Evren
New member
Question. If you had to choose between the three days below, which one would you -- realistically -- ski?
a) Friday, 5 inches in the last 24, forecast cloudy skies and maybe snow showers
b) Saturday, 9 inches in the last 24, forecast cold front passage with 2-3 hours of heavy snow and high winds.
c) Sunday, 18 inches in the last 24, forecast clear blue skies, calm wind.
Did you say "c"? So did everyone else within an hour's drive...
And "a" and "b" were decent and "huge" powder days, in that order. With little or no competition.
I was up at Snowbasin at a not-to-be sneered-at 9:30. This is what the road looked like for the last 3-4 miles, and even worse. All lots were full and they opened overflow parking for the first time I've seen this season. At 9:40. Sometimes, it's about luck -- they say. Well, overflow opened minutes after I passed it. And really, it's the sweetest parking spot on the mountain. So much so, that they guard it with an employee and today, even a truck blocking the entrance. I parked down the road and walked. No big deal. So far.
Needles line wasn't overly long but I headed up JP for Mt Allen. Seeing some tracks up-above and a three-tram line, I decided not to wait. After all, on Friday they were waiting for someone else to show up other than me to run the tram.
I wanted Strawberry, badly. Couple of reasons. Hadn't had a chance to ski it properly this season. Wanted to explore some new areas in the clear air. Did not want to wait for the sun to bake it.
Now, there was a day last Jan when the Alta crew showed up after a big dump here and a road closure there. They went up dinky Porky and got some good lines. I headed with my guests to Strawberry and a total junkshow, about the same time. So this weighed heavily on me. But Needles was not too crowded and Strawberry had been open for a bit, making it unlikely that everyone would make a beeline for it. Then again, was I about to make the same mistake again? Yes I was:
Seriously? Seriously. Strawberry, which is walk-on at all times, looked like that. I ended up making many friends. People from Park City, with Canyons stickers; PC got skunked so they decided to head up. Tourists staying at PC. People from Alta. People from Alta who were stuck for 4 hours last night. People from all over.
Now, many locals have a high regard for Snowbasin. It's just that they hardly ever head up there. Then there is that one time each season, when everything aligns -- Snowbasin got the most snow, maybe LCC will not open on time, it's Sunday. Let's head up to Snowbasin, they say. We've been meaning to all season... This was that day.
I am not as well-versed in parts of Snowbasin as I should be. Partly because I wasn't as good a skier when I last had a pass there. Partly because I then had 30 extra pounds that made hiking up a chore. But I do know a trick or two. So I hiked up from the top of Strawberry. Taken. Went down and over two ridges, with just enough of a traverse up that they are not the "natural" choices. Taken:
That was actually not that bad. There was worse.
What I did know was that everyone in that line was going to be disgusted with themselves and head back to Needles. That turned out to be correct, at least:
On the way up, I saw that a gate that wasn't open the last time must've just opened... and was strewn with spaghetti lines.
It's quite a nice spot, in the shade. I head over. Turns out that gate isn't even open but people are using another one as a proxy for "open" and ducking the rope. I... follow. I head out as much as I can. Eventually beyond resort boundary. This is the best I got:
I was to go out-of-bounds another time that run, then noticing two guys above me on a steep slope (who could start a slide that would bury me) decide -- this shit ain't worth risking life-and-limb.
I find a decent if small patch and decide to take a picture. There's nobody behind me. I reach for the pocket and snap one:
A boarder comes out of nowhere and takes it from me. You snooze, you lose -- today.
I took some more runs. Nothing spectacular.
It was a nice day to be out, mind you. Just not in line with expectations. I'd had more than my share of first tracks and powder the last two days. It was 2pm. I could do a grocery run. I headed home.
There are enough gates that stayed closed that Monday might be interesting. But I have work to do.
Sorry, NeedhamSkier -- hope you decided on something different or had better luck.
a) Friday, 5 inches in the last 24, forecast cloudy skies and maybe snow showers
b) Saturday, 9 inches in the last 24, forecast cold front passage with 2-3 hours of heavy snow and high winds.
c) Sunday, 18 inches in the last 24, forecast clear blue skies, calm wind.
Did you say "c"? So did everyone else within an hour's drive...
And "a" and "b" were decent and "huge" powder days, in that order. With little or no competition.
I was up at Snowbasin at a not-to-be sneered-at 9:30. This is what the road looked like for the last 3-4 miles, and even worse. All lots were full and they opened overflow parking for the first time I've seen this season. At 9:40. Sometimes, it's about luck -- they say. Well, overflow opened minutes after I passed it. And really, it's the sweetest parking spot on the mountain. So much so, that they guard it with an employee and today, even a truck blocking the entrance. I parked down the road and walked. No big deal. So far.
Needles line wasn't overly long but I headed up JP for Mt Allen. Seeing some tracks up-above and a three-tram line, I decided not to wait. After all, on Friday they were waiting for someone else to show up other than me to run the tram.
I wanted Strawberry, badly. Couple of reasons. Hadn't had a chance to ski it properly this season. Wanted to explore some new areas in the clear air. Did not want to wait for the sun to bake it.
Now, there was a day last Jan when the Alta crew showed up after a big dump here and a road closure there. They went up dinky Porky and got some good lines. I headed with my guests to Strawberry and a total junkshow, about the same time. So this weighed heavily on me. But Needles was not too crowded and Strawberry had been open for a bit, making it unlikely that everyone would make a beeline for it. Then again, was I about to make the same mistake again? Yes I was:
Seriously? Seriously. Strawberry, which is walk-on at all times, looked like that. I ended up making many friends. People from Park City, with Canyons stickers; PC got skunked so they decided to head up. Tourists staying at PC. People from Alta. People from Alta who were stuck for 4 hours last night. People from all over.
Now, many locals have a high regard for Snowbasin. It's just that they hardly ever head up there. Then there is that one time each season, when everything aligns -- Snowbasin got the most snow, maybe LCC will not open on time, it's Sunday. Let's head up to Snowbasin, they say. We've been meaning to all season... This was that day.
I am not as well-versed in parts of Snowbasin as I should be. Partly because I wasn't as good a skier when I last had a pass there. Partly because I then had 30 extra pounds that made hiking up a chore. But I do know a trick or two. So I hiked up from the top of Strawberry. Taken. Went down and over two ridges, with just enough of a traverse up that they are not the "natural" choices. Taken:
That was actually not that bad. There was worse.
What I did know was that everyone in that line was going to be disgusted with themselves and head back to Needles. That turned out to be correct, at least:
On the way up, I saw that a gate that wasn't open the last time must've just opened... and was strewn with spaghetti lines.
It's quite a nice spot, in the shade. I head over. Turns out that gate isn't even open but people are using another one as a proxy for "open" and ducking the rope. I... follow. I head out as much as I can. Eventually beyond resort boundary. This is the best I got:
I was to go out-of-bounds another time that run, then noticing two guys above me on a steep slope (who could start a slide that would bury me) decide -- this shit ain't worth risking life-and-limb.
I find a decent if small patch and decide to take a picture. There's nobody behind me. I reach for the pocket and snap one:
A boarder comes out of nowhere and takes it from me. You snooze, you lose -- today.
I took some more runs. Nothing spectacular.
It was a nice day to be out, mind you. Just not in line with expectations. I'd had more than my share of first tracks and powder the last two days. It was 2pm. I could do a grocery run. I headed home.
There are enough gates that stayed closed that Monday might be interesting. But I have work to do.
Sorry, NeedhamSkier -- hope you decided on something different or had better luck.
