now that I look, I did put the card back in but the camera doesn't recognize it. Dammit. Formatting...

 

[Admin]

&^%&^%! Formatting didn't work. It doesn't recognize my other cards, either. Looks like the S3 IS finally $hit the bed.

 

[Admin]

It lives! Was just about to head out to buy a new camera when I blew in the card slot...voila!

Now, though, I have DSLR envy. :roll:

 

[Bobby Danger]

really nice day. first sat. with lift service & snow crowds weren't to heavy . a whole lot warmer this weekend than last. hoping jtran can post some of the pics. one really special run after admin left skidog came as far as high rustler & skied down from there.

 

[mbaydala]

http://www.skitube.us/main.php?vid=154850598c164c09bb73cab75e5f50fc

 

[Admin]

Dang, now someone's stolen our "Skitube" name.

 

[Tony Crocker]

38 of 112 Trails 680 of 2200 Acres 4 of 11 Lifts

Is Alta reporting conservative? How can

Christmas Tree, Stonecrusher, Lone Pine, High Boy and Rustler IV

be skiable and that 31% be right? What's off-limits besides Supreme? Not Wildcat. Not Ballroom, Harold's. Salida's been in Gunsight. Devil's Castle? Sounds like at least 50-60% open to me.

 

[Admin]

How can

Christmas Tree, Stonecrusher, Lone Pine, High Boy and Rustler IV

be skiable and that 31% be right?

Kinda hard to figure out from 700 miles away, isn't it? Spreadsheets can't help you now. :lol:

What's off-limits besides Supreme? Not Wildcat. Not Ballroom, Harold's.

Closed. Avi risk. It was actually reassuring to hear avi bombs again this morning.

Salida's been in Gunsight. Devil's Castle? Sounds like at least 50-60% open to me.

No, 31% is probably accurate. In addition to Ballroom/Baldy Shoulder, no Devil's Castle, no Supreme, no to all of Backside, including Gunsight, Eddie's High, Thirds, Greeley Hill, etc. While near Backside has just as much snow as where we were there's no point in opening it until after this storm. Far Backside requires access via the High T, which isn't adequately covered beyond Sunspot, which is a pity because Greeley Hill looked fine even last weekend.

Don't get me wrong...while the skiing was fun today there were a multitude of snow snakes laying barely buried. That should change by Monday. I for one truly appreciate Alta Ski Patrol's liberal rope-drop policy. And Mr. Crocker, it will be my pleasure to prove you wrong when after this storm, if it delivers what it's supposed to, that we'll be right back in the game.

And FWIW, Alta consistently under-reports. Today we had 6" new when the a.m. snow report from Alta said zero, Snowbird said 4" and the Avalanche Center said 3-6".

Here's to hoping that I get to try out my new snow blower in the morning.

 

[Bobby Danger]

the high -t is closed ! no backside since opening day!! but high rustler now you can get there from there the tower ten traverse that is with a bit of emagination ounce you get to high boy who knows whats possible!!! the traverse is still abit boney in places but generally not bad shape. ballrooms closed who knows when it'll open certainley not tomm. . no wildcat trees yet either there going to wait and let it settle.. looks nice up there. really the 31% isn't that far off .. altas on the cusp of opening more acreage like wildcat trees-- high -t probably after this snow event backside has been skiable for two months the october snow stuck in there up high and shaded like it did in upper cirque at the bird . bottom of snowbird is looking much sweeter this weekend harpers ferry &harpers ferry east look skiable to me lower silver fox &hell hole probably will get a christmas opening depending on snow . no more up hill traffic in peruvian gulch must mean there thinking on opening up. i looked in to mineral basin from the summit out towards powder paradise looks sweat lone star needs a couple more . could all be going nicely at christmas if it keeps snowing. two feet expected by tomm.

 

[EMSC]

It lives! Was just about to head out to buy a new camera when I blew in the card slot...voila!

Now, though, I have DSLR envy. :roll:

so were you secretly wishing for a dead camera? :lol:

I've found my move up to DSLR to provide great benefits, but also require me to have to think about my shots a lot more in order to get good shots. Definitely glad I did, but not quite 'for free' as it were.

 

[Admin]

Well, the Canon S3 IS I've been using for the past few years is kind of a DSLR wannabe...it has most of the features of a DSLR without a removable lens. It also has the form factor of the new compact DSLRs. As a result, I've had to put the same thought into picture taking anyway.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Kinda hard to figure out from 700 miles away, isn't it? Spreadsheets can't help you now.

I'm just noting what's in ski reports, presumably sourced by the area itself. You're saying a lot of the closures are due to avy control. It was the same 31% last weekend when you were skiing groomers and there was no new snow in sight.

I have presumed and commented that the situation was similar to Mammoth's with an October base that might not be skiable but the snow required to open a lot more might not be that much. Am I correct in assuming that the Park City group and Snowbasin have no October base left and thus still a long way to go?

 

[jtran10]

Here's some pictures from yesterday

Skidog

Salida

Bobby

 

[Admin]

It was the same 31% last weekend when you were skiing groomers and there was no new snow in sight.

Different terrain options yesterday.

Am I correct in assuming that the Park City group and Snowbasin have no October base left and thus still a long way to go?

Nope. Can't speak for Snowbasin, and The Canyons was lean last weekend, but much snow remained mid-mountain on up at PCMR. Deer Valley appeared to be similar.

Nearly 2 feet new out there and still puking. Gotta go!

 

[EMSC]

Well, the Canon S3 IS I've been using for the past few years is kind of a DSLR wannabe...it has most of the features of a DSLR without a removable lens. It also has the form factor of the new compact DSLRs. As a result, I've had to put the same thought into picture taking anyway.

You'll still find a DSLR different enough, IMHO. Not that that is a bad thing (at least for me). A surprising amount of more features and options than a super zoom.

 

[Admin]

But this isn't just a superzoom -- I've got aperature priority, shutter priority, full program, full manual, manual or auto-focus, adjustable ISO, etc.

 

[EMSC]

I've got aperature priority, shutter priority, full program, full manual, manual or auto-focus, adjustable ISO, etc.

Ditto on my super zoom. Or, maybe those became pretty close to standard features on super zooms in the last few years. All I know is I have a lot more options now and have been reading some photo forums to get the gist of what others are using all the options for/when, etc... Fun to learn and I wonder where it will take me next. Oh, and if you were curious, today was a superzoom day at WP. I'm not as good on a board and no way I was trusting myself with the new toy (I did fall once, though not too hard).