Alta, UT 3/19/11

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Day 66: Yuck.

Despite how it may sometimes seem, skiing in Utah isn't always fuzzy bunnies and puppy dog tails. Days like today prove it. Gusts to 54 mph at Germania Pass kept Collins running at 3/4 speed (and by way of mention, it was gusting to 60 on Mt. Baldy and 64 across the road on Cardiff Peak). Folks from Mammoth Mountain were there to examine Alta's RFID ticketing system, and they must've felt right at home.

Stiff snow, howling winds, cloudy skies and flat light were enough to send me home after a whopping two runs. Apparently, I wasn't alone in my thinking for there were a bunch of empty parking spaces near my vehicle when I left.

2011-03-19 10 11 56.jpg
 
Over the long run I am very impressed by how little wind Alta gets. Presumably it's usually protected by Baldy and Devil's Castle being well above the top lifts. It's relatively unusual IMHO for a mountain with that much above tree line to have so little wind. Snowbird definitely gets more wind than Alta, but still less than most high alpine areas.
 
Nice buff on Baldy and Upper Silver Fox. Still out at 3:30. Either conditions are good or I need a life.
 
Indeed, I heard good things from rdwore about upper Silver Fox by phone after I had already arrived home.
 
The problem with Upper Silver Fox is that you still have all that remaining 2K' to deal with afterwards.
 
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