Snowbird, UT 6/14/2008

[Admin]

Day 64: Straight past spring into summer

It's been three weeks since I've been up skiing and this weekend is tentatively the last weekend for lift-served operations at Snowbird. With temperatures pushing 90 in the Valley this weekend and cloudless skies, there was no way I was missing a few hours of skiing this morning.

Tele Jon and I exchanged emails overnight to determine a meeting time. I suggested 9 a.m. on the Tram Plaza. "9 @ tram?" Jon quipped. "Should be slush by 10 :wink: "

I figured he was right, but fortunately he was wrong. I skied until close to noon and it stayed good by following the proper aspects, although the flats down low quickly turned to sticky glue. Man, was it hot ... I have no idea what the thermometer was reading but it was already into the 40s at 11,000 feet atop Hidden Peak when I checked at 8 a.m.

Simply stated, it was damned good. We started off on Hyena Ridge, which was smooth butter atop a supportable base. We then moved over to Chamonix I, finding a skiable line through the lower Chamonix Chutes all the way back to Mineral Basin Express. We skied one more run on a more south-facing aspect of Hyena Ridge before we then moved to the front side, skiing Jaws in Peruvian Cirque and another Tram run. The others opted to finish with a hike up Mount Baldy to ski Little Chute into Alta and Keyhole back into Snowbird, while I headed down to my truck to head home.

Inside info indicates that Snowbird officials will determine early next week whether or not to extend the ski season further. It will surely be a business decision as there's still plenty of snow, although a week of summer temps this week will take its toll on the snowpack (currently ~90 in. at mid-mountain, although the lower mountain is getting dicey it's still possible to ski top-to-bottom without trying too hard). Judging by the steady flow of purchasers at the ticket window, my money's on at least another weekend of official operation.

Bobby Danger took control of the camera -- here are some of the best of the 243 frames he shot:

 

[Geoff]

Bastard! 8)

 

[Admin]

One more I meant to include but forgot to:

 

[Patrick]

No wonder you were hot, you had a jacket on. :wink:

I guess the cool wintery snow in further north where salida is skiing? (however it might have mush now).

 

[Admin]

That would definitely be mush by now -- Salida caught it right after a storm that hit there but, thankfully, didn't here. I say that because it would've been sludge by now here, too, which would've destroyed our corn cycle.

And that jacket weighs a whole 6 oz. including hood. It's as light as they come.

 

[Patrick]

And that jacket weighs a whole 6 oz. including hood. It's as light as they come.

My comment was that some in your party were skiing in t-shirts, but not the one that mentioned it was hot. :wink:

 

[Skidog]

After fearless Admin departed Jon, Bobby D, and myself decided it was time for a hike up to Baldy summit. 25 or so minutes later and a few sweat drops lost we were standing atop baldy summit overlooking what seems like all of SL County and further...man it was beautiful.

Since Bobby, Jon and I had done Main chute just about 2 weeks ago we decided a Little Chute was in order...Jon took some cell phone pics as Admin had the real camera.

Little Chute was fun, soft and smooth..some "chocolate chip" rocks strewn about, but nothing that couldnt be avoided, however I did have a close call with a rock Bobby kicked off on his second turn finally reaching me and SLAMMING into my ski before I even knew it was there..

After 32 hours or straight no sleep that was it for me.....headed to car and to home.....

One more day tomorrow...unfortunately it seem like this time Snowbird will really be stopping the lifts. :-( All in all a TREMENDOUS Season.

M

 

[icelanticskier]

hey! was that a good action ski shot of skidog that i saw or was i imagining it? nice shots and description of the snow conditions, makes me pretty happy to be sliding on, all day perfect corn out here-no mush. a couple more weeks then to the beach for awhile.
rog

 

[ChrisC]

And that jacket weighs a whole 6 oz. including hood. It's as light as they come.

My comment was that some in your party were skiing in t-shirts, but not the one that mentioned it was hot. :wink:

I like the light jacket - coverage is always good.

Can I ask what some of you guys are skiing on?

Since moving to the Coastal West, fats are are everything. However, now you guys in Utah are experiencing what I do so often -- and wondering what your choices were? 75F can happen anytime in Tahoe.

 

[salida]

Lotz of snowz.

Julyz, yez pleaze.

After eating lots of spatzel and wurzt, I muzt spell everything with z'zzzz.

 

[Admin]

One more day tomorrow...unfortunately it seem like this time Snowbird will really be stopping the lifts. :-( All in all a TREMENDOUS Season.

Don't count it out yet. As mentioned above, they'll be meeting early this coming week to decide whether or not to keep going.

Since moving to the Coastal West, fats are are everything. However, now you guys in Utah are experiencing what I do so often -- and wondering what your choices were? 75F can happen anytime in Tahoe.

I find the fats more effective in heavy wet spring snow, too. On my Reverends I just get too tossed about by the stuff, so for me it was 191cm Movement Goliaths (135-108-124). Bobby D and Skidog were both on Gotamas - Bobby's are 190 cm, I think Skidog's are, too. Jon was on one of K2's Stinx-series tele skis, I forget which ones...Work Stinx perhaps? They're his only skis, however.

 

[Tony Crocker]

That's amazing cover in Mineral Basin for south facing. It must snow a ton back there. Overall snow situation now (cooler, wetter spring this year makes up for lower season total) looks right in line with 3 years ago, so should be good for July 4.

 

[Bobby Danger]

the snow was perfect from the get go this morn. all we did was slightly change the direction of decent on each early morning run. i skied with ski dog & tele jon till noon . upper gad valley in little cloud bowl skied like cream corn on the north facing in the afternoon. went out the hochemin trail (mid cirque traverse) about 1:30 to forbidden forest & proceeded down through the trees n.n.w. aspect quarter inch of soft corn on top of supportable smooth (bowling lane smooth) to the top of nirvana skied around till i had an absolute north aspect down through a slot in the cliff band out on to an apron below carpenter cliffs ( point of no return) 1200 vert. on the apron down to the top of big emma. not alot of people skiing gad valley side of the hill they must not know how to get back to the tram. i'm taking the whole group down through there tom. that whole run probably has 2200 to 2500 vert. feet of drop . nice route that doesn't get skied or boarded much this time of year. still a ton of snow all over that side of the hill. did silver fox last run about 2:30 amazed at the quality of the corn all the way down to chips flats. still at least a 20' base of snow from the ridge line to chips flats.

 

[rfarren]

How does this season compare to past epic seasons? Do you think the the snow will hold through the entire summer?

 

[Admin]

How does this season compare to past epic seasons? Do you think the the snow will hold through the entire summer?

It might in a couple of select spots the way that it did three years ago -- Pipeline Bowl, etc.:

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards ... php?t=1163

...but nearly all the mountain will be meadows of wildflowers by the end of July/early August:

http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards ... php?t=2190

Whether or not any patches remain will depend on how hot and dry our summer is.

 

[andyzee]

You know what, you guys truly suck! :lol:

 

[icelanticskier]

snow all summer? sure nuff! my buddy craig is on like month 223 in a row in the wasatch. that's every month of every year for the last 18 years.
rog

 

[Skidog]

And that jacket weighs a whole 6 oz. including hood. It's as light as they come.

My comment was that some in your party were skiing in t-shirts, but not the one that mentioned it was hot. :wink:

I like the light jacket - coverage is always good.

Can I ask what some of you guys are skiing on?

Since moving to the Coastal West, fats are are everything. However, now you guys in Utah are experiencing what I do so often -- and wondering what your choices were? 75F can happen anytime in Tahoe.

Im skiing on Gotamas. I think 105 underfoot. 190cm length. I think anything less than 100mm underfoot now is tiny...my hows things change...

M

 

[Skidog]

nice shots and description of the snow conditions, makes me pretty happy to be sliding on, all day perfect corn out here-no mush. a couple more weeks then to the beach for awhile.
rog

Oh yeah im sure the snow is MUCH better there... :roll:

cmon man...blow that smoke somewhere else...I saw yer shots from tucks recently...while they looked great for location/time of year it doesnt compare by a long shot and you know it....theres still out of towners showing up to ski the bird (and paying like $54)...its friggin JUNE!!! Whens the 400ft of vert going to melt out of tucks??? I think it'll be quite some time before Baldy chutes fully melt out...and thats certainly more than 400 vert.

Just wondering.

M

 

[Tony Crocker]

It has occurred to me that Snowbird might be doing OK on ticket sales. It may be all hard-core locals, but a lot of them are passholders from somewhere else, notably Alta I suspect. I suspect a higher proportion of day ticket sales than Mammoth in late season, though absolute numbers are definitely more at Mammoth.