tseeb
Well-known member
Kirkwood reported 3" new on Sunday and over 40" in last 4 days. I left So. Tahoe at 8:45, after picking up prizes I won for friend and myself Saturday morning from Tahoe TV. Traffic came to a stop at 2nd dam on Caples Lake. I thought it was due to an accident on curves below dam, but it crawled past Kirkwood Inn to merge with Eastbound CA-88 onto Kirkwood access road. It took me half an hour to go a mile. I heard it was worse on Sat. when they closed road after filling all parking, but this was the worst I can remember. I parked in third lot across from Timber Creek and got talked to by attendant for parking in corner closest to lift rather the opposite one where they wanted me.
I was on first lift before 10:30 and only skied crowded Cornice once before moving to The Wall which may have just opened. The Wall got busy, but a lot of people only take it once before realizing the weather and slope at top is beyond what they can handle. I skied soft and consistent far left side of The Wall run into a treed gully, then cutover to main run before turning into Waterfall. I was going to traverse above rocks as I had a couple of times Friday. But a skier had fallen in steep rocky chute between rocks and was struggling to get up to where he lost ski. I took a look and said no way I could help him. Then I remembered I was on the Gotamas and said no problem. I got his ski to him and skied the rest of the chute. Those skis turn so well, any radius you want you get. I took my skis out for last couple of runs to compare and found I could only get quick turns or long radius not the in between dialed-in turn wherever and however.
For the rest of the day, I will list only firsts for the year which include: Headwaters, Eagle Bowl towards still-closed Norms Nose, Lookout Vista T-bar (twice - first time skied towards temporarily closed chair 4, next time was Boylermaker), Moon Bowl, High Whiskey and Notch Chute (not from the notch in wall as that was closed). Chair 4/The Backside closed for a couple of hours due to 65 mph winds before re-opening at 1 pm with slightly lower winds directly into the lift and great blown-in snow.
The K-factor was strong with snow starting about 11 am and increasing in intensity until I left at 5 pm. My vertical according to EpicMix was 18K. It was my 23rd day this season including 12 in Feb. and 14 of the last 30. Snow was sticking in parking lot early in afternoon, but not as it got warmer later in day. Snow level was about 7K feet on way home. Traffic was heavy, only went 40-45 mph for most of first hour, but I still was home in 3 hrs 40 min.
I was on first lift before 10:30 and only skied crowded Cornice once before moving to The Wall which may have just opened. The Wall got busy, but a lot of people only take it once before realizing the weather and slope at top is beyond what they can handle. I skied soft and consistent far left side of The Wall run into a treed gully, then cutover to main run before turning into Waterfall. I was going to traverse above rocks as I had a couple of times Friday. But a skier had fallen in steep rocky chute between rocks and was struggling to get up to where he lost ski. I took a look and said no way I could help him. Then I remembered I was on the Gotamas and said no problem. I got his ski to him and skied the rest of the chute. Those skis turn so well, any radius you want you get. I took my skis out for last couple of runs to compare and found I could only get quick turns or long radius not the in between dialed-in turn wherever and however.
For the rest of the day, I will list only firsts for the year which include: Headwaters, Eagle Bowl towards still-closed Norms Nose, Lookout Vista T-bar (twice - first time skied towards temporarily closed chair 4, next time was Boylermaker), Moon Bowl, High Whiskey and Notch Chute (not from the notch in wall as that was closed). Chair 4/The Backside closed for a couple of hours due to 65 mph winds before re-opening at 1 pm with slightly lower winds directly into the lift and great blown-in snow.
The K-factor was strong with snow starting about 11 am and increasing in intensity until I left at 5 pm. My vertical according to EpicMix was 18K. It was my 23rd day this season including 12 in Feb. and 14 of the last 30. Snow was sticking in parking lot early in afternoon, but not as it got warmer later in day. Snow level was about 7K feet on way home. Traffic was heavy, only went 40-45 mph for most of first hour, but I still was home in 3 hrs 40 min.
