We made it to the parking lot around 9:15 am and were on John Paul Express at 9:30 or so. Place was empty, we were the first people on the tram, and there was never more than 5 people or so on the tram with us at any time. Our first lap we went down the face of the tram area then took a left through a gate and worked our way down. Top of the mountain was nice, soft chalky snow, very much winter snow. By about 1/2 way down the snow got heavy and was pretty ugly (pine needles and branches, wind I assume). Next lap we hiked up No Name peak and it was great, again, until about 1/2 way down. The 2nd half of the runs (don't know the name but we were at the skiers left boundary) were exhausting. After another run or so we headed in for lunch. Wow, very very impressed with the food, facilities, employees, and as mentioned before the bathrooms.
After lunch we made our way over to Strawberry Gondola. The wind was howling up there and much of the way down. On our last ride up at around 3:15 the gondola kept stopping, I assume it was the wind. They told us they were done for the day a little early and we headed back to the base area. I have no idea what trails we were on (should have opened that map once or twice), but we were now at the skiers right boundary. We found pockets of very nice snow and some ice (probably due to the wind blowing the snow off, as it was doing when we were coming down. Scenery was great as was the terrain. Very impressed with the steepness. They could really use about 3-5 more feet to cover up the small tress sticking out everywhere, I imagine that they're all covered in a month or so.
It was interesting that there was a 5 minute or so wait for Needles Gonodla but no lines anywhere else, not one person at the bottom of Strawberry, John Paul, or the tram. Looking for some thoughts on where to go tomorrow. Now looks like Snow Basin has 7.75 inches as of 8:30 and according to the NWS the heavy stuff will come later tonight (only in LLC/BCC?). Given the week between storms I think that LCC will be a mad house. BCC probably less so, but Solitude's terrain really just doesn't compare to what we saw at Snow Basin. Thoughts? Suggestions?
Some pics:
A familiar site all day, this might have been the busiest it was all day:
Another familiar site at the Tram:
Hiking above the tram was closed:
Looking up at the tram:
A headwall just below the top of the tram, obviously the wind has hammered this area; reminded me of the area near high rustler at alta, lots of snow around it but bare rocks in spots:
Look at the short hike up No Name Peak (Pretty sure, correct me if I'm wrong):
Day Lodge where we at lunch, pretty nice:
View of the top of the tram from No Name Peak:
Line for Needles Gondola:
Looking over at Sisters (?, at the skiers far right boundary), I could see hiking up there if it's not too hard and skiing a few of the chutes:
Looking up at No Name at around 3pm, it was snowing at the base too:
No clue what they were doing, there was also a group of high schoolers right before that had their shirts off in the snow, strange end to the day:
After lunch we made our way over to Strawberry Gondola. The wind was howling up there and much of the way down. On our last ride up at around 3:15 the gondola kept stopping, I assume it was the wind. They told us they were done for the day a little early and we headed back to the base area. I have no idea what trails we were on (should have opened that map once or twice), but we were now at the skiers right boundary. We found pockets of very nice snow and some ice (probably due to the wind blowing the snow off, as it was doing when we were coming down. Scenery was great as was the terrain. Very impressed with the steepness. They could really use about 3-5 more feet to cover up the small tress sticking out everywhere, I imagine that they're all covered in a month or so.
It was interesting that there was a 5 minute or so wait for Needles Gonodla but no lines anywhere else, not one person at the bottom of Strawberry, John Paul, or the tram. Looking for some thoughts on where to go tomorrow. Now looks like Snow Basin has 7.75 inches as of 8:30 and according to the NWS the heavy stuff will come later tonight (only in LLC/BCC?). Given the week between storms I think that LCC will be a mad house. BCC probably less so, but Solitude's terrain really just doesn't compare to what we saw at Snow Basin. Thoughts? Suggestions?
Some pics:
A familiar site all day, this might have been the busiest it was all day:
Another familiar site at the Tram:
Hiking above the tram was closed:
Looking up at the tram:
A headwall just below the top of the tram, obviously the wind has hammered this area; reminded me of the area near high rustler at alta, lots of snow around it but bare rocks in spots:
Look at the short hike up No Name Peak (Pretty sure, correct me if I'm wrong):
Day Lodge where we at lunch, pretty nice:
View of the top of the tram from No Name Peak:
Line for Needles Gondola:
Looking over at Sisters (?, at the skiers far right boundary), I could see hiking up there if it's not too hard and skiing a few of the chutes:
Looking up at No Name at around 3pm, it was snowing at the base too:
No clue what they were doing, there was also a group of high schoolers right before that had their shirts off in the snow, strange end to the day:
