Day 13: Night and day
(All photos have a high-res version available by clicking on the image.)
I buzzed up to Park City Mountain Resort around noon today to pick up my pass, take a few runs and get a gauge of what's going on up there. The short answer: not much, at least snow-wise.
The longer answer: OK, that short answer isn't entirely fair. Park City's opening schedule involves blowing snow on the lower mountain first, then working their way uphill. This adds challenge with the base of the area at 6,000 feet. Our persistent warm and dry pattern through November left snowmakers at a distinct disadvantage, but they're catching up quickly. Some additional terrain appears poised to open on both natural snow only and with manmade, and I suspect that our current avalanche cycle is also preventing some terrain opening at upper elevations.
The PayDay, Bonanza, Silverlode and First Time lifts are running. Town Lift is also running for uploading and downloading only, and Claimjumper is the only route open to Silverlode. Everything open currently is a green or blue groomer, but with a couple of inches of fresh snow this morning the surfaces were delightful, save for a couple of scratchy spots on Muckers.
Traffic on Muckers will soon be dispersed on Mid-Mountain Meadows, where snowmaking was at work feverishly:
but for now the only other option is Homerun, which at that point where it bypasses Muckers is just so darned flat.
They also had the Pioneer lift moving today, apparently getting it ready to open once snowmaking is complete on Mid-Mountain meadows. Patrol had also dropped a bomb or two in Blueslip Bowl.
It was easy to see today how little snow is required for most lower- and mid-mountain terrain at PCMR. Runs like Prospector have been rolled, apparently in anticipation of the next storm tomorrow.
Honestly, it looked like it was ready to go now, along with Lost Prospector above:
On open terrain, coverage was edge-to-edge, even on broad expanses like upper Homerun.
I didn't find thin cover anywhere at all.
I was surprised at how many out-of-town visitors I encountered, for they're starting to arrive now pre-Christmas. I'm not so sure about Tony's theory on Cottonwood Canyon crowding for the holidays, for virtually all visitors I chatted with were unaware of the immensely deeper snow bases just a ridge or two to the west.
In only an hour and 15 minutes, however, I'd skied everything that was officially open and headed home. I'll likely do the same tomorrow at The Canyons.
(All photos have a high-res version available by clicking on the image.)
I buzzed up to Park City Mountain Resort around noon today to pick up my pass, take a few runs and get a gauge of what's going on up there. The short answer: not much, at least snow-wise.
The longer answer: OK, that short answer isn't entirely fair. Park City's opening schedule involves blowing snow on the lower mountain first, then working their way uphill. This adds challenge with the base of the area at 6,000 feet. Our persistent warm and dry pattern through November left snowmakers at a distinct disadvantage, but they're catching up quickly. Some additional terrain appears poised to open on both natural snow only and with manmade, and I suspect that our current avalanche cycle is also preventing some terrain opening at upper elevations.
The PayDay, Bonanza, Silverlode and First Time lifts are running. Town Lift is also running for uploading and downloading only, and Claimjumper is the only route open to Silverlode. Everything open currently is a green or blue groomer, but with a couple of inches of fresh snow this morning the surfaces were delightful, save for a couple of scratchy spots on Muckers.
Traffic on Muckers will soon be dispersed on Mid-Mountain Meadows, where snowmaking was at work feverishly:
but for now the only other option is Homerun, which at that point where it bypasses Muckers is just so darned flat.
They also had the Pioneer lift moving today, apparently getting it ready to open once snowmaking is complete on Mid-Mountain meadows. Patrol had also dropped a bomb or two in Blueslip Bowl.
It was easy to see today how little snow is required for most lower- and mid-mountain terrain at PCMR. Runs like Prospector have been rolled, apparently in anticipation of the next storm tomorrow.
Honestly, it looked like it was ready to go now, along with Lost Prospector above:
On open terrain, coverage was edge-to-edge, even on broad expanses like upper Homerun.
I didn't find thin cover anywhere at all.
I was surprised at how many out-of-town visitors I encountered, for they're starting to arrive now pre-Christmas. I'm not so sure about Tony's theory on Cottonwood Canyon crowding for the holidays, for virtually all visitors I chatted with were unaware of the immensely deeper snow bases just a ridge or two to the west.
In only an hour and 15 minutes, however, I'd skied everything that was officially open and headed home. I'll likely do the same tomorrow at The Canyons.
