Not much else to say but "it rained" as it did in spectacular fashion - we currently have a rainfall warning for the Elk Valley calling for 40 mm today and another 20mm overnight. It started raining around 7 this morning, it has rained (hard) all day without a break and it is still raining as I look out on the hot tub cover on my back deck. Perhaps it's going to rain forever, it certainly feels like it.
We went to the hill in temps of +8, and in case you didn't pick up on the theme of tonight's symposium, in poring rain. It rained all over the hill from top to bottom. For a brief time up at the top of White Pass we had some intermittent very wet snow. The rain mixed with this wet snow so we got a small accumulation of pure elephant snot which had the effect of stopping you more or less dead when you skied into it. This only affected a very small area at the top of the hill and for the vast majority of the time we were skiing on what had been a firm surface but was now softening under the relentless rain.
Unfortunately I had not checked out my famous plastic rain gear which had kept me so dry during the last big rain cycle about a month ago. The plastic pants were torn beyond repair so I had to rely on my normal ski pants to keep me dry and lets just say they weren't really up to the job. The yellow plastic jacket was ok and kept me dry above the waist and I just had to accept that the gloves were going to get soaked.
We went to the Old Side and poked around Bear, Arrow and other places in Lizard bowl. It was raining but the viz was ok and the skiing surface was nice and soft but the available skiing was disappearing fast. We went out into Cedar Bowl where it was closed from just beyond Cruiser so we ran down Cruiser and Lower Cedar Centre which were both getting thin but the skiing surface was just like elsewhere nice and soft. We ran back through Lower North Ridge and then Cedar Trail to Lower Kodiak to get to the Boom load. This was actually rather like skiing off the glacier when we have been summer skiing - having to pick your way at not much more than walking pace through a myriad of obstructions, actually quite good fun. We went to the New Side.
On the New Side the ski down to White Pass load was via Puff which was soft in the rain and skiing very nicely. I did a White Pass loop and found that it was a little socked in at the top and as described the first few turns were in a thin covering of elephant snot. Gun bowl was still quite firm but taking an edge and by the time I had got to Quite Right it was back to soft easy skiing all the way to the load. I decided to run off via Easter Bowl (which was open) on the grounds that as far as I could see it was the only way to get down without having to walk part of the way other than taking the Timber down load. It was actually quite hard getting out to Easter as the skis (now back on the Sally rock skis) were running very slow in the conditions. Easter was surprisingly firm all the way down but taking an edge and after that I ran to a late lunch.
I was soaked where the rain had come through my pants and gloves so for the first time this year I quit at lunch time. I took advantage of some free time in the afternoon to re-equip myself with appropriate rain gear in case these conditions continue and I certainly don't want to have to cut short a day's skiing again. I went to the warehouse and bought some triple layered and fleece lined heavy duty rubber gloves and some heavy duty rubberised dungarees. The clothing seems to have been designed for working on the rigs up north and is not very trendy ski gear but I bet it keeps me dry.
So it's off to the pub for some good warming food and some beers. Tomorrow looks like it will be more of the same but maybe turning colder tomorrow night to the point where we might get some snow - we can but hope.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
Day 99 still getting away with it - just
Yes, in the face of a host of factors acting to the contrary we actually had some good skiing in spring conditions today. Of course the forecast calls for a minimum of 30 mm of rain over the weekend (some of this may actually fall as snow for a short while at the snow plot but don't be fooled by any claims of new snow/powder etc) which may present a whole new level of challenges but for the time being the day was ok - but only ok, so let's not get carried away.
It was about +2 on the way to the hill and hazy. During the day it eventually became bluebird and from low plus temps all morning we suddenly experienced a real change at around 1 o'clock when temps rocketed particularly in the direct sunlight. Driving away from the hill it was still +11 and sunny so no sign of any rain yet. All over the hill we had temps of around +6.
The effect of the conditions on the snow was that with hazy cold conditions to start with everything was rather hard and icy. We poked around the Old Side on the limited number of groomers open and noted that most of the lower mountain was now shut and there were very few runs back to the Bear Chair or the base. It seems to me that there has been a significant change to the policy on opening areas which does not seem to have been announced or debated anywhere. In the past if runs were ugly and icy warning signs were put up and individuals could decide if and when it was a good idea to ski them. Now it seems that a decision is being taken not to open areas when they are icy (Boom and Sunny Side today) and then they are only opened when they become soft and easy to ski and if it is decided that they remain icy (Cedar Ridge) then they are not opened. This shift away from people taking personal responsibility seems to have rather crept up on us without anyone really having debated it's desirability.
After some loops on a softening Lizard side in the limited number of runs we hit out towards Snake Ridge where we hit it just right - hard but starting to take an edge. We looped Snake three times and it was great spring skiing. Exits were via Lower North Ridge which was decidedly sketchy and may only have a couple of days life left in it, First loop back the Bear had to be down Bear as Boom was closed but the next two were via Boom which was skiing soft and easy by the time it was opened - see above remarks.
After lunch I headed up the New Side and arrived at Polar just in time for them to be opening the Polar Chutes for only the second time this year. It was very warm and sunny by that time and the chutes were starting to get bit fluid in places. In a strange reversal of normality (and what else would you expect in a crazy year like this) Papa Bear had some significant rocks showing which cost me a big core shot and Grand Papa Bear was soft deep snow all the way down with some nice soft bumps skiing in the lower section. I only tried Barely Legal once as the chutes out through the rocks were very sketchy with lots of rocks showing. I did try the chute on the shoulder between Papa and Mama Bear which is tight and steep and I used to be about the only one to ski it to the point that people started to call it Bill's chute a few years back. It was still there, steep, unskied and untracked.
After an afternoon playing off Polar we ran Spirit Bear (hardly skied and very soft) followed by Concussion and the a Trespass loop back to White Pass. Just time for a quick White Pass loop then a run to base through a very mellow Alpha Centauri then , Diamond Back (rocks showing) Summer Road (large bare patches to avoid) Sib Ridge (getting a bit thin in places) and the ski out ( just turning to brown snowless patches in places ) and finally to base.
Beers on the locals deck in warm sunshine and some good ski chat. A quiet night in dreading what this weekend may hold.
It was about +2 on the way to the hill and hazy. During the day it eventually became bluebird and from low plus temps all morning we suddenly experienced a real change at around 1 o'clock when temps rocketed particularly in the direct sunlight. Driving away from the hill it was still +11 and sunny so no sign of any rain yet. All over the hill we had temps of around +6.
The effect of the conditions on the snow was that with hazy cold conditions to start with everything was rather hard and icy. We poked around the Old Side on the limited number of groomers open and noted that most of the lower mountain was now shut and there were very few runs back to the Bear Chair or the base. It seems to me that there has been a significant change to the policy on opening areas which does not seem to have been announced or debated anywhere. In the past if runs were ugly and icy warning signs were put up and individuals could decide if and when it was a good idea to ski them. Now it seems that a decision is being taken not to open areas when they are icy (Boom and Sunny Side today) and then they are only opened when they become soft and easy to ski and if it is decided that they remain icy (Cedar Ridge) then they are not opened. This shift away from people taking personal responsibility seems to have rather crept up on us without anyone really having debated it's desirability.
After some loops on a softening Lizard side in the limited number of runs we hit out towards Snake Ridge where we hit it just right - hard but starting to take an edge. We looped Snake three times and it was great spring skiing. Exits were via Lower North Ridge which was decidedly sketchy and may only have a couple of days life left in it, First loop back the Bear had to be down Bear as Boom was closed but the next two were via Boom which was skiing soft and easy by the time it was opened - see above remarks.
After lunch I headed up the New Side and arrived at Polar just in time for them to be opening the Polar Chutes for only the second time this year. It was very warm and sunny by that time and the chutes were starting to get bit fluid in places. In a strange reversal of normality (and what else would you expect in a crazy year like this) Papa Bear had some significant rocks showing which cost me a big core shot and Grand Papa Bear was soft deep snow all the way down with some nice soft bumps skiing in the lower section. I only tried Barely Legal once as the chutes out through the rocks were very sketchy with lots of rocks showing. I did try the chute on the shoulder between Papa and Mama Bear which is tight and steep and I used to be about the only one to ski it to the point that people started to call it Bill's chute a few years back. It was still there, steep, unskied and untracked.
After an afternoon playing off Polar we ran Spirit Bear (hardly skied and very soft) followed by Concussion and the a Trespass loop back to White Pass. Just time for a quick White Pass loop then a run to base through a very mellow Alpha Centauri then , Diamond Back (rocks showing) Summer Road (large bare patches to avoid) Sib Ridge (getting a bit thin in places) and the ski out ( just turning to brown snowless patches in places ) and finally to base.
Beers on the locals deck in warm sunshine and some good ski chat. A quiet night in dreading what this weekend may hold.
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