Friday, February 24, 2012

Day 86 Snowed all day

That just about sums up the total report for today - it snowed all day and things just got better and better.

Overnight there was no new snow and a base of 270 cms. Starting temps were -9 at the base but conditions dawned overcast. On the way to the hill it started to snow and that was it. It snowed all day, sometimes harder, sometimes not so hard but good solid snow. The type of snow ranged from low moisture champagne first thing to more solid high moisture content by the end of the day. Temps rose to around zero at the base by midday and around -5 at the top and despite the changing conditions the snow just kept on hosing down all day at what I would guess to be an average fall rate of 2 cms per hour.

We went to the Old Side and had a warm up down Sunny Side shoulder which was nice soft bumps taking an edge, but early on the snow had not started to accumulate to any great degree. We then looped out across Cedar High Traverse to Steep and Deep. There were two tracks in front of us which disappeared into Fish Bowl so we had Steep and Deep all the way down to the left hand exit chutes untracked and starting to get soft already in the new snow. The loop was completed by Kangaroo (tough and icey bumps even by Kangaroo standards) and Boomerang (nice crisp smooth bumps covered in increasing soft fresh snow) to get back to the Bear Chair.

Next loop was Gorby Bowl which was mostly untracked and getting deeper as is always the case as most people don't try the bowl because of the gnarly rock band. A left right shuffle to get through the rock band and then Kangaroo and Boom which were just as before even with more snow. So next loop we hit Snake Ridge top to bottom and then the ridge just below Snake which was tight and steep but great fun with big sloughs trying to take you out. Kangaroo (as before) and then Bear chutes which were much as Boom bowl.

Final loop before lunch we found Cedar High traverse had been closed and we had to take a lower line which with a bit of work got us into nearside Snake Ridge. This had been mostly untouched and was now deep with the new snow. KC chutes were also filled in and great skiing. Exit via Kangaroo (fourth time and just as ugly as the first) and then for a change Boomerang into Buckshot (hard bumps covered in new snow) and a long trail out to lunch down Cedar Trail.

After lunch we went to the New Side and following a suggestion by a buddy (thanks Dan) we went to Anaconda (just awesome deep snow in the second chute) and then Bootleg Glades which were mostly untracked in the left hand side trees. Probably the best deep snow on the hill all day. After that it was Currie loops -
Cougar Glades - Great deep untracked snow all through the mid section and even better and deeper in the exit to the left.
Stag leap - Top trees all filled in and soft snow all the way to the final section which was hard underneath but getting better.
The Brain - A couple of tracks had been there before me but there was still plenty of fresh in all the lines in the trees where you could just throw it down.
Decline/Window chutes - starting to get really deep by now. For a change I hit the chute from directly above the stream bed which was some good steep tree sking in untracked snow before it opened out into the chute.
Skydive - final rip in snow, now good and deep as we had 7 hours of new snow to play with. Even the lower section was deep enough to really throw it down and give it a good free ride.

The snow is still falling now as it was couple of hours ago as we sat in the hot tub drinking beer and getting excited about tomorrows skiing. Things looking good and another two days snow in the forecast.

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