tseeb
Well-known member
Northstar reported 45" between the storms on Thursday and Sunday, but they must have found a really good spot to measure as I did not find it to be that deep. I debated on the way up between Northstar and Kirkwood and ended up at Northstar because friends were going to be there and they claimed 17" in last 24 hours and had closed at 10:30 AM preceding day due to wind. But both Heavenly and Kirkwood which claimed 14" and 13" respectively, may have been better as their snow was all overnight.
I passed Northstar's Fire Station at 9 AM after 4 hr drive from San Jose that included 10-15 minute delay at chain control on I-80. I got one of the last two spaces in G parking and after a more than 5 minute walk, was on gondola at 930. People arriving not much later had to park in lot down by highway and shuttle. I met up with friend on Lookout. Only Washoe was open although I was tempted to follow poacher down preceding run. I core shot my powder skis on 2nd lap there, then moved to Backside which had moderate line on one side and big line on other. Some good snow in glades but caution was required. Met up with a couple of other friends which was part of the reason I went to Northstar over Kirkwood. I found best (deep and a lot of untracked) snow off East Ridge Run. Made it to 2 pm Tost and had to keep champagne glass wrapped in glove to prevent top half of it freezing. I repeated East Ridge run a few times and took one more lap on Backside and also skied Escape. On my way to shuttle back to parking, I got three 's'mores in Village about 320. 23K vertical, but not enough powder to justify the early morning drive.
The drive down E shore of Tahoe was slow as there were a couple of people with chains going 20 mph. I pulled over a Vista Pt to let them and sheriff that was behind me get ahead, but still got delayed. The 35 mile drive to S Tahoe took well over an hour.
On Tueday, my phone reported early morning temp on Tuesday to be 1 degree in both S Tahoe and Truckee. TV from Sacramento said it was 19 at Tahoe, but I dressed warmer as not only was it single digits, but E wind was 15-30 mph. Surprisingly, it was calmer at 10K top of Heavenly so I was able to add my Boot Gloves the 2nd time there. I skied about 5 runs on CA before moving to NV. The early entries to Milky Way Bowl were roped off and visibility on all runs near the top was marginal. I skied Nevada before and after a lunch break where I took off troublesome right boot to get circulation back into toes. Dipper Bowl held some good snow.
After lunch I skied both side of Little Dipper Run on Comet, finding some powder and wind-blown, then moved down to Olympic for a couple of runs. I took one more lap into Milky Way Bowl before leaving NV with a couple of laps on CA trail, then into Maggie's Canyon where I found some untracked.
I finished my day with two laps on the steep lowest CA slopes, which did not open last year. Gunbarrel skied better than Face/East Bowl. They were blowing snow on both, but Face had some firm moguls about halfway down. I was tempted to do a third lap, but made it through my first two with a lot of turns in steep, fresh man-made snow with many rocks spotted, but no damage so I quit at 3:30 with my first 30K day of the season.
Motts is supposed to open on Thursday, which is the same day the Backside/Sunrise at Kirkwood is scheduled. It sounds like it is worth sticking around until then, but not sure where the best places to be tomorrow and Thursday. Backside of Kirkwood and return from there should be less rocky than Motts. Taking it easy in the morning to get a lot of Face/Gunbarrel PM laps tomorrow may be a good plan.
I passed Northstar's Fire Station at 9 AM after 4 hr drive from San Jose that included 10-15 minute delay at chain control on I-80. I got one of the last two spaces in G parking and after a more than 5 minute walk, was on gondola at 930. People arriving not much later had to park in lot down by highway and shuttle. I met up with friend on Lookout. Only Washoe was open although I was tempted to follow poacher down preceding run. I core shot my powder skis on 2nd lap there, then moved to Backside which had moderate line on one side and big line on other. Some good snow in glades but caution was required. Met up with a couple of other friends which was part of the reason I went to Northstar over Kirkwood. I found best (deep and a lot of untracked) snow off East Ridge Run. Made it to 2 pm Tost and had to keep champagne glass wrapped in glove to prevent top half of it freezing. I repeated East Ridge run a few times and took one more lap on Backside and also skied Escape. On my way to shuttle back to parking, I got three 's'mores in Village about 320. 23K vertical, but not enough powder to justify the early morning drive.
The drive down E shore of Tahoe was slow as there were a couple of people with chains going 20 mph. I pulled over a Vista Pt to let them and sheriff that was behind me get ahead, but still got delayed. The 35 mile drive to S Tahoe took well over an hour.
On Tueday, my phone reported early morning temp on Tuesday to be 1 degree in both S Tahoe and Truckee. TV from Sacramento said it was 19 at Tahoe, but I dressed warmer as not only was it single digits, but E wind was 15-30 mph. Surprisingly, it was calmer at 10K top of Heavenly so I was able to add my Boot Gloves the 2nd time there. I skied about 5 runs on CA before moving to NV. The early entries to Milky Way Bowl were roped off and visibility on all runs near the top was marginal. I skied Nevada before and after a lunch break where I took off troublesome right boot to get circulation back into toes. Dipper Bowl held some good snow.
After lunch I skied both side of Little Dipper Run on Comet, finding some powder and wind-blown, then moved down to Olympic for a couple of runs. I took one more lap into Milky Way Bowl before leaving NV with a couple of laps on CA trail, then into Maggie's Canyon where I found some untracked.
I finished my day with two laps on the steep lowest CA slopes, which did not open last year. Gunbarrel skied better than Face/East Bowl. They were blowing snow on both, but Face had some firm moguls about halfway down. I was tempted to do a third lap, but made it through my first two with a lot of turns in steep, fresh man-made snow with many rocks spotted, but no damage so I quit at 3:30 with my first 30K day of the season.
Motts is supposed to open on Thursday, which is the same day the Backside/Sunrise at Kirkwood is scheduled. It sounds like it is worth sticking around until then, but not sure where the best places to be tomorrow and Thursday. Backside of Kirkwood and return from there should be less rocky than Motts. Taking it easy in the morning to get a lot of Face/Gunbarrel PM laps tomorrow may be a good plan.
