2011-2012 Summit/Eagle CO Ski Conditions, Roll Call and Stoke

On Saturday, I did 14 laps up on Loveland Pass with Wobby and KillingCokes. Cadillac's ridge was skiing boot-top deep, and it was fun leaping off windlips and shrubbery. On the last rollover, coverage is pretty much nil, so either huck a 10'er over the rocks (bony takeoff and landing) and goalpost the trees in the runout, or cut left into the low angle gully. Unfortunately, Wobby's friend tried to save a tomahawk after a rock huck at the top of the right main gully and wrenched his knee pretty bad, ending their day. Vibes.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3859/12755795.jpg

Sunday left 9" at Vail. Super fun day with a buddy I haven't seen since some EV laps back in March. Did a few laps down Riva Ridge, then headed into Riva trees, waiting for North Rim or Prima to open. Upper Riva trees was money, but the lower sections need more snow still. Sure enough, the ropes dropped at North Rim, and did some fun rock hopping off 5-10'ers. A little later the ropes to Prima dropped. The crusted piles of snow left by groomers turned into fun spines. Faceshots and knee deep pockets ensued.

No photos from Sunday. Too busy having fun.

On Monday, pboudon and I headed down to Wolf Creek to get some of the 44" that had fallen in the last 3 days. This was a no joke, full-on powder day. Knee to thigh deep all day long, and ski right onto the lift. There were so few people there, you could spend 3 straight days there and get untracked the whole time. Got in a sweet 25'er off the knife ridge, and pbourdon slashed two turns down a face that was pushing 50 degrees. Waterfall was full of spines, pillows and straightlines that were super fun. There were a few lines I REALLY wanted to hit (like the 20+' finger cliffs, lookers right on Waterfall), but we ran out of time.

A focus on skiing/riding and bad lighting/timing ensured we didn't really get anything amazing on stills. Helmetcam was forgotten at home, so no video this time. Legs are shot, and had a great weekend. Looking forward to seeing some stoke from anyone else that was out on Sunday (or made it down to WC).

Yeah, benchy terrain sucks, but knee deep snow never does:
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/4003/53353711.jpg

Sending a little 10-15'er:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/3802/55548253.jpg

Well done!........................ bastard.

I was in Leveland pass on Sunday (LL side) but watching your pics I got the wrong line, since I did not find any good snow apart from the short area between the ridge and the trees line: thin on top and a little faster (but not too much) just above tree line. After that all packed snow by skiers.

It was my first time there (I just move in Denver from oversea a month ago) and I followed the ridge for a while almost up to the elevation point 12,915 on the USGS topomap, before drop in. I guess my error was I keep too the right instead reaching the second valley on the left. Is it correct or I should follow the ridge for a little more to find a longer line?

Thanks for the advice (if any ;-) )

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Originally Posted by 2climb

I was in Leveland pass on Sunday (LL side) but watching your pics I got the wrong line

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I'm guessing English is a second language? The photos were from Wolf Creek, not the pass.

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Originally Posted by Lindahl

I'm guessing English is a second language? The photos were from Wolf Creek, not the pass.

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You are guessing correctly :rolleyes: Is it so bad :rolleyes2

Anyway thanks for your clarification.

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Originally Posted by Poop~Ghost

Well done!........................ bastard.

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You have no idea how pissed I am about the Wolf Creek disaster I had...over half way there and had to turn around.

GGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!

Pounding the bumps tomorrow at Vail, if anyone wants to get out.

skied the Beav this morning before work and got 1st turns into Rose Bowl.....it'll be a disaster bump field with that new lift but this morning I got 3 feet of facets...fun stuff.

Dumb idea to hope for a good and safe time sled skiing on Vail Pass in 2-3 weeks? Or is coverage starting to get reasonable up there...?

as of now, it's pretty thin on VP, but 1 good storm could change that. Problem is we don't have 1 good storm in view right now.

Vail Pass is looking grim. Any new snow to fall, would be sitting on some seriously rotten shit. We need like a million feet of snow.

Haven't been up to Vail Pass lately, but I hiked, (yes I said hiked) up Meadow Mountain, no snowshoes or skins required, on Saturday. I took my probe with hopes of checking some snow depth, maybe a bit optimistic, as I could have just used my shoe. Anyway, I carried it all the way up to the ridge so I pulled it out and measured anywhere from dirt on the S facing hillsides to about 30-35 cm of faceted grains on shady N facing aspects. Lots of surface hoar forming as well. We really need some snow. Nice day for a hike with the dog though.

Skied Bowman's today - sketchy facets & the rotten effect of diving skis into thin cover. It's pretty much skied out now. Ptarmigain/MGR looked bony. The only other place that looked skiable was the north facing glades to the west of Fowler/Hilliard.
Skis will burn tomorrow.

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Originally Posted by Goatski

Skied Bowman's today - sketchy facets & the rotten effect of diving skis into thin cover. It's pretty much skied out now. Ptarmigain/MGR looked bony. The only other place that looked skiable was the north facing glades to the west of Fowler/Hilliard.
Skis will burn tomorrow.

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On behalf of all of us other Summit/Eagle mags, thank you for making a sacrafice. Its needed. Anyone have any spare virgins around?

Got out to Coon Hill yesterday with Mantraskier and SpacemanSpiff. We did 4 quick 500' laps in the only zone that was worth skiing. Snow was a few inches of chalky powder on top of firm wind-punished +meltfreeze(?) hardpack. Only one of us hit rock (unlucky shark), otherwise really good coverage. Almost like spring corn, but with more of a wintery/powdery feel to the soft layer on top. Really fun skiing on an upper 30s pitch. Got some good turns all the way down to the road, too. Photos incoming in a few days.

I can't stop eye-fucking the east-facing chutes off the terminated ridgeline of Red. Anyone know anything about those?

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Originally Posted by Edgnar

On behalf of all of us other Summit/Eagle mags, thank you for making a sacrafice. Its needed. Anyone have any spare virgins around?

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Where could you find a virgin, the Second week of December?? Guessing you'd be lucky to avoid sloppy seconds Thanksigiving weekend, with the new arrivals to town.

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Originally Posted by Kya

Vail Pass is looking grim. Any new snow to fall, would be sitting on some seriously rotten shit. We need like a million feet of snow.

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THIS....it's gonna be really scary when it starts to snow. About 2 feet of facets with a new load on top is gonna be....sketchy.

Now that I think about it, I am pretty sure I saw Lindahl at Vail on sat. Bunch of us backed up on the rock under 11. Waiting for the pizza styled lady to get out of the way. Am I right?

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Originally Posted by HuckSolo

Now that I think about it, I am pretty sure I saw Lindahl at Vail on sat. Bunch of us backed up on the rock under 11. Waiting for the pizza styled lady to get out of the way. Am I right?

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Wanted to, but wasn't able to get out on Saturday. There is one other person I've seen around Vail and BC, with the same jacket, though.

o mistaken..Thought there could be only 1 person on earth with that jacket.

And he was rocking a backpack..Funny how much he looked just like your avatar pic.

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Originally Posted by Lindahl

I can't stop eye-fucking the east-facing chutes off the terminated ridgeline of Red. Anyone know anything about those?

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Ditto. Hit me up and we'll shred them later in the season. Right now marginal coverage but looks like a fun spot to play on. Long slog in to get to them with lots of downed trees. I need a chainsaw.

Coon Hill?

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Originally Posted by Lindahl

I can't stop eye-fucking the east-facing chutes off the terminated ridgeline of Red. Anyone know anything about those?

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Which Red are you talking about?

My guess is Red Mtn just north of Buffalo.

Great to meet you guys. Fun day of spring skiing...minus the spring coverage. Literally the only skiable line in the drainage.

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