Tahoe Weather, Conditions, Stoke, and What's Up Thread...

[TahoeBC]

My guess is that layer does not exist basin wide, maybe just in the highest locations and could even be isolated to that general area. Wind loading will probably be a bigger concern. Definitly will be on the lookout for it though.

As far as heavely watching the boundaries so close right now, it's certainly nothing new when conditions are at extream low tide like right now. Blame the lawyers and this law suit happy country for that. Once there is a bit more coverage I find the patrol there for the most part to be pretty dam cool. Honestly the conditions off trail pretty much suck right now and if your poaching with only 3 runs open your a pretty easy target.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

All rain overnight here at 6,450 on Truckee River (still raining). Winds were relatively strong last night.

[AKbruin]

All rain overnight here at 6,450 on Truckee River (still raining). Winds were relatively strong last night.

Shoot me a pm, yo. Hourglass is looking real good.

[powdork]

Kirkwood still does not have their shit together. WTF??? (not that I care, I'm stuck on the north shore today)

We are going to open Chair 5 Solitude as planned. The Mtn. Operations team & snow making will be working/preparing the terrain on Chair 6,1 & 11 There is a very wet snow layer we are going to be working with to pack down as base... We've got this, totally sound snow management from the crew to make the best base possible here @Kirkwood... Dave/Jeff & Mike have a little experience @Kirkwood. Trust & patience mi amigo….
Stay Thirsty,
Coop

[otto parts]

Didn't Coop say not til they get 4-6"?

Maybe they meant exactly 4-6"

[Ottime]

I think KW should keep 6 closed until Thursday, so this layer can properly settle and we can be assure of (1) a safe and (2) excellent quality ski base. Opening before then you be just irresponsible. BTW, if anyone cares, I should be up mid day Wednesday. Please do not hike and keep the snow in pristine early season conditions.

Bosco, I do believe that a resort has to the right to regulate what terrain is open, and which is closed. We may not agree with them, but if you want, you can always hike in the BC and make decision for your self. I you post is purely a PSA for poachers, then fine. But please don't poach. You not only endanger yourself, but others. If the open runs are "not worth skiing" then don't ski. Just my perspective. Of course, do a you want, but I won't feel sorry for you if your pass gets pulled. It would be deserved.

[TahoeJ]

If you want to go into the back country, go into the back country - away from the resort. If I was running those resorts I'd probably have them guard the boundaries right now too. Just because there's a waiver on your pass / lift ticket doesn't mean an annoying lawsuit can't be filed.

[MashedPotatoes]

I think KW should keep 6 closed until Thursday

I think KW should open 6 tomorrow so I can justify the drive. How much snow is up there? I always thought 5 ft was pretty much game on for top to bottom.

[Ottime]

Dude. From my couch here in Santa Cruz it is clearly not ready and will not be until I arrive. Not sure how clear I can be.

Seriously though, I know you have limited days. If going up tomorrow would mean not going later, you may want to wait. It is still pretty low tide. I told a buddy who asked last night - bring the rock board not the new board. OTOH, if you have a window, and it won't close others, go go go. You can always hike danberg

[The Dad]

If they are trying to avoid people from getting injured then they should close the mountain. Skiing by definition is unsafe. I can understand not wanting lawsuits, but I believe the waiver I signed covers this.

And mother's milk leads to everything.

The waiver does nothing for the patrollers who have to risk life and limb getting your dumb ass off the hill.

If you don't like a mountain's closed area policies, ski somewhere else.

[NatEE]

If they are trying to avoid people from getting injured then they should close the mountain. Skiing by definition is unsafe. I can understand not wanting lawsuits, but I believe the waiver I signed covers this.

Thanks for the heads-up on stricter enforcement this year. I think your logic is sound, but unfortunately our lovely legal system is not so black and white. You do realize that Vail is, at this very moment, involved in a lawsuit for a kid who's parents signed the exact same waiver you did, did exactly what you did (ski closed terrain), died, and whose parents are suing them anyway? This may have motivated some of the increased enforcement.

Dude. From my couch here in Santa Cruz it is clearly not ready and will not be until I arrive. Not sure how clear I can be.

I completely agree with this assessment. Also friends skiing yesterday didn't totally rub it in my face, which means that it must really not have been that good.

[lepistoir]

there were rain flakes falling just above blue Canyon . going over Donner summit there was driving a man barely any precipitation and the coding of cream cheese on everything

[Steven S. Dallas]

Kirkwood still does not have their shit together. WTF??? (not that I care, I'm stuck on the north shore today)

Ah, now I know who was harassing Coop on Facebook this morning.

Mahalo!

[Bosco]

Agree. I guess I'm just jonesing to ski something worthwhile. Until enough terrain is open I'll go BC or not ski. I also agree with TahoeBC. Once the majority of terrain is open ski patrol is not so strict. Last year they told us it was OK, gave us a wink, when we wanted to duck the rope and ski Killebrew when it was closed. I think they were jealous.

Bosco, I do believe that a resort has to the right to regulate what terrain is open, and which is closed. We may not agree with them, but if you want, you can always hike in the BC and make decision for your self. I you post is purely a PSA for poachers, then fine. But please don't poach. You not only endanger yourself, but others. If the open runs are "not worth skiing" then don't ski. Just my perspective. Of course, do a you want, but I won't feel sorry for you if your pass gets pulled. It would be deserved.

[old goat]

I stated earlier that I got hit by Ski Patrol at Heavenly for skiing closed terrain. Today my buddy got stopped and given a yellow card for doing the same. WTF, the closed stuff is the only terrain worth skiing. We did this all last year without incident. Can't wait for enough snow to exit the gates.

Be careful out there. By this I mean watch out for those enforcing the rules of papa Vail.

If a ski area ropes off a dangerous slope and fails to enforce the closure they are just as liable as if they fail to close the slope. And I don't see any excess caution and fear of lawsuits on the part of patrol. I see a reasonable concern for the safety of the public, most of whom are clueless, as your post demonstrates, and for the safety of patrol. IME it has to be pretty bad for patrol to close anything--there will be plenty of opportunities for you to kill yourself later this season. (I did have my doubts when patrol refused to open Beaver and beyond at Alpine last spring, but then I'm one of the clueless.)

[AKbruin]

Tamarack was pretty solid today. About 20" of creamy pow that's nicely slathered things. Three legitimate powder days before Thanksgiving . . . pretty good start to the season.

[Marhankins]

Tamarack was pretty solid today. About 20" of creamy pow that's nicely slathered things. Three legitimate powder days before Thanksgiving . . . pretty good start to the season.

It was good up there. Lots of people out and about, too.

[~mikey b]

looks like I've got green light from Krystal Kartwright for tomorrow

anyone up for a hike at KW or CP Monday AM?

[harpo-the-skier]

looks like I've got green light from Krystal Kartwright for tomorrow

anyone up for a hike at KW or CP Monday AM?

I will be at CP at about 9:30-9:45 with a friend. Pm me if you want to come along.

[Bosco]

I find the responses to this thread amusing. I'm allowed by the resorts to take big hits off man made jumps in the terrain parks, and huck good size cliffs in open terrain, aka Squaw et al, but I'm lambasted for skiing low angle terrain with a few rocks at Heavenly Valley. This place is truly the gnar...

I will state, I do understand why they do what they do, but that doesn't mean they should be supported by the likes of this forum. Leave that for Epic Ski.

If a ski area ropes off a dangerous slope and fails to enforce the closure they are just as liable as if they fail to close the slope. And I don't see any excess caution and fear of lawsuits on the part of patrol. I see a reasonable concern for the safety of the public, most of whom are clueless, as your post demonstrates, and for the safety of patrol. IME it has to be pretty bad for patrol to close anything--there will be plenty of opportunities for you to kill yourself later this season. (I did have my doubts when patrol refused to open Beaver and beyond at Alpine last spring, but then I'm one of the clueless.)

[TahoeBC]

To say it was a blustery day was an understatement, high winds and snow keep visibility low and dam cold skinning above tree line.

This picture of Spats just about sums up what it was like out there.

[Nuthon]

I will be at CP at about 9:30-9:45 with a friend. Pm me if you want to come along.

Skier triggered slide reported to SAC in what looks like dead tree bowl on CP. Careful out there. Battery check your beacons folks.

[parkmeister]

http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/node/2903

Skier triggered slide in Red Lake Trees
Submitted by Public on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 4:37pm
Location Name:
Red Lake Trees
Region:
Carson Pass Area
Location
United States
38° 41' 15.5544" N, 119° 58' 44.6592" W
See map: Google Maps
Position: Public
Date and time of avalanche (best estimate if unknown): Sun, 11/18/2012 - 1:00pm
Red Flags:
Obvious avalanche path

Avalanche Observations
Avalanche Type: Slab
Trigger type: Skier
Slope: 35degrees
Aspect: Northwest
Elevation: 8900ft.
Bed Surface: Old Snow
Weak Layer:
Other - please provide details in the comment field below
Crown Height: 1 ft
Avalanche Width: 30ft.
Avalanche Length: 300ft.
Terrain: Near Treeline
Number of people caught: 0
Number of partial burials: 0
Number of full burials: 0

More detailed information about the avalanche:
Test Pits dug around 8,500 on similar aspect concluded: CT 10 sp, CT 16 sp, ECT X (2x). Weak layer is a thick icy rain crust 8-12" below the surface. Avalanche occurred on a 35 degree slope, 310 (NW) degree aspect, elevation near 8,900', confined to an isolated gully with wind affected snow on top. Slide triggered during second turn, and propogated 30' and slid about 150 vertical feet. Slide released at the old snow/ new snow interface. Smaller second slide triggered by second skier. Avalanche rated D2, and R3, debris field was 80' long 20' wide and 5' deep.


Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: Yes
Wind Speed: Strong
Wind Direction: Southwest
Air temperature: Below Freezing
Air temperature trend: Cooling
Precipitation: Snow
Accumulation rate: Less than 1 in. per hour





it's game on, peeps. be safe, yada, yada, yada, and shit....

[powdork]

two fb posts from kirkwood, and nothing about opening 6. lots of people setting up the maze for 5 on the web cam though.

[pajamas]

we saw that crew release the slab yesterday. we did a lap one gully west and got a little snow to release as well. it was loading in there with still relatively thin cover with rock outcrops as trigger points.

glad they are all safe. we were a little suprised to see it go as I'm sure they were.