Mt Bachelor Open...Powder Day

[schubwa]

I haven't had much to brag about this season, but we finally opened today. We got a bunch of snow out of this system, but it was very light and there was wind so we have some exposed reef at the top of the lower lifts. Nonetheless, it was an excellent powder day with about 30" since Friday PM.
We have a 29" base so it's nice to be back in the game. We've had 80" fall so far, but it was hard to keep it all with the unusually warm temps we had this fall. Looks like La Nina is reforming so that bodes well for us here.
Today was Day 16 for me, as I count "days on snow". Lately I've been skate and classic skiing as my nordic club, XC Oregon, had a fall camp this week. We were skiing on the packed Cascade Lakes Highway before this latest storm and the snow was amazingly good. Since I've been AT skiing and went to Mammoth over Thanksgiving, it wasn't too hard to wait a couple weeks to get another gravity fix.


My first ride up Pine Martin Chair. There's no place like home.

Looking off to the side of Thunderbird run at some soft snow that fell at 14 degrees F

Looking back down Thunderbird mid-morning at the parking lot at West Village. We had a few folks here today with all the pent up demand. They will open more lifts as they get the top 50 feet graded as there was so much wind transport. Just below that there is plenty of snow.

We're liking the change in the pattern...Nearing the top of the boot pack.

I always finish the day with a few runs off the cone. This shot taken at noon.

 

[Tony Crocker]

How much snow is up higher? Will Summit open soon or is another big storm needed?

I recall you snowboarding when I was up there in 2007. What do you use on the cone, teles, splitboard or do you hike it?

 

[schubwa]

How much snow is up higher? Will Summit open soon or is another big storm needed?

That's a good question. There was a fairly good snowpack left over from the Election Day storm that was concentrated up high. Also there was quite a bit of leftovers from last season. But we're in such an unusual Arctic flow that it will take a ton of this fluff to cover the lava on the ridges. Right now it's 5 degrees and snowing pixie dust at my house (elev: 3900')

I recall you snowboarding when I was up there in 2007. What do you use on the cone, teles, splitboard or do you hike it?

Today I was riding my good rock board, so you just hoof it up from the bottom of the compression. I've skinned up on skis from the parking lot and of course booted up with my snowboard as well. It depends on whether the lifts are open or not.
We're glad we have a relatively strong base with mostly new over after hearing of the unfortunate accidents today in the Wasatch. The cone is the perfect 38 degrees we all love, and fear.

The cone today from the Pine Martin Express.