tseeb
Well-known member
I left San Jose at 4:20 AM and turned into Olympic Valley 3 1/2 hrs later, then loaded Funitel about 8:30. I started with 4 laps on Gold Coast, stopping to bury my lunch and beer for end of day Funitel download on my first run. Then I did 8 laps on Siberia, starting with a few on busy main groomer, then moved to ungroomed corn below the Palisades that skied well. The only rock I hit was when I tried the direct E-facing groomer on lower part and rock was buried in loose snow. On the bottom half, I usually went off one of the very good condition N-facing steep groomed routes ending on either side of the snowmaking pond. The flats getting to and past Gold Coast got slow and there were a couple of dangerous crossings, due to traffic. Wiggles under top on Siberia.
I rode Gold Coast to get to Shirley Lake where I spotted unpiste from SkiTalk and caught up with him and Stephanie (pequenita). I skied a couple of laps with them, one traversing far lookers right past the bowl where we came down what I think is called Shirley Chute (maybe Arete on map). We met up with other SkiTalkers and our group grew to 9-10. I think I rode Shirley 13 times. Best run was no. 4 to lookers left as it had been used for racing and stayed firmer than others. Runs closest to top of chair on either side had good snow into afternoon although return to chair from there was not as good. Liftlines were never a problem with at most a 4-5 chair wait and most of the three 6-packs running usually only had at most 4-5 riders.
I left group and returned to Siberia and walked the road that wraps around back of Squaw Peak, climbing not much over 100’, and skied National Chute which is wide one to left. People were skiing Main Chute (right of center where 4 people are standing).
I didn’t get high on the wall behind me in picture as National is of those runs that looks intimidating when you haven’t skied it for a couple of years, then after first turn or two, you think I could have gone way bigger. I thought about doing it again, but next time up hike had already closed so I did a couple of more Siberia laps, then a couple on Gold Coast, picking up my lunch and beer, and downloading, getting to the base at 2:30 with watch counting 32 lifts and 24.4K vertical. Gondola base construction fencing added a little to my route back to my SUV.
I have to wonder if gondola will be more wind-affected than KT which gets to top of ridge in more protected place.
I rode Gold Coast to get to Shirley Lake where I spotted unpiste from SkiTalk and caught up with him and Stephanie (pequenita). I skied a couple of laps with them, one traversing far lookers right past the bowl where we came down what I think is called Shirley Chute (maybe Arete on map). We met up with other SkiTalkers and our group grew to 9-10. I think I rode Shirley 13 times. Best run was no. 4 to lookers left as it had been used for racing and stayed firmer than others. Runs closest to top of chair on either side had good snow into afternoon although return to chair from there was not as good. Liftlines were never a problem with at most a 4-5 chair wait and most of the three 6-packs running usually only had at most 4-5 riders.
I left group and returned to Siberia and walked the road that wraps around back of Squaw Peak, climbing not much over 100’, and skied National Chute which is wide one to left. People were skiing Main Chute (right of center where 4 people are standing).
I didn’t get high on the wall behind me in picture as National is of those runs that looks intimidating when you haven’t skied it for a couple of years, then after first turn or two, you think I could have gone way bigger. I thought about doing it again, but next time up hike had already closed so I did a couple of more Siberia laps, then a couple on Gold Coast, picking up my lunch and beer, and downloading, getting to the base at 2:30 with watch counting 32 lifts and 24.4K vertical. Gondola base construction fencing added a little to my route back to my SUV.
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