Actually intended on taking pics for a change, but the weather didn't allow it- sorry.
Arrived at the parking lot at 8AM after an easy, traffic-free drive up through rain all the way up to Manker, where it turned to mixed precip. This was as expected, and therefore Thunder would be the order of the day. No lift delays as the snow level hadn't dropped until late in the night, but they didn't run chair 4 today (maybe to keep people out of Holcumac?). Went up 3 and saw variable, wind-blown snow, and wasn't sure how well the day would go. A run down Emile's and then the liftline to Robin's were fun, but not fantastic due to spotty coverage.
But then I struck gold on Goldridge. Amazingly, nobody had yet dropped into the trees from the fire road, and I had pristine first tracks for not one but two runs before anyone else ventured in there! It really was great in there, about 4 inches new so far and snowing (graupeling at that point) hard. So good in fact that I just lapped that until around 11AM.
After a bite I tried Bentley's, but it wasn't there yet- only about 2" new and not worth the long ride up 1. So it was time for South Bowl- and what a time it was. More like 6+ inches on the ground at this point, untracked everywhere. I lapped South Bowl until around 3PM, it was just so so good in there. The only downside was the occasional traverse newbs who had no concept of how to manage themselves on it and how to handle faster traffic trying to come through while flailing. If you're on a lower traverse and want to step higher- do not do so when someone behind you is screaming to watch out! The same lack of situational awareness we see on our freeways I guess. In any event...
After a while I tried of the traverse and checked out the Tube, which was silky smooth and barely touched. I lapped it until the chair closed, then headed down a now much better covered Morgan's/Bentley's to the lot. It snowed off and on all day, and while I think the 12-18" they're reporting on their site is overestimating it, they definitely got the goods today.
Tomorrow will be a phenomenal day, wish I could go- Chair 4 is still virgin from this storm, and South Bowl and Goldridge will have beautiful snow ripe for the harvest. The road.... that may be another story. Go enjoy it if you can!
Arrived at the parking lot at 8AM after an easy, traffic-free drive up through rain all the way up to Manker, where it turned to mixed precip. This was as expected, and therefore Thunder would be the order of the day. No lift delays as the snow level hadn't dropped until late in the night, but they didn't run chair 4 today (maybe to keep people out of Holcumac?). Went up 3 and saw variable, wind-blown snow, and wasn't sure how well the day would go. A run down Emile's and then the liftline to Robin's were fun, but not fantastic due to spotty coverage.
But then I struck gold on Goldridge. Amazingly, nobody had yet dropped into the trees from the fire road, and I had pristine first tracks for not one but two runs before anyone else ventured in there! It really was great in there, about 4 inches new so far and snowing (graupeling at that point) hard. So good in fact that I just lapped that until around 11AM.
After a bite I tried Bentley's, but it wasn't there yet- only about 2" new and not worth the long ride up 1. So it was time for South Bowl- and what a time it was. More like 6+ inches on the ground at this point, untracked everywhere. I lapped South Bowl until around 3PM, it was just so so good in there. The only downside was the occasional traverse newbs who had no concept of how to manage themselves on it and how to handle faster traffic trying to come through while flailing. If you're on a lower traverse and want to step higher- do not do so when someone behind you is screaming to watch out! The same lack of situational awareness we see on our freeways I guess. In any event...
After a while I tried of the traverse and checked out the Tube, which was silky smooth and barely touched. I lapped it until the chair closed, then headed down a now much better covered Morgan's/Bentley's to the lot. It snowed off and on all day, and while I think the 12-18" they're reporting on their site is overestimating it, they definitely got the goods today.
Tomorrow will be a phenomenal day, wish I could go- Chair 4 is still virgin from this storm, and South Bowl and Goldridge will have beautiful snow ripe for the harvest. The road.... that may be another story. Go enjoy it if you can!
