tseeb
Well-known member
After what was probably my best powder day of 2009-10 at Northstar the previous day, I did not expect much for April Fool’s Day at Sugar Bowl. We had a good dinner at my friend’s home, north of Truckee with a view of Castle Peak that was rebuilt after a fire. We went for a hot tub at his neighbor’s vacant home that is for sale for $3M, He did not think Old Highway 40 was faster to Sugar Bowl, but we followed someone going the 35 mph speed limit or less along Donner Lake and then had chain control and snow on the road going up the beautiful old highway. We got to Sugar Bowl a couple of minutes ahead of him, who took I-80 and had to double back from Soda Springs.
We went up Judah lift and were surprised by how untracked the snow was next to the runs. we were also surprised how thin the powder was over the hard layer underneath and how crusty it was where the sun had hit the previous day, We later found out that Judah was closed the previous day which accounted for how untracked it was. Our second time up, we saw a short line forming at the new this year Summit Chair and got into it. I got the 5th chair when Summit opened at 10 am and we went left to where we saw untracked pillows had formed above the top of Judah. Summit only gives you 420 vertical feet, but it saves you from a 45 minute to one hour hike to get to the ridge above Judah and Jerome. The pillows to the left were good on top, but very icy below as they must have formed from the 100+ mph winds that hit the Sierras on Mon. and Tues. The next time up Summit, we went right and saw a snowboarder fall on the icy hike, He stopped before the fence and my friends made the hike holding the out-of-bounds rope. I went down earlier than where the boarders where going and bottomed out into the icy layer below on most of my turns until I got off the exposed ridge. I found two feet of untracked powder lower down after turning left to join my boarder friend coming down Railroad Run. We skied to the bottom and went up both lifts and did the hike again. I went further over and found better snow, but unless very protected by trees, did not ski as deep as previous day at Northstar.
We next did a left at the top of Summit, where you can return to the chair. By staying further skier’s right, I found better snow than my first run, but got my ski stuck on a branch when passing a tree, I thought it had released, but it had gone deep and I had to release the other ski to get if off. Then I struggled in the deep snow to get them both on again. We went up Summit again and took the hike to the right where I found better snow most of the way down to the Judah base. My 5th and last run on Summit I hiked and skied far to the right to Judah Bowl. I had to cross a couple of icy patches and found good untracked. I met up with my friends on Lincoln where I skied between the cliff area signs next to Rahlve’s Run. Our next run we skied Silver Belt where the visibility got really poor due to how hard it was snowing. Lower down, on Steilhung, I found good lightly tracked snow. My friends went in and I took a run on Disney where the guys I was riding the chair with took my down good snow to skiers left of East Face,
I arrived at the Silver Belt Room at the same time the waiter was there to take our order. After a very good lunch, we went out into a heavy, not very dry snowfall. It took a couple of runs to realize the best snow was on either side of East Face. The groomers were also getting good as about 2” had fallen. I took a look at usually deep Strawberry Fields, only to find the rope was still up. I then took Christmas Tree lift twice, trying to find my friends and heard they were going in for the day. I was able to hit Grydon Glades on my return to Judah, where snow was not as good as expected. I then went up Judah lift to return to the car via the Pacific Crest Trail. I found good untracked and had less control than required. I smeared a turn too close to a tree in low angle powder and got whacked by a couple of dead branches. I over-corrected and went down hard in the soft snow. Somebody saw me do it and asked if I was OK as he said it looked really bad. One of my legs was at an odd angle and I had to check to make sure my wrist was OK, but no lasting damage was done so I skied to the parking lot a little more cautiously. We left Sugar Bowl at 2:45 and arrived San Jose about 6 pm. 16K vertical and way more powder than expected
We went up Judah lift and were surprised by how untracked the snow was next to the runs. we were also surprised how thin the powder was over the hard layer underneath and how crusty it was where the sun had hit the previous day, We later found out that Judah was closed the previous day which accounted for how untracked it was. Our second time up, we saw a short line forming at the new this year Summit Chair and got into it. I got the 5th chair when Summit opened at 10 am and we went left to where we saw untracked pillows had formed above the top of Judah. Summit only gives you 420 vertical feet, but it saves you from a 45 minute to one hour hike to get to the ridge above Judah and Jerome. The pillows to the left were good on top, but very icy below as they must have formed from the 100+ mph winds that hit the Sierras on Mon. and Tues. The next time up Summit, we went right and saw a snowboarder fall on the icy hike, He stopped before the fence and my friends made the hike holding the out-of-bounds rope. I went down earlier than where the boarders where going and bottomed out into the icy layer below on most of my turns until I got off the exposed ridge. I found two feet of untracked powder lower down after turning left to join my boarder friend coming down Railroad Run. We skied to the bottom and went up both lifts and did the hike again. I went further over and found better snow, but unless very protected by trees, did not ski as deep as previous day at Northstar.
We next did a left at the top of Summit, where you can return to the chair. By staying further skier’s right, I found better snow than my first run, but got my ski stuck on a branch when passing a tree, I thought it had released, but it had gone deep and I had to release the other ski to get if off. Then I struggled in the deep snow to get them both on again. We went up Summit again and took the hike to the right where I found better snow most of the way down to the Judah base. My 5th and last run on Summit I hiked and skied far to the right to Judah Bowl. I had to cross a couple of icy patches and found good untracked. I met up with my friends on Lincoln where I skied between the cliff area signs next to Rahlve’s Run. Our next run we skied Silver Belt where the visibility got really poor due to how hard it was snowing. Lower down, on Steilhung, I found good lightly tracked snow. My friends went in and I took a run on Disney where the guys I was riding the chair with took my down good snow to skiers left of East Face,
I arrived at the Silver Belt Room at the same time the waiter was there to take our order. After a very good lunch, we went out into a heavy, not very dry snowfall. It took a couple of runs to realize the best snow was on either side of East Face. The groomers were also getting good as about 2” had fallen. I took a look at usually deep Strawberry Fields, only to find the rope was still up. I then took Christmas Tree lift twice, trying to find my friends and heard they were going in for the day. I was able to hit Grydon Glades on my return to Judah, where snow was not as good as expected. I then went up Judah lift to return to the car via the Pacific Crest Trail. I found good untracked and had less control than required. I smeared a turn too close to a tree in low angle powder and got whacked by a couple of dead branches. I over-corrected and went down hard in the soft snow. Somebody saw me do it and asked if I was OK as he said it looked really bad. One of my legs was at an odd angle and I had to check to make sure my wrist was OK, but no lasting damage was done so I skied to the parking lot a little more cautiously. We left Sugar Bowl at 2:45 and arrived San Jose about 6 pm. 16K vertical and way more powder than expected
