We probably wouldn't have gone up today had it not been for Jeffrey Krauthamer (left) celebrating his birthday on the hill all the way from MD... we woke up to a 1" report and bad reports all week about the hill. Craig had been up once, made it to Thunderhead, and turned around because he said it felt like a skating rink. Our temps have been warm, too warm, and we just haven't gotten any snow for about two weeks. Some locals go up every day. Some, like me, are just way too picky for putting up with subpar.
But the skies were unloading by about 9am, and by the second report, there were 5 new inches to be had! We'll have to thank Jeffrey for getting us up there to appreciate it. He visits every winter since I can remember, and had his adaptive turns scheduled for 10am today. We met them at the top of the Gondy shortly after, and made some fabulous, and I'm not exaggerating, turns in Wally World.
There wasn't much to be had in the obvious places, but first turns in Sundial trees and I was in heaven, even on my short groomer day board. At least a half a foot and untouched, on top of a relatively grabby surface. A surprise from above. We kept searching for the stashes along the sides, and beelined down Ramrod for some more.
Sunnyside was the highlight (left), although the turns in Sideburns on our final descent was what we live here for as well. Light, fluffly, untracked, and deep enough to get some yips out of us!
Hopefully we'll get a few more turns in before we leave town on Monday, snow or no snow. With Jeffrey in from MD and Kevin in from Scotland, it's likely! ... video?
Yesterday's 14 inches was an anomaly. The report said 6" mid, 14" summit, 5" mid since the mountain closed. What does one make of that, while lying in a very uncomfortable bed 2 hours from home at 5am? We had three options: 1. We could have stayed in Vail and skied, but purchasing lift tickets when you have a season pass just seems inane. 2. Stay in Vail and have breakfast with our buddies. 3. Drive home and expect the best. Needless to say if the report had been 1", we would have opted for choice #2. But 14" would get anyone up and going. So we blazed out of Vail (their report was 8"), and met the group of Denver friends
waiting for us at home. A cloudless sunrise drive to a bluebird powder day awaiting...
First and second glances at the base and top of the Gondola struck the group of us with some wonder... Fourteen? Where?
Rudy's was a smoothed glade with about 2" max on top of it, a very tasty run to Four Points none the less. Sunset brought a few more inches to taste, maybe 5" on top of set bumps, bouncing us all the way down Lights Out. But certainly not the foot-plus that our front rangers were looking for. YET. So we went looking.
Still about only 5" on 1:00 and in the trees that surround, but 5 on top of a groomer was still worth driving from Vail for. Not that we have anything against Vail, however after several drinks, a fun concert at Dobson, and some interaction with our local buddy Kevin's x girlfriend, and a new Vail motto has been formed: Vail is full of bitches. Well, 'cuz, it is.
So back to the 'Boat (which might also need a new motto)... and the stashes.
Westside: none but what's on the right side hill as usual. Hill has been renamed: Craig's Ridge.
Top of Sunshine LiftLine/Keith's Ridge: definitely best first tracks as usual.
Sundial and trees between that and Tomohawk: actually almost knee deep in spots and untracked.
Ramrod: ridiculously nice as usual.
Huevos/"Kodak" (Morningside): knee deep and untracked.
Upper trees left of Hurricane: untracked and shin deep.
Verdict: Another lovely day on the mountain under blue skies, but still left us wondering, where's the beef?
After a quick ride up the lift we were off to Blizzard and the powdery bottom pitch of Norther and on to BC for a fresh look at Sunnyside. While this Hick I know and Flyers Dave snuck into Elkhead trees, I ventured over to the treeline along Sunnyside and down the steep pitch of Elkhorn (I bet a lot of locals don’t even know what that trail is called). Next up was the Wally World Cornice (AKA Black Power) over to Ramrod, which if you don’t know about you really should. And then the trusty South Peak lift gave us a ride up to the top of West Side. Craig’s Ridge was as tasty as ever with huge piles of snow and not tracks at all. After a couple of the old stand by’s we decided to venture to new stashes (at least for me). Kodak was calling Keith’s name so we headed over to Morningside to get some cool pictures in the deep. And DEEP it was! In fact the snow was so nice that we did it twice.
And after pounding out a few more of our favorites, like Billy Kidd Trees and Keith’s ridge we headed to the top for one last top to bottom. Storm Peak Face to Mustache to Sunset to Rudy’s to Vagabond to Lower Concentration to Rough Rider to Beeline and home! A beautiful, cold, blue sky powder day was just what I needed today.