The peak performance was the first time that Polar Peak Chair had been opened all season and the confusion is that after a lot of beers celebrating the opening of the Peak it is very hard to remember what happened and in what order but I will give it my best shot - in any event I can remember going up the Polar Peak Chair five times in the day.
It was a few degrees below freezing all day and all over the hill so the snow stayed in pretty good shape. The overcast conditions gave up a little light snow but there is more in the forecast.
We went to the New Side in the hope that Polar Peak would open and first time up White Pass we spoke to a patroller buddy who confirmed that the chair should open in about an hour. To kill time we looped back down the Gun Bowl (soft and deep) and Surprise Trees which had filled in well and were great skiing. Next we dropped Anaconda where we had first tracks in what was deep snow and to all intents and purposes untracked after the effects of the overnight blow in.
When we got to the top of White Pass, Polar Peak had opened. We were only the fifth chair up all season and as a result had an awesome run down Papa Bear chute in deep untracked powder. We cut back to the chair and had another run down Papa Bear which was as good as before and then exited through Severe Concussion where the snow varied from deep to scratchy all the way down.
We went back to the Peak for a shot at Mamma Bear (still deep and untracked) and then went out to Cougar Glades which had filled in nicely but were a bit tracked up. Final run of the long morning was another trip up the Peak to roll down Baby Bear in still deep snow. Exit to the base was through Corner Pocket which was getting a little scrapped out but had great powder underneath the chute - final drop in Easter Bowl was still soft but broken fun snow.
In the short afternoon session we did one more Polar Peak but found it totally socked in and very hard going although the surface in Papa Bear was still good. We got to base via the great Decline which is the best of the big three at the moment. With the Peak no longer attractive we did a loop off White Pass via Tight Knot in the Knot Chutes which took a bit of air to access but was well worth it. A final drop of Anaconda was almost as good as the first in the morning with great lightly tracked powder down to the trail.
The final run was a hike out into Big Bang which had some awesome deep powder but also some ugly ice patches. Then of course it was off the Skydive for the final bumpy powdery drop which seems to be more fun every day.
Beers. hot tub and a threat of a further guest - what more could I want.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
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