Was not optimistic last night.
Was not optistic this morning looking up at the mountains, shorn of their winter white coat by the rain yesterday.
Was not optimistic after the first run down Jersey Cream. 12 cm of new snow had fallen down to the Glacier Creek Lodge but it was thick and lumpy. And the Jersey Cream groomers were Vermont noisy.
But then 7th Heaven opened. Busted over and had no line on the first lap. Bright sunshine, white trees, and fresh snow that while far from fluff was much more fun than the lower altitude schmoo.
Second lap there was a line - not a surprise given the delta between 7th and Jersey - so skied off the back and hit a Cougar Chute with even better snow than 7th owing to its more favorable exposure.
Coulior Extreme was the next lap. Amazingly easy to get into, not the usual mogul/ rock/ person standing on snow between mogul and rock slalom course. Snow was soft at the top, scratchier at the choke, and then fine lower down.
Rode up the lift with someone who was coming back from Spanky's - was not even on my radar that this would open but if I had known I would have headed there instead. Don't have the "home field" advantage here that we enjoy in LCC.
Skipped lunch and hit Emerald (sketchy getting in high, better getting in low). The road out to Excelerator was icy and rutted/ not fun. Next lap was Blackcomb Glacier. Nice lightly tracked drier snow (again a more favorable altitude and aspect). Last lap was a Ruby Bowl.
There were three Whistler employees standing by the rope at the top of Excalibur to make sure that nobody would jump the rope and attempt to ski back to the village. They probably weren't needed. The ski out looked unwelcoming.
Here for two more days. Hoping for the Peak Chair tomorrow.
Doug
Was not optistic this morning looking up at the mountains, shorn of their winter white coat by the rain yesterday.
Was not optimistic after the first run down Jersey Cream. 12 cm of new snow had fallen down to the Glacier Creek Lodge but it was thick and lumpy. And the Jersey Cream groomers were Vermont noisy.
But then 7th Heaven opened. Busted over and had no line on the first lap. Bright sunshine, white trees, and fresh snow that while far from fluff was much more fun than the lower altitude schmoo.
Second lap there was a line - not a surprise given the delta between 7th and Jersey - so skied off the back and hit a Cougar Chute with even better snow than 7th owing to its more favorable exposure.
Coulior Extreme was the next lap. Amazingly easy to get into, not the usual mogul/ rock/ person standing on snow between mogul and rock slalom course. Snow was soft at the top, scratchier at the choke, and then fine lower down.
Rode up the lift with someone who was coming back from Spanky's - was not even on my radar that this would open but if I had known I would have headed there instead. Don't have the "home field" advantage here that we enjoy in LCC.
Skipped lunch and hit Emerald (sketchy getting in high, better getting in low). The road out to Excelerator was icy and rutted/ not fun. Next lap was Blackcomb Glacier. Nice lightly tracked drier snow (again a more favorable altitude and aspect). Last lap was a Ruby Bowl.
There were three Whistler employees standing by the rope at the top of Excalibur to make sure that nobody would jump the rope and attempt to ski back to the village. They probably weren't needed. The ski out looked unwelcoming.
Here for two more days. Hoping for the Peak Chair tomorrow.
Doug
