Squaw report 12/07

[Markhpnc]

This will be short and maybe I can post some pics another time. Got there kind of late and it looked pretty thin. Only part of the upper mountain was open with the tram and gondola running and a few blue and green lifts up top and that was it. I have never been there before so I was having a hard time figuring out where to go to find something decent. The snow was hard/tracked/almost icy but not quite. After getting frustrated with the blue stuff off the lifts I followed some of the skiers who were traversing across Siberia Bowl off the siberia lift to where the headwall lift unloads (headwall lift was not open). I don't know the names of most the trails because their trail map sucks, but there were a couple bowls (North Bowl maybe?) on the other side over there. The travers was quite a workout on a snow board for maybe a 1000 ft vert in decent snow (using decent losely as here as in not completly hard). It was pretty steep and kind of challening for me in these conditions. Later I followed some people walking across the dirt/rocks past the bowls to a place called The Slot. Now that was sketchy for me but fun. There were some people there who were riping it up too. After lunch, the fog, sleet, rain, snow came in and they closed off the traverse and the mountain was deserted. I made one last run down Siberia Bowl and visability was so bad I could not see where the terrain went up or down etc. Just white. So I called it a day. From what other people had said about Squaws elevation etc. I knew it might not be good right now, but I wanted to check it out while I was here. I can definately see how it could be sick in the right conditions. There is some nasty looking in bounds terrain within short hiking distance. Kind of long and worhtless without pics, but there you go.

[tcohee]

THANKS FOR CALLING KIRKWOOD THIS REPORT IS BEING UPDATED AT 5PM IN THE LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. LIGHT SNOW IS FALLING AT ALL ELEVATIONS AT KIRKWOOD WE ARE NOT EXPECTING A WHOLE LOT, MAYBE A FEW INCHES BY TOMORROW MORNING. OF COURSE I WILL BE UPDATING THE REPORT AT 5 AM IN THE EARLY MORNING ON THURSDAY MORNING.

CONDITIONS OF COURSE ARE EXCELLENT AS WE HAD GREAT LUCK WITH THE SNOW LAST WEEK. THE WHOLE FRONTSIDE IS OPEN GIVING YOU THE BEST ACCESS TO TAHOE'S BEST TERRAIN HERE AT KIRKWOOD, WHICH SHITS ON ALL OTHER RESORTS IN TAHOE AT LOWER ELEVATIONS.

[basom]

well i dont know about mark, but i had a sweet ass day at squaw today. better than last week when there was no snow up in this guy at all.

[The Dad]

After getting frustrated with the blue stuff off the lifts I followed some of the skiers who were traversing across Siberia Bowl off the siberia lift to where the headwall lift unloads (headwall lift was not open). I don't know the names of most the trails because their trail map sucks, but there were a couple bowls (North Bowl maybe?) on the other side over there.

If you went past the Headwall offload and down the other side, rather than traverse back down under the Headwall line, you did Sun Bowl -- generally a nice run in the morning, slushy in the afternoon, but compromised by a suck-ass traverse at the end. North Bowl is along basically the same aspect as Siberia (aka Chicken) Bowl, on the other side of the ridge; you have to come back under the Headwall lift to get to it.

Squaw's trail map doesn't suck because Squaw doesn't have a trail map -- Squaw has a "mountain map." It's pretentious and unfriendly, but hey.

The actual trails, as named by the locals, can be found by clicking here. That aerial map is 10 years old, and some of the lifts have been replaced in the interim, but I don't think any new terrain has opened. (One of the runs off KT-22 is now called Moseley's Run, though.)

Too bad the good stuff is still closed.

[Jim S]

Squaw's snow will not be the best unless it stays colder and they get more snow. The KT-22 cam looked really sad this afternoon.

If you went past the Headwall offload and down the other side, rather than traverse back down under the Headwall line, you did Sun Bowl -- generally a nice run in the morning, slushy in the afternoon, but compromised by a suck-ass traverse at the end. .

You said it. I hate that traverse. First time I took Palisades I walked too far and took Kitchen Wall to Sun Bowl.... thought I had to walk forever to get to the Enchanted Forest and back to the Mt Run.

[Cirquerider]

Mark, The conditions are rank, and no one is showing you the goods. This stinks. On the other hand, as soon as you leave, we should have endless blizzard conditions. When are you going to KW?

[AtomicTwinStix]

Mark...you suck...how bout givin us some love over on the home board....

GB

[Blacky1051]

Yeah Mark, what's the deal? Don't forget your other board... I'm game for Utah now too, fyi.

[Markhpnc]

Mark, The conditions are rank, and no one is showing you the goods. This stinks. On the other hand, as soon as you leave, we should have endless blizzard conditions. When are you going to KW?

I went today and it was sick. Think I will go back tomorro and Saturday. About 4" fresh and snowing again when I left.


PS
Atomic and Blacky you caught me, I will be back soon. The net time is limited.