The resort was nearly unrecognizable Tuesday compared to the Friday/Saturday powderfest. The front side was mostly groomed due to the U.S. National Alpine Championships, which are March 29 - April 1, with the first downhill training runs today. The downhill course makes about half the lower mountain off limits, and a good chunk of the upper frontside as well. With the North Face being strictly high advanced to expert, it's quite clear that Alyeska is a fairly small area for beginners and intermediates, and thus an Alaska week for them should probably be planned to include some off-hill tourism activities.
Weather was bluebird, and I took lots of scenic pics, plus a few of the downhill training runs. Adam and I skied 2 runs on the North Face. Chrismas Chute was firmly skier packed in its upper tight section but still had loose snow lower down. the open terrain below was chopped up powder than had stiffened some during the 3 clear days. The most skied area under the tram must have had some wind, as it was mostly chalky windbuff, similar to the top of Mammoth but with a few irregularities. Temps were still 15-20 degrees, so there was no melt/freeze yet, even on the south facing ungroomed where you get off the tram.
By reputation Alyeska has a Pacific NW type climate, with occasional rain on the lower 1,000 of the mountain. My friend Richard was here at the same time of year about a decade ago and said the snow was springlike and very wet at the bottom. But this year conditions were stellar top to bottom. Further evidence of the good snow year is that snow is piled high in the town of Girdwood, much like Mammoth in 2005 and 2006.
Weather was bluebird, and I took lots of scenic pics, plus a few of the downhill training runs. Adam and I skied 2 runs on the North Face. Chrismas Chute was firmly skier packed in its upper tight section but still had loose snow lower down. the open terrain below was chopped up powder than had stiffened some during the 3 clear days. The most skied area under the tram must have had some wind, as it was mostly chalky windbuff, similar to the top of Mammoth but with a few irregularities. Temps were still 15-20 degrees, so there was no melt/freeze yet, even on the south facing ungroomed where you get off the tram.
By reputation Alyeska has a Pacific NW type climate, with occasional rain on the lower 1,000 of the mountain. My friend Richard was here at the same time of year about a decade ago and said the snow was springlike and very wet at the bottom. But this year conditions were stellar top to bottom. Further evidence of the good snow year is that snow is piled high in the town of Girdwood, much like Mammoth in 2005 and 2006.
