Alta, UT 3/21/2009

[Admin]

Day 47: "Loud powder" morning, spring skiing afternoon

The posse gathered at 9 a.m., but we should've stayed home for a while longer. With temperatures never going below freezing overnight and reports of sloppy snow on Friday, I figured that early would be better, especially with forecasts for weather to close in during the afternoon with thickening clouds by lunch time and possible rain or thunderstorms by the end of the day. The forecast was for a record-setting 74 degrees in SLC.

What I hadn't factored into the equation, however, was the thermal mass of the snow. The place was positively deserted. Tele Jon, Pat and I took a quick cruiser on Collins while Marc_C finished booting up. It looked better than it skied -- the corduroy was still quite frozen in place. We picked up Marc_C and Amy and went over to Sugarloaf, figuring that the morning sun might have done something there. Wrong. Standing at the bottom of Sugarloaf, Jon commented, "You know...I wouldn't mind going for a latté or something while this warms up a bit." That turned into a full-fledged breakfast at Albion while Amy went downstairs to get her boot fitting worked on a bit.

When breakfast was finished and Amy wasn't yet done, we all moved down to Albion Sports and hung out for a while.

It was around 11:00 by the time we made it back onto the slopes. Flats at the top and bottom of each lift were softening, but little else was. Finding everyone crammed onto Devil's Elbow and Razorback we ventured over to Supreme. A patroller we rode with reported stellar corn on the south-facing flank of Wolverine, but I didn't have my avi gear with me and the skins were in the truck. Rock 'n Roll was still bombproof. Ballroom wasn't much better. By 1 p.m. I was ready to give up, and wandered inside to take off my boots.

The others wandered in, too, figuring that they'd have a beer while things softened a bit more. Bobby Danger and Skidog appeared. So did friend Denis from VA, who's spending a month of his retirement in Utah -- he didn't ski today but came up to find us. I opted to join them before leaving. One beer turned into two. By that point, though, things really did appear to be softening, and the clouds and wind were holding off longer than expected. I put my boots back on as we headed back out.

I'm glad I stuck around! After a quick cruise down Race Course and Saddle we decided to try West Rustler. No Name was terrific! So was Stonecrusher, where I wrapped up my day at 4 p.m.

 

[Marc_C]

After Stonecrusher, Bobby D, me, Amy, Pat, and TeleJon wandered back up and did a High Rustler. It was so good, Amy and I caught the 4:20 Collins chair and did it again. Had the lifts still been open when we got down.....

 

[tirolerpeter]

I was out of town for a week, but kept track of conditions and weather on the web. I suspected that surfaces would be kind of "crispy" yesterday so I didn't go up to Alta until around 11 AM. Anticipating conditions, I didn't bother using my BD's and stepped into my trusty old steel capped "Volant "Power Karves." It was a good move and they did their job by keeping me carving instead of skidding. With only an occasional passing cloud, the day was beautiful and the warmth felt great. Of course, it also made me a little sad since I knew that would negatively impact the snow pack and surfaces. I made a brief stop at Alf's around 1:30 to eat the snack I had brought with me and hit the slopes again. I mostly lapped Supreme and enjoyed about an hour of good conversation with a young UofU student from Germany. She tolerated speaking German with me (skills do slip when you don't use a language regularily.) in return for some basic ski lessons. (Keeping forward, reducing upper body rotation, increased angulation, and working on actual carving, were things she enjoyed improving.) I considered doing High Rustler, but was wary of conditions on the High T. Now I'm sorry I didn't go there. I met some visitors from the east on the patio at GMD and dallied over a Cutthroat for a while. At one point, while sipping my brew, High Rustler looked liked it was being over-run by ants, and I regretted not having gone up there. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Day 69 and have high hopes that we might get some fresh snow today into tomorrow.

 

[Admin]

I think I'm sitting today (3/22) out. :shock:

I slept in until 10 and just got up to check. It's gusting into the upper 20s at the base and around 40 at the top of Collins, where it's 27 degrees (38 at the base) and cloudy. It won't start snowing until tonight, and nothing is going to soften a whit today after this week's warmth and last night's cold. I'd expect today to be like yesterday morning, except that it'll stay that way all day long. Seems like a good day to sit around and drink coffee.

Things are about to change dramatically, however. From the NWS:

Synopsis:
...Winter Weather Advisory for Snow Today through Monday...

A cold front will remain stalled across southern Salt Lake or northern Utah county through this morning then move southeast this afternoon with heavy snow developing in the mountains. An unstable northwest flow will follow the front tonight and persist through Monday afternoon, resulting in additional snow accumulations. Another weak system will keep a chance of snow going Tuesday with additional snow expected Wednesday.

There is a chance of a thunderstorm with the front around midday.

 

[Marc_C]

I think I'm sitting today (3/22) out. :shock:

I slept in until 10 and just got up to check. It's gusting into the upper 20s at the base and around 40 at the top of Collins, where it's 27 degrees (38 at the base) and cloudy. It won't start snowing until tonight, and nothing is going to soften a whit today after this week's warmth and last night's cold. I'd expect today to be like yesterday morning, except that it'll stay that way all day long. Seems like a good day to sit around and drink coffee.

Me too. Plus I have house guests coming in anytime after 1pm today.

Existential question of the day: No matter what you do or don't do, why does it seem like there's always a crap-load of additional stuff to do around the house prior to guests arriving?

 

[Skidog]

Had many good runs over at Snowbird with Bobbyd, Mike and Heather. 5 (or was it 6?) Trams and a few minerals before noon???? WOW...they ski fast. We nearly made back to back to back trams. Only missed the 3rd one by 2 people. I think they easily couldve let us go.. Shot over to Alta to have lunch. Saw rest of crew. BobbyD and I headed back to Snowbird and found some terrific conditions in North facing NIrvana. I had enough by around 3 and BobbyD wanted a ride up to Alta.

Big vertical day...fast skiing and I dont even know if i'd call one run "bad". If you know where to look, or for that matter, who to follow you can always find good snow.

Hoping this storm produces what it says.

M

 

[Tony Crocker]

I was going to make my usual comment that Snowbird might have been better this day, but Skidog was there and demonstrated it.

 

[Admin]

I was going to make my usual comment that Snowbird might have been better this day, but Skidog was there and demonstrated it.

Skidog was a bit overly enthusiastic here. Neither he nor Bobby were exactly bubbling with enthusiasm in person. Walking is now required to access the upper Cirque, or it was on Saturday -- it's still snowing even here at the house.

 

[Skidog]

I was going to make my usual comment that Snowbird might have been better this day, but Skidog was there and demonstrated it.

Skidog was a bit overly enthusiastic here. Neither he nor Bobby were exactly bubbling with enthusiasm in person. Walking is now required to access the upper Cirque, or it was on Saturday -- it's still snowing even here at the house.

I certainly wouldnt call it "spectacular" but it was really actually pretty good. Much better than what I experienced in our short time at Alta.

If anything it was a ton of verts.

M

 

[Acidchrist]

Matthew, you're right. Heather (my dear ex landlady from my utah patrol dayz) DOES INDEED ski VERY fast! She'll ski hardpack like an eastern champ!!! She was (and I'm sure still is) very fun to ski with!