TR: Keefer Lake Lodge, 1/8-11, 2020

We just got back from Keefer on Sunday. Man, we hit the cycle pretty well. It was pretty much snowing the entire time we were there but the biggest dump hit the day before with 5-10 overnight totals each night while we were there.


The first day was...meh for the first 2 or 3 runs then we were able to get into a little more open space but low-angle. As first day, the guides were just checking us out as much as anything. Also, things hadn't settled yet and stability wasn't great. CAA website showed High-Red at all elevations for that day with it all forecasted to Considerable by days 2 and 3 then Considerable above treeline and moderate below for the last day. Their pits were confirming the forecast so it obviously was better as we were there.


Day 2 was good, day 3 better, day 4 best. On both 3 and 4, we were able to get further away from the lodge out to the northern most point of their road system. There is definitely some good terrain when you get out a bit. We had a number of pitches between 35 and 40 degrees with one pitch on the last day called New Hope that was at 40 degrees, open in the center with just some sparse trees over to the side. Jeff Gostlin (the owner) was guiding us that day and he said it's the steepest run they ski there. It was sweet! Deep, soft... really a fun run. My slough was catching me so I moved right and saw more slough coming from that line so had to pull over for a second to let it run by me but, other than that, just a sweet continuous line.


While this wasn't a media trip, Bob put together a little video from day 3 that he showed at the lodge that night. In it, as skiers go by, in some of the shots, you can see that the pitches we were hitting had some steepness to them. So, it's not nearly as flat as I was afraid it might be. I hadn't skied with many of these guys before so wasn't really sure how this would go but, all in all, it was a good time, lots of fun and new friends which is always a good thing.


Here's the video. Look for me, I'm in the red coat...

https://vimeo.com/384329749

Did you see our old cabin? Is it still standing? We built it in 2 months with about 8 guys pitching in. Good times up there and many brain cells lost. We coined the term keefer madness. Pretty crazy to see what they have built up there now considering what it used to be.

No, I didn't see anything much other than the runs we skied and the inside of either the cat or the lodge. Lots of brain cells killed there, too. I'm a firm believer in the 'Buffalo Theory'...