Day 35: Damn, it's cold!
I figured that today would be warmer than yesterday. Not only was I wrong but it also took longer to warm up today. It was clear as a bell in every direction except above Alta and Snowbird, where the cold, unstable air formed a cloud that occasionally even spit snowflakes at times. The combination made things feel downright bitter this morning.
Mrs. Admin was signed up for a 10:15 lesson at Alta but pushed it back to 1:30 because of the cold. That meant that I skied with the gang at Alta this morning, took a few runs with the Mrs. before lunch while the others went to Snowbird and rejoined the posse for the afternoon while she took her lesson.
As far as snow goes, see yesterday's post. Today was more of the same.
After lunch we headed back to Snowbird together. I suggested Keyhole as the route of choice, knowing that the crux would most assuredly be rather tight. But I had no idea just how tight. Snowboarders had sideslipped the whole thing, turning it into a 175cm-wide concave bobsled run. With exposed rocks the only option was to sideslip/sidestep it, but it's concavity meant that only your tips and tails were touching snow. There was nothing below your feet but air. It was, uh..."sporting."
rdwore and I think AmyZ too took photos looking down the choke of Keyhole from above. Hopefully they'll add them to this thread sometime tonight. AmyZ did great. She wasn't wigged out at all, but just took her time getting through there. It was a terrific learning experience for her.
Up the P-chair and through the Basshole, we were back in Mineral Basin. We rode MBE together and while the others headed for Rasta Chutes I skied back down Mineral to Baldy Express to rejoin the Mrs. I had hoped to see what she learned, but the Mrs. was beat and has to work the overnight shift tonight so we headed down canyon and called it a day.
I did speak with her instructor, John, after her lesson. John's been there teaching for over 40 years, which is common on the Alf Engen Ski School. She ended up with a semi-private two hour lesson for the $50 cost of a group -- alone at first, then joined by a guy from Pensacola who was too good for his group -- and John tells me that she's now a solid Level 6 by PSIA standards. She's reportedly got her confidence back as well. After she practices what she learned today for a bit it will be time to get her off the groomed. Before we know it she'll be getting over-the-head face shots. I hope that some day I'll be able to introduce her to the white room.
I figured that today would be warmer than yesterday. Not only was I wrong but it also took longer to warm up today. It was clear as a bell in every direction except above Alta and Snowbird, where the cold, unstable air formed a cloud that occasionally even spit snowflakes at times. The combination made things feel downright bitter this morning.
Mrs. Admin was signed up for a 10:15 lesson at Alta but pushed it back to 1:30 because of the cold. That meant that I skied with the gang at Alta this morning, took a few runs with the Mrs. before lunch while the others went to Snowbird and rejoined the posse for the afternoon while she took her lesson.
As far as snow goes, see yesterday's post. Today was more of the same.
After lunch we headed back to Snowbird together. I suggested Keyhole as the route of choice, knowing that the crux would most assuredly be rather tight. But I had no idea just how tight. Snowboarders had sideslipped the whole thing, turning it into a 175cm-wide concave bobsled run. With exposed rocks the only option was to sideslip/sidestep it, but it's concavity meant that only your tips and tails were touching snow. There was nothing below your feet but air. It was, uh..."sporting."
rdwore and I think AmyZ too took photos looking down the choke of Keyhole from above. Hopefully they'll add them to this thread sometime tonight. AmyZ did great. She wasn't wigged out at all, but just took her time getting through there. It was a terrific learning experience for her.
Up the P-chair and through the Basshole, we were back in Mineral Basin. We rode MBE together and while the others headed for Rasta Chutes I skied back down Mineral to Baldy Express to rejoin the Mrs. I had hoped to see what she learned, but the Mrs. was beat and has to work the overnight shift tonight so we headed down canyon and called it a day.
I did speak with her instructor, John, after her lesson. John's been there teaching for over 40 years, which is common on the Alf Engen Ski School. She ended up with a semi-private two hour lesson for the $50 cost of a group -- alone at first, then joined by a guy from Pensacola who was too good for his group -- and John tells me that she's now a solid Level 6 by PSIA standards. She's reportedly got her confidence back as well. After she practices what she learned today for a bit it will be time to get her off the groomed. Before we know it she'll be getting over-the-head face shots. I hope that some day I'll be able to introduce her to the white room.
