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Alta/Snowbird: January 16, 2016 (Powder Day I)

thetrailboss

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Date: January 16, 2016

Resorts: Alta/Snowbird

Conditions/Weather: P (13" overnight, 66" base); Sun giving way to snow.

Report No. 11

Report: This weekend was why we moved to Utah and why we ski at Alta/Snowbird...two consecutive powder days. Figured I would foreshadow. For those thinking of coming out, come on out. Things are feeling in really nicely. For the base-depths we have the skiing is fabulous. The active pattern is providing refreshers.

I got up early since I knew it was going to snow. We got more than bargained for and that meant a pretty slow drive up because the Canyon was closed from 6-8am for avi work. But I still got to Alta in good time and was at Collins for opening. The first run down was mellow to start so I could get used to my rockered skis.....it had been two years since I skied on them because 2014-2015 had no real powder days to justify them. But after a few turns down Mambo I was locked in...just like I had skied them last week...so I jumped off to sample the goods on Strawberry and it was oh so good. The snow was a delight...true smoke that felt oh so good. I jumped back onto the main route and then quickly skied into the untracked snow on Schuss Gully hooting the entire way. Folks on the lift cheered as well...on a powder day at Alta everyone is excited.

Next spin was off Wildcat where the snow on Stimulation was oh so great...it blew up to your chest as you skied through it. Oh, man. I hit some more untracked pockets and then went down Nina's Curve through delightful chowder.

With the conditions simply off the wall I decided to go high....as in High Traverse where I scored first tracks in High Greeleys and Greeley Meadow. Simply unreal. I was skiing through at least two days of snow and it was knee deep in places. The rockers kept me on top and made it so delightful. Well worth the traverse, which was not too bad.

As I skied down to Sunnyside I spied some nice untracked snow on the Blue Bell/Race Arena areas so what did I do? I hit it. Sure it was about a dozen or so turns, but it was so nice under the skis.

I headed back up Sunnyside and caught a ride on Cecret with a ski instructor who, like the rest of us, was so pumped over the ski season that we have had so far and the amazing conditions on hand.

Supreme was suprisingly quiet, so I did two fast spins in chowder on Sleepy Hollow, Three Bears, and Challenger.

By now it was close to 11 or so and I was intent on heading back to Wildcat for some tree shots, but when I got to the top of Sugarloaf I saw the gate open to Mineral Basin and an empty Baldy Express and few skiers. Why not? Mineral Basin ALWAYS calls me....and today was a great day to answer the call. I was one of the first into Mineral Basin...which was choked with fresh snow and had drifted areas that were over knee deep. I skied down Birds Nest to Tail Feather and got first tracks almost the entire way. I jumped on Mineral Basin Express with there other folks who had also just crossed over from Alta. But I was tight lipped as to my plans....

In a few minutes I was standing on the cornice above Chamonix Bowl, which had one round of tracks in it. The snow was deep....drifted deep...on average keep deep if you didn't have rockered skis. It was oh so delight. I then went for the traverse above the Limber Pine Cliffs....but there was no traverse and instead snow almost up to your waist in places. Unreal. I opted to take a chute on the far side instead of taking the line under Baldy Express because the first round of skiers and riders had uncovered some rocks about a third of the way down.

Both Baldy and Mineral were really backing up now. I did another spin on Baldy going for some untracked goodies just off the groomers. It was a delight. With the area getting tracked out fast, and it being about 12:15 or so, I opted to go back to Alta where I once again found myself on the High Traverse heading far out.....

At Piss Pass I had a hard time deciding where to go...Greeley was a bit tracked out but I was desiring a nice long chute and Stonecrusher delivered. Dropping off the ridge into the south entrance I found maybe one round of ski tracks down the chute with plenty, plenty of chowder. I recalled skiing this chute a few times before over the years and it was the one I was craving...long, straight, perfectly concave, and a delight to have solo all the way down to the Corkscrew. And it was good. Oh so good.

Though I was pretty tired and that was probably THE run to end on, I wanted to do one more spin down Wildcat for some trees and the combo of Johnsons Warmup/Wildcat Bowl delivered great chowder, trees, and not a soul for my last run.

Incredible day. Been waiting a whole season plus for this. Pics coming soon.....
 
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thetrailboss

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The view from the Parking Lot:

12549046_10153611175874667_7626112042493098664_n.jpg


Strawberry....first tracks of the day:

12507366_10153611175904667_5999765226589529868_n.jpg


My tracks...deep tracks...on Stimulation Bowl:

12565406_10153611176014667_876880549691514953_n.jpg


Greeley:

12573081_10153611176049667_1348902337623977720_n.jpg
 

thetrailboss

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Looking from Greeley towards Albion Basin and Supreme:

12494987_10153611176079667_2966544798560355092_n.jpg


Sleepy Hollow....

12509244_10153611176179667_8490144384401307684_n.jpg


The Hammereds ready to drop into Chamonix Bowl at Snowbird:

12508710_10153611176239667_3893892974346882062_n.jpg


Oh so good......

12549129_10153611176284667_6182360491177554399_n.jpg


Just cruising around Mineral Basin...mine are the "S" turns...

12507307_10153611176344667_6272957186667178531_n.jpg
 

thetrailboss

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Proof as to how deep it was in Mineral Basin:

12552806_10153611176404667_5104629377584035071_n.jpg


12540882_10153611176459667_2727702101997617724_n.jpg


Stonecrusher at Alta:

12573683_10153611176529667_8907043764252612077_n.jpg


Someone cutting across to Lone Pine below me:

946474_10153611176574667_8793101566122595266_n.jpg


All smiles in Stonecrusher:

12495044_10153611176599667_8195045979923500361_n.jpg


Wildcat treeskiing:

12400588_10153611176634667_2061722328064408041_n.jpg


12565624_10153611176699667_5212127319959500389_n.jpg
 

jimk

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Thanks for the stoke. I'll be at the Bird weekend after next. This is the year trailboss is rubbing snow in our Eastern faces.:snow:
 
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