Day 66 on 6/6.
Went up to Snowbird for a few hours this morning, 8 a.m. to noon. Much warmer than yesterday, I was down to just a thin shirt after the first run. The sun was blazing hot. And just like yesterday I forgot my *&^^%^& camera.
Hooked up with Bobby Danger, Tele Jon, Dale and Montana Gary again today to continue his grand tour. We started off with Nirvana, which is a hell of a first run -- it just keeps going and going and going... Coverage was seamless, but there was a noticeable temperature gradiant on each side of the choke. Distinctly hotter and softer beneath there. Death Road doesn't have long for this world -- it's nearly gone in a few spots. In fact, Lower Silver Fox which we skied yesterday was unskiable today. Bobby and I disagree on this, but I'm guessing that there will be walking required near the base by next weekend. There's a remarkable difference in snowpack above and below Tram Tower 1.
We returned to the Rasta Chutes again today, finding good snow. The entrance to Great Scott, however, has also lost a remarkable amount of snow between yesterday and today. Yesterday, getting in was a no-brainer. Not so today.
We hiked to the High Baldy Traverse and rounded Memorial Buttress to find a speed flyer ready to take off.
Most impressive, but the way he was deliberately buzzing treetops and spiraling into the mountainside, that takes cajones of titanium, not steel.
For our last run, Bobby led us along with his friends Kelly and Karen to a line that I've often heard about, seen many times from below, but never skied: Comma Chute. I'm reluctant to even hint at where on the mountain it is, because the route requires an entrance knocking off turns on a steep slope above a broad cliff band that's a minimum of 100 feet high, and the way through the cliff band is anything but obvious. I wouldn't want anyone to read this and get cliffed out, or worse, blow a turn above the cliff band and tumble over the edge. I will say, however, that it's perhaps the most aesthetically stunning lines that I've skied in the Wasatch, and I'm thrilled that I now know the way in.
Gary's on his way back to Montana, and snapped off a bunch of photos today in Great Scott and Comma Chute. Hopefully he'll upload a few to this thread when he gets back to his computer.
After skiing, I loaded up the truck and headed up to paddle Smith and Morehouse, which is amazingly beautiful lake tucked into the far western end of the Uinta Mountain chain. Another beautiful Sunday in Utah!
Went up to Snowbird for a few hours this morning, 8 a.m. to noon. Much warmer than yesterday, I was down to just a thin shirt after the first run. The sun was blazing hot. And just like yesterday I forgot my *&^^%^& camera.
Hooked up with Bobby Danger, Tele Jon, Dale and Montana Gary again today to continue his grand tour. We started off with Nirvana, which is a hell of a first run -- it just keeps going and going and going... Coverage was seamless, but there was a noticeable temperature gradiant on each side of the choke. Distinctly hotter and softer beneath there. Death Road doesn't have long for this world -- it's nearly gone in a few spots. In fact, Lower Silver Fox which we skied yesterday was unskiable today. Bobby and I disagree on this, but I'm guessing that there will be walking required near the base by next weekend. There's a remarkable difference in snowpack above and below Tram Tower 1.
We returned to the Rasta Chutes again today, finding good snow. The entrance to Great Scott, however, has also lost a remarkable amount of snow between yesterday and today. Yesterday, getting in was a no-brainer. Not so today.
We hiked to the High Baldy Traverse and rounded Memorial Buttress to find a speed flyer ready to take off.
Most impressive, but the way he was deliberately buzzing treetops and spiraling into the mountainside, that takes cajones of titanium, not steel.
For our last run, Bobby led us along with his friends Kelly and Karen to a line that I've often heard about, seen many times from below, but never skied: Comma Chute. I'm reluctant to even hint at where on the mountain it is, because the route requires an entrance knocking off turns on a steep slope above a broad cliff band that's a minimum of 100 feet high, and the way through the cliff band is anything but obvious. I wouldn't want anyone to read this and get cliffed out, or worse, blow a turn above the cliff band and tumble over the edge. I will say, however, that it's perhaps the most aesthetically stunning lines that I've skied in the Wasatch, and I'm thrilled that I now know the way in.
Gary's on his way back to Montana, and snapped off a bunch of photos today in Great Scott and Comma Chute. Hopefully he'll upload a few to this thread when he gets back to his computer.
After skiing, I loaded up the truck and headed up to paddle Smith and Morehouse, which is amazingly beautiful lake tucked into the far western end of the Uinta Mountain chain. Another beautiful Sunday in Utah!
