tseeb
Well-known member
Day 36 with a some firsts that included first day this year that I used Spring gloves and that I took advantage of Heavenly's not very well publicized early start for passholders on Wednesdays. After running a couple of errands, I arrived at 8:30 as nearly full first tram was leaving and barely caught second tram. I realized my helmet and goggles must have been left in my friend's car the previous day so I skied without a helmet for the first time in many years.
I also went out the Fulstone Canyon gate for the first time ever
and was one of less than 10 to ski some excellent corn there.
Fulstone is the canyon to skiers right of Killibrew and has a long, steep slope with fewer trees than Killibrew. It also lengthens the exit traverse from 3/4 mile to about 1 1/4 miles with one 20 step-up and a couple of flats. Sunny corner on exit from Killibrew deteriorated between my two laps.
Since I got an early start and skied until the end, I had over 40K vertical for the first time since February 2015 at Bachelor and probably my second time ever.
I started with 7 mostly groomer laps on Sky and Canyon chairs, skiing Ellie's a few times, Liz's twice (it was too firm early and better an hour later) and making a lap or two into Ridge Bowl. I moved to NV where I would ride slow Mott Canyon chair 7 times (not in a row as I also rode long and slow North Bowl chair twice-my lunch break, Stagecoach once and Olympic three times). Besides Fulstone, I got into Stateline Chute from the top and skied the Mott side five times. On my final run, I got through the part of Snake Eyes that is usually a mandatory air without leaving the ground as it is so filled. From the chair I had thought there was a ice bulge in the choke, but after seeing someone ski it later in the day from the chair and inspecting it from even steeper ridge above it, I realized that snow was discolored from blasting.
I re-filled my water bottles at Dipper Lodge about 2 without taking off my skis, then after skiing one more lap on Comet,
a few on Dipper and one on Mott, I skied to Tamarack Lodge after 3:30. I got a 24 ounce Stella Artois for $6.15, my first time this year taking advantage of half-price during Happy Hour. A band was playing (very loudly) at the bar end of the lodge. I went to the other end and tried (unsuccessfully) to charge my phone before loading Tamarack chair about 3:45 with about 1/4 of my beer. I skied CA trail to Sky chair where I did a top-to-bottom run that included Ridge Run and Bowl and Waterfall. Then, after short Groove chair ride, I raced a tram down the Face. I stayed on right edge as most of the Face and Gunbarrel have developed near-Volkswagen-sized bumps. The tram got a little ahead, but it slows down before docking so I was taking off my skis at the same time they opened the door for unloading. My watch counted 35 runs and over 39K vertical, but I did not have it started for first three runs so I really had 38 lift rides and 41K. My watch overcounts a little, but is much better than EpicMix which had me at 9 lift rides/under 11K.
Today should be interesting as overnight low at South Lake Tahoe and Truckee is well into 40s and Squaw already had gusts of over 100 mph this morning. I plan to ski a few runs, hopefully get into Motts, then drive towards UT where my wife is flying in for the weekend.
I started with 7 mostly groomer laps on Sky and Canyon chairs, skiing Ellie's a few times, Liz's twice (it was too firm early and better an hour later) and making a lap or two into Ridge Bowl. I moved to NV where I would ride slow Mott Canyon chair 7 times (not in a row as I also rode long and slow North Bowl chair twice-my lunch break, Stagecoach once and Olympic three times). Besides Fulstone, I got into Stateline Chute from the top and skied the Mott side five times. On my final run, I got through the part of Snake Eyes that is usually a mandatory air without leaving the ground as it is so filled. From the chair I had thought there was a ice bulge in the choke, but after seeing someone ski it later in the day from the chair and inspecting it from even steeper ridge above it, I realized that snow was discolored from blasting.
I re-filled my water bottles at Dipper Lodge about 2 without taking off my skis, then after skiing one more lap on Comet,
Today should be interesting as overnight low at South Lake Tahoe and Truckee is well into 40s and Squaw already had gusts of over 100 mph this morning. I plan to ski a few runs, hopefully get into Motts, then drive towards UT where my wife is flying in for the weekend.
