Kirkwood, CA 5/4 and Alpine Meadows, CA 5/5/2012
- Thread starter tseeb
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tseeb
Well-known member
I could not write much Sat. evening as, in the 37 hours between 5 AM Friday and 6 PM Saturday, I had driven 500 miles and skied just over 20K vertical each day. On the way up from San Jose, we were concerned that there were some clouds and drizzle up to between 5 and 6,000 foot and South Tahoe temperature showed a low of 40. But it was clear with a slight freeze at Kirkwood when we arrived before 9. The bottom of the mountain was frozen harder than the top and, combined with moderate winds and some clouds, kept Kirkwood very skiable until I quit with two runs on Cornice after 2 PM. They were only running chairs 6, 10 and 11 and had not done much grooming (for what most likely is their final weekend) two runs on Cornice and two on the The Reut. I skied The Reut four times and Cornice 10 times, never venturing too far from the lift, although I did find a gully to skiers right that still went. I only went up chair 10, The Wall, twice, mostly repeating runs I had done the previous Sunday and finding good snow on the Wall and Headwaters at the top and skiing very lightly sun-cupped soft and ungroomed snow to the bottom.
It was already down to 33 when I left the casinos before 11 Friday night and got was down to mid-20s Saturday morning at South Tahoe and low 20s near North Tahoe and Truckee. We did the beautiful drive around Emerald Bay and arrived at a crowded Alpine about 8:30. They were only scheduled to run Roundhouse and Summit from 8 AM to 1 PM, with a Cinco de Mayo party from noon to 3 pm. Since there was a strong wind out of the East, I did four laps on Roundhouse waiting for the warm-up. I started with east-facing runs and found they were still mostly firm. My snowboarding friend from San Jose joined me on my 2nd run, but it was too firm for him so he sat out a couple. I met up with a skier, who grew up in San Jose, but now lived in Truckee, and we started exploring, looking for softening snow. We went down a chopped up Ladies Slalom a little too early and I almost went down in frozen ruts. He did go down on next run down softening Yellow trail when he spun out on a shady icy spot.
We moved to Summit were wind remained strong all day. It was blowing enough over the top to blast you with icy pellets in places. But only the very top remained firm so, after a couple of runs, we joined the crowds hiking towards Beaver and Estelle Bowls. After an almost 10 minute hike, I thought Beaver Bowl looked good enough and dropped in. The guy I was skiing with and many others removed their skis again and continued hiking around the net peak to Estelle Bowl. Beaver skied great, even the east-facing and getting baked bottom was OK. The line on Summit chair filled the maze, making it hard to get through the gates and into the singles line. But once in the line, it moved fast, as six-pack was running fully loaded. I took Wolverine Bowl a couple of times, finding it still firm at the windy very top, but softening well lower down and still skiing well at the far edge. I also found very good snow dropping into very steep Waterfall and on the ridge between The Face and Waterfall. I did the hike once more to Beaver Bowl, dropping into a hanging snowfield, cutting right through some trees before getting cliffed out in an area I don’t know very well.
Alpine extended operation until 2 PM, although most people quit between noon and 1 pm. After a quick trip about noon to the car to get my wider skis and have a sandwich and beer, I got out for three more runs on Summit. I tried Peril Ridge once, hoping to hit Peter’s Peril before leaving, but the Ridge was still too firm at almost 1 pm, so I moved back towards chair where sun had softened a more open run. I finished by going up Roundhouse where I received a call from my buddy who needed to be back in San Jose late in the afternoon. I skied Sympathy face, where it was soft enough in most places and I got back to the car at 1:35.
Pictures are all from Alpine. Will add some from Kirkwood when I have more time.
It was already down to 33 when I left the casinos before 11 Friday night and got was down to mid-20s Saturday morning at South Tahoe and low 20s near North Tahoe and Truckee. We did the beautiful drive around Emerald Bay and arrived at a crowded Alpine about 8:30. They were only scheduled to run Roundhouse and Summit from 8 AM to 1 PM, with a Cinco de Mayo party from noon to 3 pm. Since there was a strong wind out of the East, I did four laps on Roundhouse waiting for the warm-up. I started with east-facing runs and found they were still mostly firm. My snowboarding friend from San Jose joined me on my 2nd run, but it was too firm for him so he sat out a couple. I met up with a skier, who grew up in San Jose, but now lived in Truckee, and we started exploring, looking for softening snow. We went down a chopped up Ladies Slalom a little too early and I almost went down in frozen ruts. He did go down on next run down softening Yellow trail when he spun out on a shady icy spot.
We moved to Summit were wind remained strong all day. It was blowing enough over the top to blast you with icy pellets in places. But only the very top remained firm so, after a couple of runs, we joined the crowds hiking towards Beaver and Estelle Bowls. After an almost 10 minute hike, I thought Beaver Bowl looked good enough and dropped in. The guy I was skiing with and many others removed their skis again and continued hiking around the net peak to Estelle Bowl. Beaver skied great, even the east-facing and getting baked bottom was OK. The line on Summit chair filled the maze, making it hard to get through the gates and into the singles line. But once in the line, it moved fast, as six-pack was running fully loaded. I took Wolverine Bowl a couple of times, finding it still firm at the windy very top, but softening well lower down and still skiing well at the far edge. I also found very good snow dropping into very steep Waterfall and on the ridge between The Face and Waterfall. I did the hike once more to Beaver Bowl, dropping into a hanging snowfield, cutting right through some trees before getting cliffed out in an area I don’t know very well.
Alpine extended operation until 2 PM, although most people quit between noon and 1 pm. After a quick trip about noon to the car to get my wider skis and have a sandwich and beer, I got out for three more runs on Summit. I tried Peril Ridge once, hoping to hit Peter’s Peril before leaving, but the Ridge was still too firm at almost 1 pm, so I moved back towards chair where sun had softened a more open run. I finished by going up Roundhouse where I received a call from my buddy who needed to be back in San Jose late in the afternoon. I skied Sympathy face, where it was soft enough in most places and I got back to the car at 1:35.
Pictures are all from Alpine. Will add some from Kirkwood when I have more time.
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Alpine's season snowfall was 280.5 inches. Alpine Meadows has had 5 seasons between 170 and 215 inches and another 6 seasons between 270 and 290 inches in their previous 41 years of records.tseeb":3tqujsmx said:
The problem of course was incidence of snowfall:
Nov. 30.5
Dec. 1.5
Jan. 40
Feb. 43.5
Mar. 136
Apr. 44
The 115.5 through the end of February is tied for second worst, and both tseeb and I know from personal observation that about half of February's snow came during the last 3 days of the month. As of Feb. 26 this year was in the ballpark with 1990-91 for worst ever and had fallen behind 1976-77, which later reclaimed the booby prize by remaining drier than normal through March/April. 1990-91 was even more extreme in snowfall incidence than this year:
Nov. 16.5
Dec. 42
Jan. 8
Feb. 15.5
Mar. 188
Apr. 19