Day 72 a quick half day

It was a half day because I had to drive to Calgary to pick up my Irish sailing buddies who were coming in this afternoon on the Air Canada Frankfurt flight - don't ask, it's a long story. We were also saying goodbye to our two other friends who have been staying whilst sorting out two more friends who arrived on Wednesday and are staying with buddies. Is it just me or are we starting to become a serious source of income to the hill ?

No new snow, the base down to 256 cms, overcast conditions with the ridge lines socked in and temps of around -5 when we arrived at the hill. The result was that the snow seemed to have got rather tougher and chunkier where it hadn't been skied much and hard bumps but taking and edge where it hadn't.

Usual starts on Sunny Side shoulder gave firm crisp bump skiing for a couple of runs. Next was a run down Boomerang all the way in crisp bumps at the top and hard chunky snow in the lower section.

Because we had friends we dropped to the base via the previously groomed Boom Ridge which I had criticised a few days ago. I hate to say "I told you so" but I did. The ridge not having been regroomed is now a hard slick packed almost ice surface. Off piste skiers leave it alone because it has been groomed, groomer skiers leave it alone because it has now become slick and ugly. As I said before there are just places that shouldn't be groomed.

We had time for a loop out to Steep and Deep which had become harder and tougher since yesterday and needed some good navigation to avoid the avi debris at the bottom. We then had a short loop off Cedar ridge which has become nice packed in bumps taking an edge in crisp snow for the most part.

The two returns were through Kangaroo which whilst hard and icey seems to be skiing a bit easier than of late or perhaps it's just the fact that the rest of the hill is getting tougher. Time for an early finish and then a long drive to Calgary and back. No new snow in the offing so looks like we are going to be scratching about for a few days yet.