Although it's overcast now, we spent the weekend skiing under cloudless skies and on great conditions. Sure they were April/Spring-like conditions, but Winter's not over, so we don't expect them to last. But you never know.
It was enjoyable none the less; I myself rarely get up to enjoy days like that, preferring the fresh stuff of course. Saturday, we took our first turns from the top down Buddy's, getting our legs under us, taking some footage of JK and his gang (below), cruising over to Rainbow and Moonlight. There was actually some snow to be had out there still, random small stashes of powder leftovers from Friday, just enough to get some giggles out of us.
Not as many giggles as Harold's throwback outfit brought (right),
but giggles nonetheless. Yes, he brought that suit and vest all the way from MD just for fun; he wasn't wearing it on Friday. Good fun.
We also made great turns on Sunshine Liftline and Broadway, without the scraping sounds we heard on lower mountain; eg. Vagabond wasn't in bad shape, just a bit icy by the end of the day.
Sunday brought an incredible decrease in the on-mountain population, the full mazes from Saturday were all but empty on Sunday, despite similarly warm and hospitable conditions.
It was a boys day, with Craig, his dad, and BFF Keith, finding the freshly tilled runs like One and Two Oclock, Flintlock and Sunset, all quite nice.
Forecast unfortunately calls for snowlessness, but we're on our way to Houston and selfishly glad we're not missing any rare powder days. Hopefully we can bring some precip back with us!
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?