tseeb
Well-known member
We barely made our trip to Sugar Bowl on Saturday, April 19, then Heavenly Sunday, April 20 and Kirkwood on Monday, April 21, 2008.
We didn’t know it at the time, but Saturday at Sugar Bowl was the best day of the three. It was windy, but sun and air were warm enough that snow softened. We arrived at 10:45 after 3 hr 15 minute drive from San Jose after leaving very late due to a lack of commitment. We met up with friends who drove from Tahoe City. They started before us, then we all skied the groomed runs on Jerome Hill chair. Judah chair looked done for the season. All runs we tried were good, hard-packed snow. Since my friend’s 15 year-old daughter was getting a headache and his 12 year-old son was hungry, I skied to the car for ibuprofen and he and I got our lunches which we ate on the sundeck.
After lunch, we took a run on Ridge Run on Christmas Tree chair, and then skied down to Disney Chair. My wife took the kids on Pony Express while my friend and I took Market Street to Disney Nose. Market Street was almost too soft even at the top, so we followed the Nose until we hit exposure that was just right. We also skied Donald Duck and Eagle with everyone which were both good. My friend and I took one run on East Face which was firm on top, good in the middle and too soft at the bottom.
We returned to Jerome via Lincoln chair. Nobody was trying any runs under chair as it looked very firm there. We skied Crowley’s Run to Bill Klein Schuss and then found good corn snow in Graydon’s Glades. I didn’t realize my wife and my friend’s 15 year-old followed us, but they also enjoyed it. I took one more on Steamer’s before heading for the car at 3:30 with 12.5K vertical.
It was very cold and windy Sat. night near Tahoe City where we helped friend celebrate his 50th. I had to put on a lot of clothes to help barbeque. There was about an inch of new snow in the morning, but it was not widespread. New snow was not seen much south of Homewood which is closed, but almost looked skiable to the bottom. Alpine and Squaw did not claim any new snow and only Donner Ski Ranch claimed an inch new.
We got an even later start on Sunday at Heavenly as we were not on the tram until noon. It was the last day for CA base, all access for final two weeks is through the gondola. We were going to try Canyon, but since it was not running, we took a couple of runs on Sky Chair. We moved to Nevada to try to get out of the wind. My friend and I sent my wife and his son ahead and thought about Milky Way Bowl, but decided it was too firm and took Meteor instead where we the only skiers. At the top of Dipper Chair, thermometer said 21 and with the 15-30 mph winds, it was cold. I don’t know why or how the person in the picture was skiing in a sleeveless vest, but he must have lost a bet or was getting paid for it as it looked painful. We skied Big Dipper Run a few times and did one run on Galaxy. I investigated Big Dipper Bowl, but found it way too firm and exited back onto Galaxy. We tried a few different endings on the run and all were good, except Jack’s was a little too firm.
After a lunch at East Peak Lodge, where finally there are more seats than people, we skied Comet run and then moved to Olympic. We skied very firm Downhill once before heading back over the top to California Trail to Sky chair. My friend, who had twisted his knee on a fall on return from Olympic, headed down Ridge Run to take the tram to the car. My wife and I took a couple of more runs on Sky, where snow had softened nicely, before heading down Roundabout to our car. The upper part Face had big bumps that did not look very inviting. Vertical was 17.2K
Kirkwood on Monday was cheerfully giving free day of skiing to passholders from other CA or NV ski areas. They are offering a pass for $229 next year that is valid every day except Saturday and is blacked out during holidays. It’s tempting, but with gas approaching $4 and Kirkwood located 36 miles from my Mother’s So. Tahoe cabin and 177 or 185 (depends on route and includes often closed Carson Spur) miles from my house, I’ll have to think about it. Kirkwood was only running Solitude and Cornice chairs and charging $45.
The Wall (Wagon Wheel Bowl chair) was listed as possible, but never opened as snow stayed too firm due to wind and cold temperature. The two very firm and fast groomed runs on Cornice (Zachary and Sentinel) deteriorated during the day. I went toward Monte Wolf once, when halfway down and found good snow, but an icy traverse to get there and took Olympic once and rattled my way down a very icy run that didn’t soften until almost the bottom. My wife only took one run after lunch, while I took six to go with the six on Cornice and one on Solitude we took before lunch. Vertical 18.1K
I was thinking about going again in two weeks to Squaw or Alpine, then Heavenly’s closing day on 5/4. It is not looking very likely as I lost $45 bid for two Ebay Squaw tickets and don’t know that it is worth the almost $100 in gas to get there so I may end my season with 24 days.
We didn’t know it at the time, but Saturday at Sugar Bowl was the best day of the three. It was windy, but sun and air were warm enough that snow softened. We arrived at 10:45 after 3 hr 15 minute drive from San Jose after leaving very late due to a lack of commitment. We met up with friends who drove from Tahoe City. They started before us, then we all skied the groomed runs on Jerome Hill chair. Judah chair looked done for the season. All runs we tried were good, hard-packed snow. Since my friend’s 15 year-old daughter was getting a headache and his 12 year-old son was hungry, I skied to the car for ibuprofen and he and I got our lunches which we ate on the sundeck.
After lunch, we took a run on Ridge Run on Christmas Tree chair, and then skied down to Disney Chair. My wife took the kids on Pony Express while my friend and I took Market Street to Disney Nose. Market Street was almost too soft even at the top, so we followed the Nose until we hit exposure that was just right. We also skied Donald Duck and Eagle with everyone which were both good. My friend and I took one run on East Face which was firm on top, good in the middle and too soft at the bottom.
We returned to Jerome via Lincoln chair. Nobody was trying any runs under chair as it looked very firm there. We skied Crowley’s Run to Bill Klein Schuss and then found good corn snow in Graydon’s Glades. I didn’t realize my wife and my friend’s 15 year-old followed us, but they also enjoyed it. I took one more on Steamer’s before heading for the car at 3:30 with 12.5K vertical.
It was very cold and windy Sat. night near Tahoe City where we helped friend celebrate his 50th. I had to put on a lot of clothes to help barbeque. There was about an inch of new snow in the morning, but it was not widespread. New snow was not seen much south of Homewood which is closed, but almost looked skiable to the bottom. Alpine and Squaw did not claim any new snow and only Donner Ski Ranch claimed an inch new.
We got an even later start on Sunday at Heavenly as we were not on the tram until noon. It was the last day for CA base, all access for final two weeks is through the gondola. We were going to try Canyon, but since it was not running, we took a couple of runs on Sky Chair. We moved to Nevada to try to get out of the wind. My friend and I sent my wife and his son ahead and thought about Milky Way Bowl, but decided it was too firm and took Meteor instead where we the only skiers. At the top of Dipper Chair, thermometer said 21 and with the 15-30 mph winds, it was cold. I don’t know why or how the person in the picture was skiing in a sleeveless vest, but he must have lost a bet or was getting paid for it as it looked painful. We skied Big Dipper Run a few times and did one run on Galaxy. I investigated Big Dipper Bowl, but found it way too firm and exited back onto Galaxy. We tried a few different endings on the run and all were good, except Jack’s was a little too firm.
After a lunch at East Peak Lodge, where finally there are more seats than people, we skied Comet run and then moved to Olympic. We skied very firm Downhill once before heading back over the top to California Trail to Sky chair. My friend, who had twisted his knee on a fall on return from Olympic, headed down Ridge Run to take the tram to the car. My wife and I took a couple of more runs on Sky, where snow had softened nicely, before heading down Roundabout to our car. The upper part Face had big bumps that did not look very inviting. Vertical was 17.2K
Kirkwood on Monday was cheerfully giving free day of skiing to passholders from other CA or NV ski areas. They are offering a pass for $229 next year that is valid every day except Saturday and is blacked out during holidays. It’s tempting, but with gas approaching $4 and Kirkwood located 36 miles from my Mother’s So. Tahoe cabin and 177 or 185 (depends on route and includes often closed Carson Spur) miles from my house, I’ll have to think about it. Kirkwood was only running Solitude and Cornice chairs and charging $45.
The Wall (Wagon Wheel Bowl chair) was listed as possible, but never opened as snow stayed too firm due to wind and cold temperature. The two very firm and fast groomed runs on Cornice (Zachary and Sentinel) deteriorated during the day. I went toward Monte Wolf once, when halfway down and found good snow, but an icy traverse to get there and took Olympic once and rattled my way down a very icy run that didn’t soften until almost the bottom. My wife only took one run after lunch, while I took six to go with the six on Cornice and one on Solitude we took before lunch. Vertical 18.1K
I was thinking about going again in two weeks to Squaw or Alpine, then Heavenly’s closing day on 5/4. It is not looking very likely as I lost $45 bid for two Ebay Squaw tickets and don’t know that it is worth the almost $100 in gas to get there so I may end my season with 24 days.
