TR; this last weekend at Bridger

[Aussie_ripper]

Wait, Bridger was open today? Is this going to happen this whole week?

[butterscotch]

wait, what? chair open?

from the website:
----------------------
BRIDGER BOWL TO OPEN THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11th FOR THE 2008-2009 SEASON!

All lifts, with the exception of the new Schlasman's chairlift, are scheduled to operate.
Regular season ticket pricing will be in effect.

The Saddle Peak Lodge cafeteria and Playcare service will not be open until Friday, December 12th.

Please be aware that backcountry conditions exist inside and outside of current ski area boundaries. Contact Gallatin County Sheriff for Rescue - Dial 911.

Man-made and natural hazards exist across the mountain. Travel and recreate at your own risk.
----------------------

[pnut]

That looks sick! Nice work. I bet those 2 hours went by fast.

[basinbum]

im not even up in boze but this is one of my favorite threads there is so much kick ass stoke in here thanks all, i hope to ski bridger some time this year friends are building a house in boze so i get to travel with them

[XtrPickels]

Wait, Bridger was open today? Is this going to happen this whole week?

Nothing to see here. Move along folks, Move along..

Freak- I hear ya. I was just trying to look at things from the other side of the fence. I've realized that sometimes bullshit laws are needed because there are bullshit people. I like to think that Montana skiers can fend for themselves, but I've lost a lot of faith in people.

When it comes down to it, I'm just fairly upset that I'm not there to ski at Bridger and that if I were there I'd be afraid that I'd be sharing the goods with 1,000 of my closest friends. Hows that for a contradiction?

[Eluder]

Alright, I got some questions about this here thang:



Was the boundary on the far right previously open, or closed? Were all the boundaries technically closed before this season?

Where did the boundary on the left end...near the Fingers?

Does the back ever get good snow, or is it always wind scoured?

Does anyone have a picture with labels that shows the ridge further to the left and right beyond the boundaries? I have only skied at Bridger twice and I am still trying to figure this expansion out.

There where gates to the north and a gate at the bottom of "South Boundary" or what they are now calling "South Bound". The old boundary continued up "South Boundary" so all the the purple to the south is new. They also opened the boundary off the Ridge (the black dash across the ridge). Plus you can now go down the ridge to saddle.

All this being said. I am sure it is going to suck really really bad so dont waist your time.

[Jumper Bones]

People's gonna die!!!

The partner rule...Dan, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you.

That rule is seriously dated. Go back with the real, original reason for opening the Ridge terrain in the first place - allowing skiers up there helped pack down a looming headwall of a snowpack, that jeopardized the skiing below with a persistent avalanche hazard. Having people up there did more to compress/sanitize the snowpack than simple avalanche control by itself would.

Nowadays, on a good pow day, especially a bluebird - how many people are up there? Be honest with yourself, it's pretty crowded. I've seen solid lines of people, solid from the bootpack up, traversing out to the north. Is a tranceiver and shovel really, really, really necessary? Are you really going to be caught in a slide in such a highly trafficked area? Pretty unlikely, I'd say. The tranceiver rule, along with the hiking requirement, are there to keep out the riff-raff and do some crowd control - people too cheap to buy a pieps are out, along with the spenders who are too lazy to hike.

And the partner rule - ok, so it's saved some, but honestly there are times that should have been mando'd INBOUNDS - the 71" overnight, Bar-3 guy (sorry Fez I know he was your friend, but I don't remember his name) death to name one. And be honest, have you ever been skiing up on the ridge and gotten isolated from your partners, and ended up alone? I have. And I was worried I'd get caught by some patroller and get my pass pulled for skiing alone. No more!

I, personally, am stoked. Bridger, one of the most conservative areas around, is actually letting us make our own decisions for ourselves. I can hike now, as slow as I want, and you don't have to wait a half an hour for me to get to the fingers. Or madman's.

Yeah, I'm fat and slow, but now you don't have to deal with it! I'm stoked and will hike quite a bit more, which hopefully will address both of those issues.

I say that if you want to ride alone, you ought to have proof of a level 1 avy cert.

not going to disagree with you, I think that's a great idea.

[toast2266]

This thread is awesome (aside from the fact that every time I look at it, I get more depressed that I'm "so close, but yet, so far").

I don't know much about Bridger's avy control policy. How exactly is the ridge any different than the burly (and open w/ no restrictions) terrain at a lot of other resorts? Why do they require a beacon in the first place?

That's not to say that a beacon isn't a good idea, but there are plenty of ski areas out there that have similar terrain inbounds that don't have any equipment requirements. Does Bridger just require beacons to keep out the gapers / poor people?

[mtcham]

This thread is awesome (aside from the fact that every time I look at it, I get more depressed that I'm "so close, but yet, so far").

I don't know much about Bridger's avy control policy. How exactly is the ridge any different than the burly (and open w/ no restrictions) terrain at a lot of other resorts? Why do they require a beacon in the first place?

That's not to say that a beacon isn't a good idea, but there are plenty of ski areas out there that have similar terrain inbounds that don't have any equipment requirements. Does Bridger just require beacons to keep out the gapers / poor people?

My 2 cents
The beacon/partner rule basically dissuades those not willing to make the effort to get to the good skiing. Been a good thing in my opinion. Sure the partner rule was probably not needed for many of the runs but there are some where having a partner is a good idea. I think our generation kind of broke the gnarliness of the ridge when we started taking our kids up when they were quite young. Then the ridge guide came out making it easier for everyone. Used to be kind of mystical but today it's all mapped out with pretty good descriptions for entries. The kids are into tagging all the shots in the book. It just keeps evolving.

Been skiing BB since 1984 and back then there actually was the possibility of setting off a slide. Mainly due to fewer skiers on the ridge. Seems like today the ridge has already been pounded before they even open. The masses up there and patrol's good work keep it pretty low risk. Saddle and Truman will be a different story-some good judgement will be needed.
My only worry is when a 12 year old kid asks hey mister where do I go down or starts following me.

It's gonna be a great year!

[Yonder_River]

I liked the restrictions just for the simple fact that you could have a little bit more to yourself. Sounds crazy up there now. I remember numerous mid-week powder days with only a few small groups hiking at any given time - what's it like now?

I realllly need to come back soon and check out all the new terrain. Glad to hear she's starting to fill in.

[XtrPickels]

Nowadays, on a good pow day, especially a bluebird - how many people are up there? Be honest with yourself, it's pretty crowded. I've seen solid lines of people, solid from the bootpack up, traversing out to the north. Is a tranceiver and shovel really, really, really necessary? Are you really going to be caught in a slide in such a highly trafficked area? Pretty unlikely, I'd say. The tranceiver rule, along with the hiking requirement, are there to keep out the riff-raff and do some crowd control - people too cheap to buy a pieps are out, along with the spenders who are too lazy to hike.

.

FWIW I've ski cut a slab above the traverse. Only 6" deep and didn't run too far, but it can happen.


Somedays, its dead up there. I remember a day of 6-8" of absolute blower tooling around with Lobstah and it was dead. I also remember days that they've turned people back because the lots and the driveway from bridger canyon were completely full.

[baseWeldr]

check the plaque for mikey, next gate down from the highT on the uphill rockface as you enter avy gulch after the steepy pointer- can't believe its 5yrs, RIP to a guy it was a pleasure to know...

solo missions happen
I have & will, prob keep it a mellow known quanity vs somethin ambitious...
obviously a partners nice for an equip failure, inury, a failed lighter or some food to mooch-much less moving snow- so I'll mostly be with one just in case

I get stuff moving all the time esp down lower in the pockets they don't hit w/bombs, riding though the sluff in bull/chicken chute areas might rank as the turns I revisit most in dreamland...

yeah it'll be crowded some- look at town, on big days go somewhere else or out a gate, there'll still be plenty o quietly quality days to be had what with a new lift spinnin and more acres to play on...

love the sneaky opening, randy's the man!

pagetop yrold mildwillie stoke

[Aussie_ripper]

Who else got out there today? Pretty good shit, I'm stoked as hell on my new Bros.

Met a Mag on my first chair up of the season.


Nice view aye?

[Jumper Bones]

I'm going tomorrow, probably from noon on, taking the afternoon off from work. Probably gonna rip some groomers and get back into a semblance of skishape.

[Bozone]

Any insight as to when Schlasmans might open?

[jeremiahyawnson]

I talked with a patroler yesterday and he said that they had an electrical glitch that needed to be worked out and won't be running this weekend, but will/should be running by next weekend

[Eluder]

Ok I made it. I hiked and skied alone and made it back alive, another good "opening" day. I think it was the highly recommended shovel that got me threw it. Good judgment can make the new rules alright, I do doubt the Judgment fo many in Bozeman lately though. My concern is one of these sicky nar nar nuckleheads will cliff them self out somewhere on the ridge. But i guess they could do that in groups to.

[tone capone]

I had so much fun yesterday! One thing about skiing pow, it's alot more fun when you're with your buddies.

Still found plenty of fresh to pork on the nose:



Lining it up for my ultra rad signature steeze.........



The "Lawn Dart"



Pretty sick, huh?

Anyways, I had too much fun and now it hurts. What a day it was, so many people so stoked and having so much fun. Yeah, it gets tracked, but there is always fun to be had in exploring and there is always a new way to ski each line if you get bored.

[Jumper Bones]

So...who's brave enough to schralp the storms tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday?
Sunday's HIGH is going to be -3. Low should be the negative twenties, plus wind...

I'm a big pussy and say FUCK. THAT. But I'm also working sat and on sunday my pass isn't good (midweek only). So I'll just be shivering outside at the airport all day saturday. Fun!!! Lots and lots of de-icing....wooooooooo....

[Aussie_ripper]

Got out there today. Hit the ridge for the first time, and was surprised to find a good amount of pow. The rest was fun, we could use some snow though.

Sunday? I don't know yet. It would be a good excuse to stay in and study.

[vcrewpc06]

Loving the stoke in the air as we kick off the new season!

Missed opening because I fooled myself into studying instead (though it made no difference in the end). Jealous of those bluebird turns.

Looks like things could get interesting this weekend, I'll be up there both days if I can manage, then it's ski by day study by night for finals week!

Peace

[Lexi-Bell]

Looks like some Northwest flow!!!!
Glad ya'll made it back from yer solo missions, I'm sure I'll be doin it too. (Safely)

Skiin next 3 days W00t!

[stuckathuntermtn]

our little tony's becoming a man!
(hucking scares me)

[tone capone]

I'm an old man, stucky, close to retirement.

You gotta represent, keep the NY influence in effect.

[Sirshredalot]

Any insight as to when Schlasmans might open?

Friday, B, provided everything goes as expected.

L-B, come find me for a hike tomorrow and Sunday.