For those who don't know, we hold Hot Dog day every year (usually on the first Wednesday in April) to celebrate the movie Hot Dog. If you have never seen this movie it is a dreadful 1980's offering which is a mixture of skiing and soft porn. We celebrate by dressing in 1980's ski gear, skiing round the hill pulling some pretty stupid tricks (the one day of the year that we don't wear helmets) and getting unbelievably drunk despite the official line that no alcohol is allowed up the hill.
Today was overcast in the morning and stayed cloudy off and on all day with the occasional rain drops coing out of the clouds. Day time temps got to +12 so the chances of any precip coming down white was pretty remote.
I was amazed putting on my old Killy one piece ski suit which must have been bought in the late 1980's just how warm it was and it did cross my mind that if we do get cold weather next year maybe the red one piece could make a guest appearance to keep me warm - who knows.
I had a few trips round Bear, Arrow and other parts of Lizard to check the conditions and found that despite coditions being overcast things were softer than during the past few days. I went to the New Side and took two trips up Polar Peak before they closed it - I was told that only 6 of us had been up all morning, 4 had down loaded and I was the only one who took a double loop. The truth was that although it was socked in at the top and the only advertised way down was Polar Coaster the skiing was ok soft bumps. At the top of the Polar Coaster there was a sign saying "Marginal Conditions, Skiing not recomended" which gave me a laugh as in the words of the movie I thought " Ok,where to Butch". The warning was fair as the first few turns of the Coaster were quite rocky but after that things were ok - second time up I was told they were closing.
I went to the Old Side and had few runs down North Ridge and the lower part of Kangaroo - the closed signs were only in the top and the second section skied nicely, I can't help but think that the top section woud have been just as good had we been allowed to ski it. I did check out Wallaby which was starting to get rowdy as the crowds were gathering - lunch.
After lunch we just looped Wallaby/ North Ridge/ Cruiser/ Cedar Centre/ Emily's etc which were all in pretty good shape as the cloud cover was preventing the snow from softening too much. Skiing wasn't really the business of the day and we all ended up on Wallaby each loop to watch/take part in the crazy stunts and jumps. After several loops we headed to base ratherv early to guarantee a place in the Griz Bar - actually about 3:30.
Things worked out well and we got seats in the bar, met up with friends, all in Hot Dog gear, and drunk far too much beer and Jagermeisters to celebrate the day. I have decided not to head to the Pub for a showing of Hot Dog the movie as I am not sure I would make it so it will be a quiet night in and then hope for normal service to be resumed tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Day 115 weather forecasters know nothing and more strange stuff
The confident forecast for today was that we would have showers becoming heavy in the afternoon. In the event it was bluebird all morning and although we got a bit of cloud later in the day there was nothing that looked like a shower even when I took a look at the weather from the top of Polar Peak late morning when I could see about a million miles in all directions.
As for the last (God knows how long) we had -1 on the way to the hill and a base of 260 cms. Just for the record Lynda got out her journal for this time last year and found that our base at that time was 425 cms - just saying. It was another bluebird day when temps came up and by the afternoon we were seeing +15 in the shade and I would imagine at least another 10 degrees in the direct sunlight - what I am saying is that it was seriously hot.
We went to the Old Side where of course quite a lot (Snake Ridge, everything right off North Ridge and few other places ) were closed. We did the usual trips down Bear and across Lizard bowl only to find that everything was softening in an inversion ! My only explanation is that a warm wet system is on the way and we are seeing is the front end of that system high up and added to the recent warm conditions - actually I have no idea why things are working out as they are.
We looped back down Boom Ridge and found the bumps already soft so we looped three times and had some great skiing before it got too mushy. I took one trip down Cedar Ridge in the hope that it would be soft but it was in fact hard boiler plate and not worth further investigation except for later events.
We went to the New Side and up Polar Peak which was only open at the Polar Coaster due to the snow instability every where else. After a couple of trips up the fairly slushy Coaster we dropped to base and to lunch via Currie Powder which was soft with bumps. Best bit of the drop like yesterday was Gilmar Gully which was soft big bumps and great fun to drop the fall line in almost slow motion. Lunch.
After lunch I went back up the New Side only to find that Currie Bowl was closed as was the Zig Zag so all we had off the White Pass chair was the Highline/Heartland guts and these were pretty mushy. At this point I did something that I rarely do and which in the past has cost me dear - I used my brain. This time it paid out big time. I reasoned that if the north facing Cedar Ridge on the Old Side had been ugly boiler plate in the morning and that the sun would not have had a direct effect on it but the atmospheric warming would then it could be pretty good skiing.
I went to Old Side via Deep Sea and other runs that I never do which were surprisingly good mush on a groomed surface. When I got to the top of Bear on the Old Side I put my theory to the test and found (more to my amazement than anyone else's) that I had got it spot on. Cedar Ridge (in any one of it's one hundred or so incantations) was firm underneath but taking a soft edge on the top. To be fair it was bit variable in places but light years ahead of anything else I had experienced on the hill.
It was so good that I loope the ridge 4 times, each time getting to Boom Chair via the traverse (Lynda says it's the Monkey Trail) into the bottom section of Lynda's which was a bit scratchy but the run itself was almost corn snow. I just managed to get the last Boom Chair up and then after that it was just a few beers in the Griz.
In anticipation of tomorrow's Hot Dog Day (retro) signs have appeared on the hill saying that drinking alcohol while skiing is not allowed. I would just make three points on this -
1) A great let off for the boarders who seem to be allowed to do whatever they want from the wording of this sign.
2) A very good rule anyway, you might spill some alcohol if you try and drink it while you are skiing. I am sure we will wait until we are on the lifts or just standing around.
3) There are a group of people breaking this rule who I am prepared to offer up to security who distribute alcohol to anyone on the hill who wants it, they are the serving staff of the Lost Boys Cafe - I am sure security will be dealing with them (at $6.50 a pint) tomorrow - not.
Have great Hot Dog Day.
As for the last (God knows how long) we had -1 on the way to the hill and a base of 260 cms. Just for the record Lynda got out her journal for this time last year and found that our base at that time was 425 cms - just saying. It was another bluebird day when temps came up and by the afternoon we were seeing +15 in the shade and I would imagine at least another 10 degrees in the direct sunlight - what I am saying is that it was seriously hot.
We went to the Old Side where of course quite a lot (Snake Ridge, everything right off North Ridge and few other places ) were closed. We did the usual trips down Bear and across Lizard bowl only to find that everything was softening in an inversion ! My only explanation is that a warm wet system is on the way and we are seeing is the front end of that system high up and added to the recent warm conditions - actually I have no idea why things are working out as they are.
We looped back down Boom Ridge and found the bumps already soft so we looped three times and had some great skiing before it got too mushy. I took one trip down Cedar Ridge in the hope that it would be soft but it was in fact hard boiler plate and not worth further investigation except for later events.
We went to the New Side and up Polar Peak which was only open at the Polar Coaster due to the snow instability every where else. After a couple of trips up the fairly slushy Coaster we dropped to base and to lunch via Currie Powder which was soft with bumps. Best bit of the drop like yesterday was Gilmar Gully which was soft big bumps and great fun to drop the fall line in almost slow motion. Lunch.
After lunch I went back up the New Side only to find that Currie Bowl was closed as was the Zig Zag so all we had off the White Pass chair was the Highline/Heartland guts and these were pretty mushy. At this point I did something that I rarely do and which in the past has cost me dear - I used my brain. This time it paid out big time. I reasoned that if the north facing Cedar Ridge on the Old Side had been ugly boiler plate in the morning and that the sun would not have had a direct effect on it but the atmospheric warming would then it could be pretty good skiing.
I went to Old Side via Deep Sea and other runs that I never do which were surprisingly good mush on a groomed surface. When I got to the top of Bear on the Old Side I put my theory to the test and found (more to my amazement than anyone else's) that I had got it spot on. Cedar Ridge (in any one of it's one hundred or so incantations) was firm underneath but taking a soft edge on the top. To be fair it was bit variable in places but light years ahead of anything else I had experienced on the hill.
It was so good that I loope the ridge 4 times, each time getting to Boom Chair via the traverse (Lynda says it's the Monkey Trail) into the bottom section of Lynda's which was a bit scratchy but the run itself was almost corn snow. I just managed to get the last Boom Chair up and then after that it was just a few beers in the Griz.
In anticipation of tomorrow's Hot Dog Day (retro) signs have appeared on the hill saying that drinking alcohol while skiing is not allowed. I would just make three points on this -
1) A great let off for the boarders who seem to be allowed to do whatever they want from the wording of this sign.
2) A very good rule anyway, you might spill some alcohol if you try and drink it while you are skiing. I am sure we will wait until we are on the lifts or just standing around.
3) There are a group of people breaking this rule who I am prepared to offer up to security who distribute alcohol to anyone on the hill who wants it, they are the serving staff of the Lost Boys Cafe - I am sure security will be dealing with them (at $6.50 a pint) tomorrow - not.
Have great Hot Dog Day.
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