AltaBird, UT 1/1/10

[Admin]

Day 30: Deserted.

With frigid temperatures this morning I waited for the clouds to push east and the sun to start warming things up. When I pulled into the Wildcat lot at 11:45 a.m., however, it was only half full. Skidog had already skied and left. Dale, Pat and Amy were still heading up so I went out for a couple of quick Collins laps and grab a bite for lunch until they arrived.

It was still cold, but at least the sun was shining. Every single lift ride offered ski on chairs, although something screwy happened around 1:30 -- Collins closed and George said that it would be ~30 minutes, but more like 30 seconds later it reopened but ran only at half speed for the remainder of the day. I had taken the opportunity to scope out my favorite secret spot and noticed that there were only five tracks in it. After lunch, two days after a storm and at 2 p.m. on the holiday week Saturday we went in there and...sure enough, still only five tracks. Score. \/

Dale, Pat, Skrad and I ripped it up:

We ran a lap from Alta through Snowbird via Peruvian, the tunnel and Baldy Express to return to Alta. Peruvian Gulch was as dead as Alta was with many empty chairs running up the hill. I noticed, though, while driving down canyon that Gad Valley was considerably busier than Peruvian and Mineral had been.

 

[Staley]

It's amazing secret spots like yours at resorts with such a high percentage of local, expert skiers.

 

[Admin]

It's amazing secret spots like yours at resorts with such a high percentage of local, expert skiers.

Very few of whom were out today with a) it being a holiday week and b) brutally cold weather, at least by our standards. Temps were well below zero until lunchtime and thereafter only eeked above zero for a couple of hours. That said, even on a good day few venture to the spot photographed above for several reasons that if I mention them here, will give too much of a hint as to where it is. Today, for example, was Skrad's first time ever skiing that line. It's also incredibly unlikely that a visitor would stumble into that location by accident.

I'm more than happy to share it with anyone in person, I just won't describe its location in an online forum.

 

[Bobby Danger]

right ---- i skied that line yesterday afternoon --- super sweet aaaay

 

[Admin]

right ---- i skied that line yesterday afternoon --- super sweet aaaay

So, how now Pow Mow? Heard you were up there today.

 

[Bobby Danger]

sorry no pics pow--powder mtn. 1/1/11- no punt intended on the date. deserted --epic snow abounds the place !! there are years i've gone up there in the month of march and not had this kind of base (not even close ) . the only other year close was 5 or 6 years ago on the 800" year did we have this kind of depth so early in the year . cat skied three lightning ridges and one powder country first run -untracked- . the sundown chair the most underrated lift in america proved to still be underrated .(thank god ) slight wind polish on powder country from the sundown side of the road up high but ounce you were 100 yards off the ridge -perfect- to the road . first time in at least 15 years i've ridden the bus back to the lifts with only 4 people including the driver. lightning ridge quality can't really be put into words only depths anywhere from thigh to chest deep the closer to the bottom of the run you got . down in the creek at the bottom of paradise chair the snow has actually created a scene from something hollywood created in a movie. amazing really

 

[Skrad]

Your camera makes me look fat.