Day 114 more rather weird conditions

First of all apologies for this late post but my buddies Rob and Katie (and of course Joey) came round tonight and the result was that we drunk far too much beer and things got  late.

Today was supposed to be like  yesterday but it wasn't for a whole host of reasons. For a start it was supposed to be bluebird but actually it was quite overcast for a lot of the day but it was very warm. Overnight on the hill it didn't freeze like it did the day before. At the base there were minus temps but due to an inversion it never really froze up the mountain meaning that things never got as hard and icy as they did yesterday and as a result they softened much more quickly today even away from the direct sunlight.

On the way to the hill it was +3 and got a lot warmer, during the day I noted temps of +12 at the base and +8 all over the upper mountain as the day wore on. The reports were of a slight inversion with upper mountain temps being a few degrees warmer than lower down and not actually getting below zero up top.

We went to the New Side on the basis that it would be warmer and softer but found that Lift Line was closed as was Knot Chutes so we had a couple of runs back down White Pass. These turned out to be very mushy and hard word as a result. We went up Polar Peak only to find that the Chutes had been opened briefly but then closed due to the wet snow slides which were very evident during our chair ride up. We ran down the Coaster which of course was mellow and then cut out into Concussion which was already turning to mush and getting very unstable all the way down.

We went to the Old Side in search of something better and found that Sunny Side shoulder and China Wall had not over softened - just. We went out down New Lift Line which was a bit crusty but the run back through Kangaroo was soft bumps and easy skiing. After  that we just looped Cedar Ridge, Kangaroo, Boom Ridge and Boomerang all of which were a firm base with soft snow on top and therefore easy skiing.

After lunch I went to the New Side hoping that things would have improved and at first was encouraged to find Lift Line open and skiing ok, if not great. That was the high point as at the top of White Pass I saw that Polar Peak had been closed completely presumably for wind and that  the sign line was down at the County Line so no Reverse Traverse, Saddles, Currie Chutes, Big 3, Easter Bowl etc. I ran down Currie Powder and Gilmar Trail to get to the Old Side in search of something better.

I found better in the form of a run down Cedar Ridge in some pretty soft snow and then Kangaroo which if anything skied better than this morning with soft mush on a firm base. My epiphany came when I next dropped Boomerang Ridge which was soft melted crystal snow on a firm base and bumps which were just at the perfect interval for fast skiing. In the absence of anything better (and there certainly was an absence) I looped Boom Ridge 7 times which was a record even for me but speaks volumes for just how good this pitch was. In the end The lift was closed and I had to take the run out along Cedar Trail but it was well worth it.

After a few beers we ran home to meet our buddies and had a very enjoyable evening eating lasagna and drinking beer.  Totally beyond caring what tomorrow brings - we will just get out there and ski it.