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

[mantraskier]

Just spoke to a buddy who had hit watertank in EV. Set off a slide to the ground towards the bottom of the run in a heavily treed area. 1 member of thier group managed to get out of the way but caused an intense few moments. As one of the "safer" lines back there it just shows how sketch the conditions are. Fresh snow, blue skies and a Saturday do not bode well for tomorrow...be safe out there!

[DaHeel]

Friend reported a moderate sized slab in Sundown this morning. Not sure how reliable the info is but shit is tender everywhere.

[simple]

This just in......anything over 30 degrees is sliding right now...even in the trees. Doing watertank was asking for someone to get buried.

[mantraskier]

hence the "safer"

Luckily the slope at my desk is only 25 degrees so I felt fairly good about my choice of line today

[Dose.]

I can confirm the slab at Vail. Slid right up to the edge of the catwalk.

[Lindahl]

Mantraskier had to bail on me tomorrow, got called in for work last minute. I'll be out at Vail if anyone is looking to ride.

[pappag]

Set off a slide in Rose Bowl trees at Beaver Creek today just before the catwalk underneath the lift. 30" crown on a 30* slope facing ESE if memory serves right. 40' across by 50'. Occurred in very tight trees. Ewok was closed due to patrol work. Sketchy is a serious understatement. Really no business being far off a trail and at this rate, probably won't venture out until May.

[Chris Knight]

Damn man. Interesting, given that we were in there just a week ago, but not at all surprising given what we saw in Ewok - presumably this new load (heh, he said load) took the already shitty conditions and put them over the top. Were you in the same zone (Rose trees) we were in? That was genuinely TIGHT tree skiing, super super super scary if that stuff slid. I'm with you, I can now see not venturing into the BC for real for another couple months. Crazy.

[montanaskier]

Vail skied pretty nice today...super warm down low but still chalky up high and shaded. EVERYBODY was gone by noon, literally nobody skiing in the afternoon. I went back to BSB and skied a lap in my favorite tree run and found deep, faceted snow and TONS of shooting cracks. On the catwalk on the way to 21 where you break right and head toward BSB, that slope on the other side of the creek had a huge crack in it...crazy stuff.

[pappag]

Damn man. Interesting, given that we were in there just a week ago, but not at all surprising given what we saw in Ewok - presumably this new load (heh, he said load) took the already shitty conditions and put them over the top. Were you in the same zone (Rose trees) we were in? That was genuinely TIGHT tree skiing, super super super scary if that stuff slid. I'm with you, I can now see not venturing into the BC for real for another couple months. Crazy.

It was right at the exit... maybe 100' above the catwalk that sits directly underneath the lift... right where we skied past that day.

Also on Saturday, patrol had closed Ewok trees and were doing control work.

[Lindahl]

^ Yeah, that area has a good roll into that short steep bit and often slides or sluffs early season. Doesnt hold snow very well.

Did some digging around yesterday. We're seeing the slabs out there starting to get stronger, hiding the obvious signs of weakness - especially areas with good loading. A single THICK strong hardslab underneath the soft slab on top of the facets. Soft slab popped out a lot easier that the hardslab, but that hardslab wants to go big if you hit the right trigger.

Watch out for false positives and false senses of security, luring you out onto more dangerous terrain. You might be lucky 9/10 times, but its that one time that'll get ya.

Hopefully GoldenBear will throw up a short video of what we found out on Vail Pass, so you can see it for yourselves. Noticed the same sort of strengthening characteristics out on LL Pass on Saturday, in lesser trafficked areas.

[cmsummit]

Set off a slide in Rose Bowl trees at Beaver Creek today just before the catwalk underneath the lift. 30" crown on a 30* slope facing ESE if memory serves right. 40' across by 50'. Occurred in very tight trees. Ewok was closed due to patrol work. Sketchy is a serious understatement. Really no business being far off a trail and at this rate, probably won't venture out until May.

You can't say I didn't warn you that little pitch would probably slide.

The wifey and I skinned up and skied the mellow, north trees on Baldy yesterday. Skiing 25 deg trees in unsupportable snow is not quite great , but a few good turns were had and the weather was excellent.

[mrwaffles989]

Does anyone wanna ski one of the resorts in Eagle or Summit on Thursday?

I'll be at Vail tomorrow, if anyone is going to be there, look for me: black pants, blue coat, green boots.

cheers mates

[Joe Dirt]

^ right on let's meet. I'll be in a black Patagonia jacket with tan pants and a pair of K2s. I'm 6'1" , dark negro complexion, but not so nice skin like Seal.


Don't blame me I voted for JoJo

[GoldenBear]

Here is a short video with no sound and some excellent cinematography. I am too dumb for my smart phone!

[fortysix&2]

^^ Nice.

[Lindahl]

Here is a short video with no sound and some excellent cinematography. I am too dumb for my smart phone!

For some context: good amount of loading, NW aspect, 25 degree slope angle, 175cm pack depth. We wanted to choose a steeper slope angle, but couldn't find a safe spot for one.

Low slope angle, so I'd expect it to pop a lot sooner on steeper slopes (rather than just collapse). Also, pretty loaded compared to the surrounding area, so less loaded areas will likely be easier to trigger (weaker), and less thick, with more warning signs. As a few more storms pile on, I'd expect your average pit results in the area to look more like this one, maybe with another separate hard slab. I wonder if this pit is an indication of what it will look like once we get more snow. I'm curious to test this hypothesis after more snow in less-loaded areas.

[zartagen]

This year there seems to be a lack of stoke from around these parts. The lack of snow in the early season and now the sketchy avalanche conditions aren't helping. I've kept sane by getting creative with my skiing around the mountain and skiing park, which is something I haven't done much in the past.

Here's a quick park edit I made with 2 of my friends at The Beav today. I ate a lot of cookies.


I know it's park, but at least it's stoke.

Edit: If anyone cares, I made a polarizing filter out of 3D glasses for the GoPro and it worked great in the sun. The footage would have been washed out otherwise.

[Joe Dirt]

Nice edit, I enjoyed while sitting on the shitter. Cookie scene made me laugh which actually helped the bowels do thank u. Summit about to get pounded !!


Don't blame me I voted for JoJo

[shera]

I know it's park, but at least it's stoke.

D@mn straight it is - park is cool. But you're such a pig!

I just showed my ski kids the first three of the Traveling Circus episodes to get them stoked up. More tonight.

Yesterday I was trying out some ski ballet, and got a tip drag 180 going. Worm turns, polish donut turns. Skied around trying to knock down boo with tail taps and did my first solid tail tap in the air onto a tree trunk. Proud of myself on that one. Got a snow-filled odwalla (square) bottle and played soccer with 8 of us. Also played tag where if you touch your tips to their tails you get a point. It makes you ski backwards/sideways/forwards, spinning, skating, whatever it takes to chase and run. Turns the mountain into a different kind of world. So much fun!!!

Skiing is fun.

[montanaskier]

settle in for another long 10-15 day stretch of dry, warm, and mostly sunny weather for Eagle County.

[PowTron]

This year there seems to be a lack of stoke from around these parts. The lack of snow in the early season and now the sketchy avalanche conditions aren't helping. I've kept sane by getting creative with my skiing around the mountain and skiing park, which is something I haven't done much in the past.

Here's a quick park edit I made with 2 of my friends at The Beav today. I ate a lot of cookies.


I know it's park, but at least it's stoke.

Edit: If anyone cares, I made a polarizing filter out of 3D glasses for the GoPro and it worked great in the sun. The footage would have been washed out otherwise.

Anyone who uses Less Than Jake in an edit is ok in my book...

As for the long range 10-15 day SHITcast, I guess that means it is time to get ANY snow you can the next two days.

[unpossible]

Looks like no Vail/BC trip this year for me, oh well. You can thank me for any snow that occurs from 2/18 to 2/25. :P

[zartagen]

D@mn straight it is - park is cool. But you're such a pig!

I just showed my ski kids the first three of the Traveling Circus episodes to get them stoked up. More tonight.

Yesterday I was trying out some ski ballet, and got a tip drag 180 going. Worm turns, polish donut turns. Skied around trying to knock down boo with tail taps and did my first solid tail tap in the air onto a tree trunk. Proud of myself on that one. Got a snow-filled odwalla (square) bottle and played soccer with 8 of us. Also played tag where if you touch your tips to their tails you get a point. It makes you ski backwards/sideways/forwards, spinning, skating, whatever it takes to chase and run. Turns the mountain into a different kind of world. So much fun!!!

Skiing is fun.

Tail taps are fun, I remember my first tree tap. All of that sounds really fun. If I fall down skiing, chances are it was because I was trying ski ballet, which I suck at.

Anyone who uses Less Than Jake in an edit is ok in my book...

Are you gonna come up to Vail when LTJ plays March 8th? I'm am stoked as hell for that show.

[Brianskis]

First day ever at A-Basin was all time. Skied a couple hours by myself. Spent the rest of the day with Dean Cummings and crew!!!

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