tseeb
Well-known member
On 3/16, we left Sugar Bowl about 4 pm and drove old Donner Pass (Highway 40) down to Donner Lake. Some of this road was used in the beginning of the movie ?Misery?. Since I had won a gift certificate to Predator Wear on West Lake Blvd. in Tahoe City, we went down the West Shore of the Lake instead of the East Shore which is slightly faster. After looking at pants for my son, I bought myself new powder pants that feature ?pit zips? in the inseam which are great for spring skiing. At South Shore, we went to the Pacifica Buffet at Harvey?s Casino and all did our best to eat $30 worth of sushi, clams, crab, prawns and dessert.
On 3/17, we left South Shore at 8:45 and arrived at Kirkwood at 9:30, parking at Timber Creek. During the 35 mile drive, a bald eagle joined us for the climb up Carson Pass. I took one run with my son and his friend through the terrain park on Free and Easy before heading with my wife for the backside. We were surprised to see a large slide, down to the rocks, above the Sunrise chair. The groomed snow on Elevator Shaft was in great shape and the ungroomed on skiers left towards Hully Gully was corning nicely.
Even though I dislike the long slow ride on Chair 4, we planned to take another run or two, but our son called from First Aid to say they would not give him anything for his wrist which was sore from a fall on his first run. We skied the top half of Cold Shoulder and cut over to Thunder Saddle for quickest return to the base. After stopping to put the lens back in her goggles for a 5 year-old who was crying after a face plant, I led my wife into the Saddle which was too firm for the first turn or two. The rest was much better and the tuck across the flats and past Chair 2 and down Chair 1 was fast enough to not require much poling. We went though a very busy First Aid and didn?t find our son. He was finishing his chili cheese fries in the lodge and not doing too bad so we got him some ibuprofen at the General Store. Then, we all did the long walk back to the lifts.
On the way to the lifts, I noticed a Nordica tent and got a free demo of a pair of Hot Rod Top Fuel 178s. We went up the Reut and skied Wagon Trail which still had some corduroy. Then I left my wife on the Reut and did two runs on the Wall which was a little firm at the top and too crowded for the conditions. I went skiers right and came in above the top of gully on my first run and above the Reut chair on my second run. The 108 mm tip and 78 mm waist, plus very powerful ski from top and bottom metal layers worked great in the spring snow.
The Nordica rep then let me try next year?s Hell Cat 178s which have a 90 mm waist and 128 mm tip. We warmed up on Shotgun on the Reut and then my wife went up the Wall for the first time in a few years and only her second time ever. She got through the top and enjoyed the rest of the run including the very steep face above the gully next to the Reut. The Hell Cats were working great in the softening snow. We moved to Cornice and took two runs on Olympic which I had noticed earlier from Timber Creek was groomed. I went down some sunny, very soft faces that would have put me on my face on my narrower skis. Nordica also has skis with 84 mm waist and the same construction that I will have to try next may be a good compromise while providing good float for powder.
After returning the free demos, we went up the Reut again. I went down Waterfall to The Drain and my wife took Buckboard. Before going up, we went into Bubb?s Sports Bar across the street where I had a $2 green Coors and my wife had a Blue Moon. I took off my long sleeve shirt and went out for another run on Olympic in my t-shirt while my wife finished her beer. We came down Sentinel and into the gully with the cave at 3:55 and the snow was still amazing good. Even with high temperature, the sun in March is not as hot as April and the 27 degree overnight temp made for great spring skiing on the last weekend of winter. Since we didn't move to high-speed Cornice chair until after 1 pm, my Avocet watch only counted 16 runs and 17.6K vertical.
We returned to South Tahoe where friends joined us for dinner at the cabin. We all enjoyed the festivities of St. Patrick?s Day in So. Shore where there was not a parking place to be found at the casinos at 9 PM
On 3/17, we left South Shore at 8:45 and arrived at Kirkwood at 9:30, parking at Timber Creek. During the 35 mile drive, a bald eagle joined us for the climb up Carson Pass. I took one run with my son and his friend through the terrain park on Free and Easy before heading with my wife for the backside. We were surprised to see a large slide, down to the rocks, above the Sunrise chair. The groomed snow on Elevator Shaft was in great shape and the ungroomed on skiers left towards Hully Gully was corning nicely.
Even though I dislike the long slow ride on Chair 4, we planned to take another run or two, but our son called from First Aid to say they would not give him anything for his wrist which was sore from a fall on his first run. We skied the top half of Cold Shoulder and cut over to Thunder Saddle for quickest return to the base. After stopping to put the lens back in her goggles for a 5 year-old who was crying after a face plant, I led my wife into the Saddle which was too firm for the first turn or two. The rest was much better and the tuck across the flats and past Chair 2 and down Chair 1 was fast enough to not require much poling. We went though a very busy First Aid and didn?t find our son. He was finishing his chili cheese fries in the lodge and not doing too bad so we got him some ibuprofen at the General Store. Then, we all did the long walk back to the lifts.
On the way to the lifts, I noticed a Nordica tent and got a free demo of a pair of Hot Rod Top Fuel 178s. We went up the Reut and skied Wagon Trail which still had some corduroy. Then I left my wife on the Reut and did two runs on the Wall which was a little firm at the top and too crowded for the conditions. I went skiers right and came in above the top of gully on my first run and above the Reut chair on my second run. The 108 mm tip and 78 mm waist, plus very powerful ski from top and bottom metal layers worked great in the spring snow.
The Nordica rep then let me try next year?s Hell Cat 178s which have a 90 mm waist and 128 mm tip. We warmed up on Shotgun on the Reut and then my wife went up the Wall for the first time in a few years and only her second time ever. She got through the top and enjoyed the rest of the run including the very steep face above the gully next to the Reut. The Hell Cats were working great in the softening snow. We moved to Cornice and took two runs on Olympic which I had noticed earlier from Timber Creek was groomed. I went down some sunny, very soft faces that would have put me on my face on my narrower skis. Nordica also has skis with 84 mm waist and the same construction that I will have to try next may be a good compromise while providing good float for powder.
After returning the free demos, we went up the Reut again. I went down Waterfall to The Drain and my wife took Buckboard. Before going up, we went into Bubb?s Sports Bar across the street where I had a $2 green Coors and my wife had a Blue Moon. I took off my long sleeve shirt and went out for another run on Olympic in my t-shirt while my wife finished her beer. We came down Sentinel and into the gully with the cave at 3:55 and the snow was still amazing good. Even with high temperature, the sun in March is not as hot as April and the 27 degree overnight temp made for great spring skiing on the last weekend of winter. Since we didn't move to high-speed Cornice chair until after 1 pm, my Avocet watch only counted 16 runs and 17.6K vertical.
We returned to South Tahoe where friends joined us for dinner at the cabin. We all enjoyed the festivities of St. Patrick?s Day in So. Shore where there was not a parking place to be found at the casinos at 9 PM
