tseeb
Well-known member
Kirkwood, CA 1/17/24
My 177 mile drive from San Jose was 3 1/2 hrs. with a gas stop, some snow and a lot of sand on road for last 20-30 miles and unmanned chain control the last 5 miles. Patroller I talked to before getting in line at Cornice before 9 said bombing they had been doing on heavy 3” that fell was more reactive than expected. Since Cornice did not open, a lady I had joined in line and I moved to Solitude which loaded at 9. Snow was tricky as after falling wet it froze so it was crusted and tough where not smooth. This is Buckboard a little after 930.
I moved to The Reut where I should have started since I parked close to it and skied Buckboard twice. You mostly could feel the firm layer underneath, but with good balance could make semi-powder turns. At the base there was no new snow and it was firm. I took two laps on Cornice, first skiing challenging ungroomed Sentinel then finding a little better snow on less skied Monte Wolfe. I took a lap on The Wall where coverage at the top was much better than two weeks ago, but I often accelerated way too much after a turn. I found better smooth, untracked snow above road from top of Reut to Buckboard, but cut out of it to go above top of chair and see if Backside was opening, even though they were still bombing. The word I got was 10:45 so I did another couple Reut laps, once skiing smooth Wagon Trail which goes under Wall chair from where you could see it had been groomed. Next time past chair to Backside I heard 11:30 opening.
I took a short break at Monte Wolfe, eating my lunch with a coffee/hot chocolate combo, my first purchase this season at a Vail resort other than my $415 pass. It was $4.20 after 20% passholder discount and I took advantage of one free re-fill. I went back up Reut and skied to the Backside passing up some lightly tracked powder that ended at chair 3. I thought I’d ski long, slow Sunrise chair three times, then ride it once more to exit via Thunder Saddle, but it was so good I rode it 8 times. It was my first day riding it this season. My first time up lift at 1211 there were not many tracks and main run, Elevator Shaft.
Not sure whether it was because base of lift is 400-500 feet higher than Kirkwood's main base or because snow was being blown into it or due to soft snow under the 3-4” new, but it skied much better than frontside. I went down gully past Cold Shoulder at least four times. The top was wind-packed and had some blown-in windsift, then lower down the gully was a big half-pipe with untracked snow. I hiked once past The Wave, before realizing there was no need to go that far.
Looking down from past The Wave above, then looking up at it from the lift below. I went right of trees that are right of center below.
After skiing gully past Cold Shoulder, I got into South-facing open slope above lift a few times. First picture is at 1245.
Next picture is at 230. I went lookers right of circled little tree a couple of times.
My first time exiting via Thunder Saddle I skied a couple of untracked ridges into the main Thunder Saddle run.
Second time I started in Two Man Chute and ended in One Man Chute.
Looking up One Man above and looking down from same place below.
I quit at 3 pm after riding 22 lifts and skiing a little over 20K. I’ll be back there again Thursday as friends are driving up to start their season. The ground around cabin in So. Tahoe is snow-covered for the first time I've been there this season although neighbor said snowbanks along road lost half their height in recent wet storm(s).
My 177 mile drive from San Jose was 3 1/2 hrs. with a gas stop, some snow and a lot of sand on road for last 20-30 miles and unmanned chain control the last 5 miles. Patroller I talked to before getting in line at Cornice before 9 said bombing they had been doing on heavy 3” that fell was more reactive than expected. Since Cornice did not open, a lady I had joined in line and I moved to Solitude which loaded at 9. Snow was tricky as after falling wet it froze so it was crusted and tough where not smooth. This is Buckboard a little after 930.
I moved to The Reut where I should have started since I parked close to it and skied Buckboard twice. You mostly could feel the firm layer underneath, but with good balance could make semi-powder turns. At the base there was no new snow and it was firm. I took two laps on Cornice, first skiing challenging ungroomed Sentinel then finding a little better snow on less skied Monte Wolfe. I took a lap on The Wall where coverage at the top was much better than two weeks ago, but I often accelerated way too much after a turn. I found better smooth, untracked snow above road from top of Reut to Buckboard, but cut out of it to go above top of chair and see if Backside was opening, even though they were still bombing. The word I got was 10:45 so I did another couple Reut laps, once skiing smooth Wagon Trail which goes under Wall chair from where you could see it had been groomed. Next time past chair to Backside I heard 11:30 opening.
I took a short break at Monte Wolfe, eating my lunch with a coffee/hot chocolate combo, my first purchase this season at a Vail resort other than my $415 pass. It was $4.20 after 20% passholder discount and I took advantage of one free re-fill. I went back up Reut and skied to the Backside passing up some lightly tracked powder that ended at chair 3. I thought I’d ski long, slow Sunrise chair three times, then ride it once more to exit via Thunder Saddle, but it was so good I rode it 8 times. It was my first day riding it this season. My first time up lift at 1211 there were not many tracks and main run, Elevator Shaft.
Not sure whether it was because base of lift is 400-500 feet higher than Kirkwood's main base or because snow was being blown into it or due to soft snow under the 3-4” new, but it skied much better than frontside. I went down gully past Cold Shoulder at least four times. The top was wind-packed and had some blown-in windsift, then lower down the gully was a big half-pipe with untracked snow. I hiked once past The Wave, before realizing there was no need to go that far.
Looking down from past The Wave above, then looking up at it from the lift below. I went right of trees that are right of center below.
After skiing gully past Cold Shoulder, I got into South-facing open slope above lift a few times. First picture is at 1245.
Next picture is at 230. I went lookers right of circled little tree a couple of times.
My first time exiting via Thunder Saddle I skied a couple of untracked ridges into the main Thunder Saddle run.
Second time I started in Two Man Chute and ended in One Man Chute.
Looking up One Man above and looking down from same place below.
I quit at 3 pm after riding 22 lifts and skiing a little over 20K. I’ll be back there again Thursday as friends are driving up to start their season. The ground around cabin in So. Tahoe is snow-covered for the first time I've been there this season although neighbor said snowbanks along road lost half their height in recent wet storm(s).
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