lucky bastard
Printable View
lucky bastard
Day 34 Great start and it became even better. Powder skiing Sierra at Tahoe
At 6am all resorts had a few inches of new snow but nothing to make any decision easier. Forecast looked good but with heavy wind on the mountain top (up to 100miles/h) I had to make sure to go to a resort which usually is not or not too much affected by the wind.
Homewood or Sierra (are there any others?)
By the time they opened the resort about 10” and it didn’t stop snowing all day long. Not the light Montana or Utah powder but still much better then the so called Sierra Cement. It was a blast. Nobody on the mountain. Even after 2h I could ski along the chair line and had untracked powder. Almost too good to be true. From lunch time till the end of the day I skied the trees mainly skiers right of the “Grandview Express” The left side gets tracked a bit faster but on the right side I could find boot to knee deep powder. Great light stuff with occasional face shots.
It was the first day for me at this resort. Looks like a great family resort with some stuff to keep advanced and experts busy for a day. No double blacks but who cares on a powder day. A few flat spots but not too bad at all. Now to the long lines. I just can’t stand the max. 1 min. lines…. Once I had to wait for 2.5 minutes but this was related to a nervous break down of the chair for about 2 minutes. According to some locals it usually is a nightmare on weekends.
I tried to get some action shots but no matter how hard I tried I could not find any other guys in the trees at the same time or find anyone on the chair to ski with. Mainly intermediate skiers on the mountain.
Anyway at least a few pics
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3069965&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3069960&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3069960&size=3
Day 35 Epic Powder skiing at Sierra at Tahoe
Day pass U$ 59
Gas U$ 5
Heliskiing for the price of a day pass ---- priceless
Official report 12” but don’t ask me where they found this little amount of snow. The least I could find was about 2 feed and more like 3 feed for almost all areas.
Insane, awesome, breathtaking, unbelievable, freaking unbelievable, skiing like in heaven.
What else can I say to knee and waist deep powder all day long? I didn’t stop snowing till 4pm and many tracks got covered again during the day. I stopped counting the faceshots after about 1 minute. That was right at the point when the first one stopped. Bottomless very light powder every single run. Just to mention it again: It was very light powder and not at all Sierra Cement. People where talking about Utah and Montana kind of stuff and I have to agree.
Once again the powder competition was very little. A few more skiers on the mountain then yesterday but not before lunch time. They closed the road for some time after a small slide and some guys who could not make it to Kirkwood (both directions closed for some time) changed there plans.
I met David from San Francisco and got some action pics. Not many but a least some prove for the epic powder day.
Today’s rating: Best so far! Just before the epic day at Bridger Bowl.
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3074192&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3074188&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3074189&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3074190&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3074191&size=3
Patrick, don't you mean Kirkwood today instead of Sierra?
This is the Friday report. Saturday will follow today.
Sometimes I’m a bit late with the report. (day or two)
This has got to be the greatest storm chasing, pow scoring journey ever.
how does he do it?
great reports paedde
Day 36 Epic Powder at Kirkwood
24h 24”
Storm total 80”
Although Kirkwood is not the most recommended resort on a weekend-powder-day I had to go there after reading the snow report.
They got the most snow since lifts closed yesterday any many areas have been closed for some time.
With good road conditions it will take you 45min from Heavenly but today it was more like 90min. Icy roads, chains required (except for 4x4) and hundreds of cars going the same way. I prepared myself for a day of endless lines and little skiing but it came completely different.
The lines seemed to be kinda long but still not as bad as I expect. < 5min taking the singles line otherwise a few more minutes. Only once I had to wait about 10min. That’s not bad at all considering a great powder day on a weekend. I had to wait longer at Jackson and many other resorts even on a weekday.
Now a few words regarding today’s quality of skiing. EEEEEEEPPPPPPPIIIIIIICCCC, dddddeeeeeeeeeeeppppp, freaking unbelievable, at least knee deep but more like waist deep. They opened the mountain step by step and some areas did not open since the beginning of the storm. I got stuck a few times due to snow almost up to my chest.
And now the best part of todays report. Second time on the chair I met a ski patrol. As usual he asked me how I like the conditions and bla bla bla…. The standard (US – not European) conversion till I told him that I’m from Switzerland and that I wouldn’t mind to get a few hints where to go especially in the afternoon. He gave me more then that. (Too good that this f*%&ing slow chair takes 11min) He actually told me where to be at what time and which way down I should take. How great is that: To be at the right spot right on time for the opening. It was insane. How funny to stay on top of Eagle Bowl together with about 150 other guys waiting for the “go” from the ski patrol. I have never seen a run getting tracked within 2 minutes. It was so much fun to be right in the middle of all the yelling - you could almost feel the joy and happiness of the guys around you.
Dear Ski Patrol, just in case you read that I would like to say Thank you!! for making this day even better. Should you ever ski in Switzerland I’ll make sure to show you around and show you the local secrets!
More snow on the way Sunday evening all the way through Friday. I think I’ll stay in the area and skip Mammoth. Forecast for South Lake Tahoe up to 200 cm till Friday.
Pics to keep you guys happy:
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3078403&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3078389&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3078391&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3078394&size=3
and a few more:
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3078397&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3078400&size=3
:biggrin:
Now thats a TR.
That snow looks even better than description (A pickure is worth a thousand word)
Hey KirkWood pass holders can get X number of discounted lift passes per day. Any Maggots hooking you up with the cheaper ticket?
got $ 52 tickets in the sport shop. Any cheaper available?
That's pure $$$$$$$
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1.../moneyshot.jpg
No skiing and no new pics today but a short movie. Kirkwood yesterday late afternoon. It was much deeper then that in most areas but his area was affected by the wind.
Have fun
http://files.filefront.com/Powder_Da.../fileinfo.html
Living the dream, way to get sum!
Just opened this for the first time. Quite impressive.
Day 37 Day off and waiting for the next storm
Getting ready for the next powder days. Sleep, relax, shopping, Starbucks coffee, washing and so on.
I had to get new goggles. The old once are a piece of crap and used a lot. Did I mention that I used my sun glasses only an hour so far…. I just hope I will never have to use them at least till 22nd of March and back home I wouldn’t mind to get some more powder.
Day 38 More powder at Sierra at Tahoe
6” reported but it was once again more. Boot deep all day and occasionally even knee deep.
I arrive at the chair at 8:57 and still got onto the 5th chair. How nice and it didn’t change a lot all day. Usually right to the chair and twice about a 1 minute line. Just like last week a lot of intermediate and advanced skiers but almost no powder hounds.
I did expect heavy snow all day but it didn’t start till 2pm. Still it was a great powder day. On a day like this I highly recommend to ski west bowl for an hour or two first in the morning. Grooming to perfection with about 10-12” of new snow on top. After all of this stuff is tracked there is still plenty of time to hit the trees and the more challenging stuff.
Sierra was about the only option I had. US-89 north was closed due to avalanche control, Kirkwood is too much affected by heavy wind and Heavenly got only an inch. I didn’t mind to ski Sierra again and now I’m even running on a season pass. Got it for U$ 139 – the deal of the year.
I need a personal photographer otherwise I will never get any new actions shots.
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3093051&size=3
West Bowl 10am
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3093056&size=3
1pm one minute hiking and got this untracked
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3093055&size=3
2pm in the back the tracked run.
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3093053&size=3
Day 39 Epic powder day at Sierra at Tahoe
14” reported and as always this was only half the true.
I got to the chair at 8:45 and was #9. At 8:57 they opened and only 41 guys waiting. No lines all day or lets say a minute or two at times due to some inefficient guys scanning the tickets. How 2 or 3 guys can be so slow is a mystery to me. Some locals got upset and complained about it in a rather loud way. It was better after this. Welcome to the US – it’s all about customer service.
To the conditions: Heliskiing! Deep powder on the groomed runs and knee deep powder in the trees. Not as light as last Friday but still much better then the standard Sierra stuff. Most of the locals couldn’t stop calling it Utah or Montana powder. I had to disagree and explain the difference between occasional face shots and the need of a snorkel.
The weather: light snow, heavy snow, fog, sunshine, light snow, heavy snow, fog, wind, dumping and sunshine again. It changed within minutes or even from the base to the top.
Personal photographer had another day off but anyway a few pics.
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3099731&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3099761&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3099751&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3099756&size=3
Paedde for President.
This thread makes me want to quit work and school, keep it coming but I might crack.
That much powder would satisfy me forever.. or atleast a few seasons, Major Stokeage!
Day 40 Epic powder – Backcountry Alpine Meadows
Epic but earn your turns!
No resort reported any snow over night but Squaw, Alpine and Kirkwood got up to 24” in 24h. After reading my last years report a decided to ski Alpine and explore the areas which had icy conditions last year. First right up to the top of Summit Six. I could see that most areas are tracked and it didn’t look good to get another powder day. In this case rule # 11 is important. “Watch the locals”. They all started hiking right away and so did I.
The result is better then I could ever imagine. Untouched powder from top all the way down to the chair. Light boot to knee deep powder and even faceshots at times. Thanks to the very few people on the mountain it remained almost untracked all day. The hiking is not bad at all for what you get. There is so much more to track that it will last for at least one more day but more likely two.
Pics will tell the rest of today’s powder skiing:
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3103903&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3103917&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3103905&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3103906&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3103911&size=3
Nice
12345
Day 41 Powder day Alpine Meadows Day 2
But not from the very beginning.
All other Tahoe resorts reported 1-4” only Alpine had 7-10”. Strange but after my experience with the “BridgerBowl Cloud” I had to believe it.
When I arrived at the resort it didn’t look promising at all. Almost no new snow in the parking lot, poor visibility, heavy wind and heavy snow.
First ride on the summit six didn’t look any better. I just don’t know where these guys found the 7-10”. Very heavy wind on top and white out conditions at times. Variable conditions on and off piste. Deep to nothing within one turn. I checked Scott Peak next and not much better. From there to High Yellow Peak and down Sherwood Face. Better especially in the trees where I could find boot deep powder but still nothing to be very happy about. Next run right from the top to Sherwood towards the base of Lakeview chair. Already very good deep powder but the long traverse back was not worth it.
I almost called it a day at 11am when I decided to have a lunch break and try again. It was dumping and this could improve the situation. That was the best I could do because now the best part of the day starts. The weather improved a little bit sometimes we even go sunshine for a few minutes. From the top of summit six I went towards the very right side of the resort. What a blast. Boot and sometimes almost knee deep powder from top to bottom. No powder completion at all. Parking lot almost empty. With 5min hiking and some traversing I got absolutely untouched powder every single time. Deep and light. I meet Mathieu a local guy and he had just as much fun as I had. :biggrin:
Some pics as always the last one will show you how much fun it was (Thanks Mathieu!)
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3109679&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3109664&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3109670&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3109675&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3109677&size=3
Day 42 Epic Powder day Sierra at Tahoe (5th day)
It’s official: The trip of a lifetime!!
Over two feed of new snow over night and even more in 24h.
What else can I say? I was deep, awesome, breathtaking, unbelievable, and so on.
Once again heliskiing conditions but this time for free (season pass)
Light and fluffy top to bottom not at all Sierra stuff more like the best Utah has to offer. Constant faceshots, knee to waist deep, bottomless and almost no powder competition.
It was busier then usual but still not bad a all. Even at 2pm it was easy to find untracked stuff except of the very top part.
More snow in the forecast but it’s going to be busy on the weekend.
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3113449&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3113450&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3113451&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3113448&size=3
http://www.gfoto.com/GetUserPic.asp?...3113447&size=3