Day 9: Firm, fast and fun.
And no one there. I ventured up to Snowbird for a couple of hours at mid-day today and it was easily the most quiet that I've ever seen that place. There couldn't have been more than 200-300 people on the whole mountain. It was almost spooky skiing Regulator alone.
There were three lifts running -- the Tram, Gadzoom and Chickadee -- and I noticed that they were getting $72 today at early season rates. With the return to colder weather there were snow guns going at key locations all over the mountain.
What surprised me is how much they had us hemmed in. Mineral Basin is of course still closed, but so was anything out Road to Provo -- you couldn't venture anywhere west of the Old Lady's ropeline. I was also shocked to find the Mid-Cirque Traverse gate closed, for the Mid-Cirque was looking mighty fine (and tracked up, so it's been open already) in the morning sun. So coming off the Tram you either skied Chip's or you were stuck between Little Cloud Bowl beneath the lift and Regulator.
So I spent the day on groomers. Not what I was planning on but anything that had a possibility of softening was roped off. I also spent the majority of my time riding the bucket, which I seldom do. Most folks departing the half-filled tram cabins were heading into Peruvian Gulch via Chip's, so I had the upper Gad Valley all to myself.
It also gave me the chance to get a good look at the new Little Cloud high-speed quad, which has its grand opening this Saturday.
Groomers were scratchy in some spots (upper Big Emma, anyone?) and edgeable and fun in others. It was a good mid-day break.
And no one there. I ventured up to Snowbird for a couple of hours at mid-day today and it was easily the most quiet that I've ever seen that place. There couldn't have been more than 200-300 people on the whole mountain. It was almost spooky skiing Regulator alone.
There were three lifts running -- the Tram, Gadzoom and Chickadee -- and I noticed that they were getting $72 today at early season rates. With the return to colder weather there were snow guns going at key locations all over the mountain.
What surprised me is how much they had us hemmed in. Mineral Basin is of course still closed, but so was anything out Road to Provo -- you couldn't venture anywhere west of the Old Lady's ropeline. I was also shocked to find the Mid-Cirque Traverse gate closed, for the Mid-Cirque was looking mighty fine (and tracked up, so it's been open already) in the morning sun. So coming off the Tram you either skied Chip's or you were stuck between Little Cloud Bowl beneath the lift and Regulator.
So I spent the day on groomers. Not what I was planning on but anything that had a possibility of softening was roped off. I also spent the majority of my time riding the bucket, which I seldom do. Most folks departing the half-filled tram cabins were heading into Peruvian Gulch via Chip's, so I had the upper Gad Valley all to myself.
It also gave me the chance to get a good look at the new Little Cloud high-speed quad, which has its grand opening this Saturday.
Groomers were scratchy in some spots (upper Big Emma, anyone?) and edgeable and fun in others. It was a good mid-day break.
