Powder Mountain, UT 2/8/08

[Admin]

Day 30: 17" of new windslab

Skidog, Sharon, Marc_C, Amy, Pam and I all headed north to Powder Mountain this morning. Sharon and I got a head start, for we were slated to take a beginner clinic associated with Superfly, the kite skiing festival taking place all weekend at Powder Mountain.

The first sign of trouble was crossing Trappers Loop past Snowbasin, where the road was deeply snow covered and winds drifted snow from the banks lining the road. No, scratch that...the first sign of trouble was part of this morning's avalanche report:

The storm yesterday and overnight involved more wind than snow. Strong winds raged much of the day and through the night, with 25 to 35 mph averages common at the mid elevations, and 45 to 60 mph across the higher peaks. Gusts were impressive, reaching into the 60’s at mid elevations, and near 100 at the higher elevations. Wind direction varied from the southwest to north, and is still variable across the range this morning as the winds start to ease off. Snow amounts were modest at most location – in the 8 to 12”, and densities were higher - about 10% even before being wind packed.

Yep, that was right. There was hardly any aspect that wasn't completely wind affected. Playing it right, though, meant the difference between thick skiable cream on northeast-facing steep slopes and sandblasted sastrugi elsewhere.

Our clinic became more of an explanation and demonstration this morning. We got to fly one of the training kites, but the winds gusting over 30 mph were wigging me out a bit -- those things generate an enormous amount of pull, even with the 1.5 meter training kite I was flying. The guys who were actually out skiing were on 7-10 meter kites -- I can only imagine the forces those kites were pulling and I had no desire to get teabagged across half of northern Utah.

Sharon and I headed out for a few runs following the clinic before meeting the rest of the gang at noon in the Powder Keg for a burger and a beer. We found skiable snow along Quick Shot, which drops from the top of the Paradise lift to the bottom of the Hidden Lake Express, and more in sheltered portions of Grizzly Run.

After lunch, we all headed out for adventure, save for Marc_C who was still wiped out from yesterday at Alta and recovery from a cold. Dead Horse Point in Powder Country was a bit slabby up top, but much lighter and completely untracked once it dipped into the trees. After shuttling back to Sundown on the bus, we all bought cat tickets and headed to the snowcat pickup point atop Sundown.

James Peak hiking was closed, clearly due to the windloading along the ascending southern ridgeline, so we dropped into less familiar (to me) territory along Hide Out, yo-yoing both sides of the drainage to maximize our runout along Big Kash. Take hundreds of acres, protect it from the wind in the trees, and stick only 72 skiers per hour out there and you can well imagine that this was the highlight of the day. A couple of guys from Ohio incorrectly assumed that we knew where we were going and tagged along for the ride.

Time was running short, and although we considered another Powder Country run out to Baldy Face we instead opted to head out the Sunrise Poma to sample Cobabe Canyon, as this was a first Pow Mow visit for Skidog and others had only been there 2 or 3 times. We found good snow in Fletcher's Bowl before being spit out onto the cat road, where we high tailed it down to the Paradise Lift. We boarded Paradise at 3:55, facing a minimum of two lift rides to return to the parking lot.

By this time, though, the weather was closing in. The wind became even more ferocious, if that was possible, and clouds moved in, bringing with them light flurries. By the time we got to the top of Timberline all any of us wanted was a warm seat by the fire in the Powder Keg with a cold beer in our hands.

A good day, but some funky snow all around.

 

[kingslug]

You guys got the life!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm really trying tom get out there the beginning of March. Going to be a lot of Alpine Zoners up there that time. Wife wants to go to Tahoe.............screw that.

 

[yak]

I must have been pretty cold for you to not take one more run down Powder Country and hitch back to your car.

 

[Sharon]

when it comes to wind and kiting, Admin is a pu**y! I was very excited about kite skiing and very much wanted to give it a go. But when Admin's scrawny little body got launched while flying a small training kite he was ready to bail with his tail between his legs, preferring to keep his skis firmly entrenched in the dense windblown snow. Not wanting to be left behind alone on PowMow's 5500 acres I ditched the kiting as well for an interesting adventure with Admin and co.

Admin did well with steering our group to satisfying snow, though much of it skied like peanutbutter. It took much effort in some places, but once far enough downhill from the howling winds and snow drifts some sweet turns were had.

must have been pretty cold for you to not take one more run down Powder Country and hitch back to your car.

I considered the possibility of one more run since that lower lift that accesses Powder country was open for night skiing, but Admin was only wearing a thin layer under his jacket that was not windproof. We skied from 9ish until 4:30 in challeging snow and challeging weather. Our group was whooped. Hardly a conversation on the ride home. Being my last day in Zion I would've done it, but no one else was up for it.

Must go back to PowMow. Endless terrain for fresh tracks and no crowds. Same time next year.

 

[ChrisC]

So what are the objectives of kite-boarding...

Were people just doing laps on the summit of Powder Mountain? Is it like kite-surfing where people are getting air?

 

[Admin]

Yes, and yes. People just zig back and forth akin to kiteboarding or windsurfing.