Snowbird 6/21/2008

[Admin]

Day 66: That's all, folks!

Running a bit late, I met up with Bobby Danger and Skidog atop Hidden Peak around 9:40 a.m. for what was planned to be a morning of skiing.

Three runs later (one Rasta Chutes, one Lone Star, and one Silver Fox) I just wasn't feeling it. The damage done this week was substantial, and Snowbird made the right decision by calling it quits this weekend. Hot summer solstice sun had carved deep suncups into the surface, and large amounts of base had disappeared, even though you were able to ski all but the last 100 vertical feet down to the Tram Plaza. The other two would keep skiing as I called it a day...and a season...and went home to pack up the wife and dogs in the truck for a weekend of car camping at Rockport Reservoir instead of a weekend of skiing.

Until November...

 

[Admin]

Here are a couple of shots of "plan B". No backpacking this weekend, as I had to compromise for Patricia and go car camping. :? At least I got to try a new backpacking tent, the 2008 REI Quarter Dome T3. :lol:

 

[tcope]

That is a _huge_ difference in just one week! Of course, it's been in the upper 90s/lower 100's at my house in Sandy. Snow+heat= drinking water.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Thinner snowpack than the 6/25 weekend 3 years ago? Sometimes it can go quick. 3 years ago Mammoth changed dramatically between my visits 6/18 and 7/2. But still being covered within 100 vert of the plaza I suspect Little Cloud could go a while longer. The lower density plus being closed midweek would result in more suncupping vs. the big years at Mammoth.

FYI 107F here yesterday, quite unusual for normally cloudy June in SoCal.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

FYI 107F here yesterday, quite unusual for normally cloudy June in SoCal.

When do you get the mud slides, earthquakes, and forest fires?

I'll take the "bugs and humidity."
:sabre fight:

See?!?! I can play the cliche game too!

 

[Marc_C]

Thinner snowpack than the 6/25 weekend 3 years ago?

Yes, significantly. We lost about 3 feet this past week. Besides season snowfall, late season snowfall, and temperatures, we also had more than the usual number of storms with raging western winds. A lot of the snow that would normally be in LC is in the Cirque this season.

But still being covered within 100 vert of the plaza I suspect Little Cloud could go a while longer.

No, it couldn't. What admin didn't mention in his report is that off of LC lift, only dropping into Mineral Basin didn't require taking off your skis. There was mandatory walking on Road to Provo and a significant stretch on the traverse over to Regulator; and Regulator was the only contiguous snow on that side of the bowl.

 

[Skidog]

FYI 107F here yesterday, quite unusual for normally cloudy June in SoCal.

When do you get the mud slides, earthquakes, and forest fires?

I'll take the "bugs and humidity."
:sabre fight:

See?!?! I can play the cliche game too!

Oh yeah absolutely no humidity in NJ...the bugs...meh...they suck everywhere...but the humidity...you can keep it..

M

 

[Skidog]

But still being covered within 100 vert of the plaza I suspect Little Cloud could go a while longer.

Yeah LC aint going to make it through this week without significant walking. The walk on the RD to Provo wasnt that bad Sat, but man...there is a LOT OF SNOW missing since last week. 3 feet is a conservative estimate.

Still had tons of fun Sat skiing from top of Baldy down main all the way to the parking lot at GMD...

Sun made for an interesting run/WALK through the trees to access the keyhole. Once to the snowfield about keyhole there was plenty of coverage, but getting to it was quite the adventure...

All in all a GREAT season of lift served... 81 days total lift, 3 or 4 hiking early season...few more to come hiking this year...shooting for straight through once a month until the next lift served season starts...maybe ill get 20 months straight only time will tell...

Looking forward to many many more seasons like this past...Great skiing, great company, and GREAT FUN!!!!!

M

 

[Patrick]

Day 66: That's all, folks!

I guess now you can officially participate in James' "Your Ski Days Count" discussion. :lol:

 

[Skidog]

Just a couple pics from this weekend...these are all Sun 6-22

Main Chute from the top.

Bob taking a break at top of Main Chute.

Tele Jon skiing Main Chute.

Bottom of Main Chute

M

 

[Tony Crocker]

I can see that Snowbird's lift placement is not quite optimal for the very late season. Since the Little Cloud chair ascends the west, not north exposure, Road to Provo must be maintained. Tram descents on the Peruvian side are well covered but you have to go all the way to the bottom. I would have started the new Peruvian lift in 2007 at the top of the old one, so an upper lift would be available for spring skiing.

Mammoth has to move snow around at the top of Chair 1 as would be needed on Road to Provo, but it does quite a bit more spring business than Snowbird.