Snowbird, UT 4/29/06

[Admin]

Day 54: Perfect corn

I slept in until I awoke on my own at 10:30. I then farted around the house, not arriving at the Bird until 1:15 or so. I took a quick ride up Gadzoom and down absolutely perfect corn on Harper's Ferry East before hooking up with the crew -- Bob Dangerous, Marc_C and Dale -- on the Tram Plaza deck. I paused to view the dismantling of the Peruvian chair. They're already cutting trees on Chip's Flats for the new high-speed lift going in this summer.

Deep blue skies and warm sun bathed the hill in spring goodness. We headed up the Tram and onto Silver Fox, finding stuff that had slightly refrozen as the morning sun, but finding primo corn on Middle Men's Downhill and lower Silver Fox. Back up the Tram, our plan was to follow the Knucklehead Traverse all the way to Gad 2 and Tigertail, but the Traverse was closed past the Knucklehead Chutes, so we skied down to Little Cloud. We then headed out to South Chute, which was again primo corn all the way down to Big Emma.

Just a few runs to feed the jones on a sunny late April afternoon.

 

[molecan]

Looking like some nice corn harvesting at the 'bird.

I'll be heading out there next weekend, and am pleased at how things are looking.


- Coleman

 

[Admin]

Looking like some nice corn harvesting at the 'bird.

I'll be heading out there next weekend, and am pleased at how things are looking.

From today's snow report:

Mountain status for Monday, May 1st: All inbound areas of the mountain are open. Due to the construction of our new quad chair, all terrain in Peruvian Gulch is closed for the season.

I'd expected this, just not this early.

 

[Marc_C]

Looking like some nice corn harvesting at the 'bird.

I'll be heading out there next weekend, and am pleased at how things are looking.

In addition to what Admin wrote, Sunday, 7 May is the last day for the Mineral Basin lift.

 

[molecan]

In addition to what Admin wrote, Sunday, 7 May is the last day for the Mineral Basin lift.

Well, that's a bit of a kick in the n*ts. I knew about the Peruvian closure, but they were using Mineral as their shot of the day today, and it was looking pretty nice from what little I saw.
I'll have to go there ASAP on Sunday.

So, only front 'lookers right' side stuff accessible from the tram/gadzoom lift now.?

Does the peruvian closure mean that the stuff to the left of the Tram on the map is now closed? That's what it looks like from the map.

Well, it may not be a great intro to Snowbird, or Utah, it should still be a rollicking week of spring skiing.
Shame I haven't been out in a month, and am back in near start-of-season shape.

Anyone heading up to SB from the 7th to the 12th? If you know a day/time, I'd be happy to meet up. (I'll see if I have any green plaid to attract the expatriat Vittlers)

If you happen to see an overly large 6'2" guy with long brown hair, come by, say Hi, call me a gaper, etc.

Oh, and pray for some fresh snow, like the kind that fell this week last year...

 

[Admin]

Well, that's a bit of a kick in the n*ts. I knew about the Peruvian closure, but they were using Mineral as their shot of the day today, and it was looking pretty nice from what little I saw.
I'll have to go there ASAP on Sunday.

Well, you could always ski it and skin back out...

FYI, on Sunday Mineral will probably be the best skiing in the morning, for most of it faces south and will thus soften first. If it's warm and sunny, it may well get too soft in the afternoon.

So, only front 'lookers right' side stuff accessible from the tram/gadzoom lift now.?

Roger that.

Does the peruvian closure mean that the stuff to the left of the Tram on the map is now closed? That's what it looks like from the map.

Roger that.

Well, it may not be a great intro to Snowbird, or Utah, it should still be a rollicking week of spring skiing.

Don't write it off too quickly -- you've still got lots and lots of options beyond Gad Valley, not the least of which is to hike Baldy from Hidden Peak if the high-altitude north-facing stuff softens sufficiently (general understanding of the Peruvian closure is that they'll still let us hike out the ridge) and ski Main Chute down into Alta, then come back around. If you ski down into Mineral and then follow a short skin up to Sugarloaf Pass, virtually anything in-bounds at Alta is accessible.

Even just Gad Valley will have more skiable acreage than just about anywhere back home. And a heluva lot more snow. :wink:

Anyone heading up to SB from the 7th to the 12th? If you know a day/time, I'd be happy to meet up.

I'll definitely be up Saturday or Sunday this weekend. Don't know which until close to the last minute, and there's an off-chance it'll be both. Time is entirely dependent on the weather and at what time things will soften up, especially now that Peruvian Gulch is tierra prohibida. PM me to exchange cell phone numbers.

(I'll see if I have any green plaid to attract the expatriat Vittlers)

The Zion Chapter of SkiVT-L is alive and thriving, thank you very much, although completely devoid of plaid following two separate and unfortunate incidents. So, you're a vittler? Feel free to include a real name in that PM, for I'm a lousy detective.

Oh, and pray for some fresh snow, like the kind that fell this week last year...

It's not snowing up there now -- I just checked the Alta and Snowbird cams -- but it wouldn't entirely shock me if it accumulates a bit up there today or tonight. It's cloudy, showery and 63 here in the Valley right now. A quick check of the Snowtel data (http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/current/meso.slv.php) shows that it's 31 at the top of Collins at Alta, el. 10,443 feet. The Collins snow plot at 9662 feet shows a 1-inch snow interval. It's currently 38 near the top of Gadzoom and 37 at the base. I've already seen it snow at 53 degrees here (evaporational cooling in the dry desert air and all). East of here it was reportedly snowing in Evanston and Rock Springs, Wyo. this morning.

 

[Marc_C]

-- you've still got lots and lots of options beyond Gad Valley, not the least of which is to hike Baldy from Hidden Peak if the high-altitude north-facing stuff softens sufficiently (general understanding of the Peruvian closure is that they'll still let us hike out the ridge) and ski Main Chute down into Alta, then come back around. If you ski down into Mineral and then follow a short skin up to Sugarloaf Pass, virtually anything in-bounds at Alta is accessible.

Um, keep in mind that we're still in our active spring avalanche cycle. That is why Snowbird often closes their backcountry access gates by 11am. Remember that none of that stuff at Alta has had any control work done for several weeks now and needs to be treated (and respected) like any other backcountry area.

Here's the final avi forecast for the year:

Monday, April 24, 2006 3:00 pm
Hello, this is the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center and we have quit issuing avalanche advisories for the season.

Just because there are no more advisories doesn?t mean that there are no more avalanches, it just means that we have run out of money and all of our staff has headed off to their summer jobs.

Here is a little primer on the avalanche conditions you can expect this spring and how to get the information you need.

As you know, spring is the season that can never make up its mind whether it?s winter or summer. We usually have cold snow storms once a week with very warm summer-like weather in between. In other words, you have to deal with both dry and wet avalanches, often in the same day.

First for the dry avalanches:
Most every storm is also accompanied by wind, so as usual, you should avoid steep slopes with recent wind deposits. They will look smooth and rounded and often feel slabby or punchy. Also, many storms contain density inversions within the new snow, so you should always jump on small test slopes to see how they respond. Remember that ski areas are closed for the season, so there is no one knocking down the avalanches with explosives each morning before you arrive. It?s always hard this time of year to switch your brain around and remember your favorite mogul field could easily produce an avalanche that can kill you. Don?t jump in on top of another party and get out of the way at the bottom.

Next for wet avalanches:
As we always say, snow is a lot like people, it doesn?t like rapid change. One of the most rapid changes snow can endure is when cold, dry snow is blasted by hot springtime sunshine and warm temperatures. The first sign of trouble is when you see rollerballs coming down the slope. As the snow becomes wetter, it produces point-release wet sluffs and occasionally wet slabs. As always, you should get off of and out from underneath any steep slope when you are sinking into wet snow.

When you head out for some springtime corn snow, the way you play the game is to get out early and get home early. Start on the southeast facing slopes in morning when the sun softens them up enough to get a grip, then move progressively onto the south facing slopes, southwest and west facing slopes as the sun makes the snow soft and punchy. You should be home by about noon. You can check for refreezes at night by monitoring the automated weather stations at Alta and Snowbird, which will run through the spring. With a clear sky and dry air, the snow surface will refreeze even with air temperatures as high as 38 degrees, but with a cloudy sky you need temperatures of freezing or below. A moderate to strong breeze can also help to delay the snow surface getting mushy during the day. Be sure to bookmark the National Weather Service page and you should regularly consult the Snow Page, the Satellite Imagery page (look at infrared Western U.S. 2km).

Also avoid traveling beneath slopes with glide cracks as they can release at any time of day or night. You will find them on steep slopes underlain by rock slabs or smooth, grassy slopes, such as Stairs Gulch, Broads Fork and Mill B South.

 

[Admin]

Remember that none of that stuff at Alta has had any control work done for several weeks now and needs to be treated (and respected) like any other backcountry area.

Absolutely, positively.

 

[Tony Crocker]

If you ski Great Scott/Jaws you can start traversing left after skiing the steeps and get back over the ridgeline at the north end of the Cirque. Then you can ski down Mach Schnell, Upper Daltons or Wilbere Bowl into the Gad Valley. You need to be able to read/predict the transition of spring snow conditions very well to enjoy this in May.

Our Iron Blosam group does this at least once every year when I'm there 2nd week of March.

 

[Marc_C]

If you ski Great Scott/Jaws you can start traversing left after skiing the steeps and get back over the ridgeline at the north end of the Cirque. Then you can ski down Mach Schnell, Upper Daltons or Wilbere Bowl into the Gad Valley.

While topologically easy to do, Snowbird seems rather adamant that all of the Cirque is closed.

From today's late afternoon mountain report:

Mountain status for Thursday, May 4th: Areas closed today were all of Peruvian Gulch, including High Baldy, the Cirque, and Chickadee. These areas will remain closed for the rest of the season.

What I certainly hope is that they'll still allow us to use the Mid-Cirque Traverse to get to the Gad Chutes, South Chute, Wilbere Bowl, etc.

 

[Admin]

What I certainly hope is that they'll still allow us to use the Mid-Cirque Traverse to get to the Gad Chutes, South Chute, Wilbere Bowl, etc.

No kidding. :roll: Without them, we might as well start climbing or biking or something.

 

[Marc_C]

Well, that's a bit of a kick in the n*ts. I knew about the Peruvian closure, but they were using Mineral as their shot of the day today, and it was looking pretty nice from what little I saw.
I'll have to go there ASAP on Sunday.

So, only front 'lookers right' side stuff accessible from the tram/gadzoom lift now.?

Does the peruvian closure mean that the stuff to the left of the Tram on the map is now closed? That's what it looks like from the map.

Here's the updated lift schedule for the rest of May:

May 1 to May 7:
Operating lifts will be the Tram, Little Cloud, Gadzoom and Mineral Basin Express. NO ACCESS to Peruvian Gulch.

May 8:
Mineral Basin Express and GadZoom lifts closed for the season.

May 8 to 14:
Operating lifts will be the Tram and Little Cloud. NO ACCESS to Peruvian Gulch.

May 15:
Snowbird is CLOSED to skiers and riders during the week. Week Ends Only schedule until the end of the season.

May 20 and 21:
Operating lifts will be GadZoom and Little Cloud. NO ACCESS to Peruvian Gulch.

May 27, 28 and 29:
Operating lifts will be the Tram, GadZoom* and Little Cloud (*conditions permitting.) NO ACCESS to Peruvian Gulch.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Historically Snowbird after May 1 only supports a minimalist operation of patrolled skiing on Little Cloud. Even when there is no construction skiing on the Peruvian side is viewed as being backcountry conditions. Last year was very much the exception, as the immense base plus continued snowfall lured enough locals that there was more maintenance and lift operation. Therefore I would conclude that Snowbird at this time is worth a weekend trip but not longer.

Mammoth clearly provides the most maintenance of skier services in mid-to-late spring. Jonny (who had off-the-charts luck with fresh pow) and Patrick can comment on whether it's worth a multiday trip. Mt. Bachelor was similar until Powdr Corp took over in 2003, and even now the Bachelor Summit lift is enough to justify a trip out there, though they have not committed to operation past May 21. Whistler has the Peak, Emerald and Big Red chairs open to June 4, which also accesses a large amount of terrain. A-Basin is in full operation, but it's only slightly bigger than what you can ski from Little Cloud at Snowbird.