Sundown - 3/5/09

Got going about 4:30 hoping for some daylight runs and soft snow. I immediately knew the bumps wouldn't be all that soft. The snow at the base area was still packed powder over a hard base. Actually the surface at the mountain overall is great and still mid-winter like. The bumps though are not soft yet.

The top 2/3 of Gunny has really started to take on the shape of a natural mogul field. The bumps are very small however. In fact, some of the troughs are filled with wind-loaded dense snow. I was actually able to poke my pole down 6-8" into the troughs before I hit the icy base especially on the flatter top section. Definitely a fair amount of glare ice too, especially on the steep section. The flat middle section was easy to ski. The last pitch has some FRGR/LSGR bumps and there is a new stretch of freshly seeded bumps, about 10 rows worth. We go truly to the bottom now!

Anyway, not what I was expecting, but it's been COLD this week and the base at the mountain is still very hard thanks to the deluge and freeze last Friday. Monday's snow really saved them for this week. This weekend things should soften and hopefully we'll get some ripper traffic up on Gunny to get it skied in fully for the remainder of the season.

Skied from 4:30 - 6 and took a break in the race shack with the race crew who were having a get together. After a beer and tons of chips and cookies, we all headed out (johnnypoach too) and the guys set up some gates on Temptor. JP and I skied Gunny bumps, then a high-speeder run with the guys on a freshly groomed section of Gunny. I then ran the gates and did one more run on the Gunny bumps. Left about 8 pm.

Sounds like we need the warm weather this weekend to soften up the snow. Did you notice if they seeded the Ex bumps?

o3jeff said:

Did you notice if they seeded the Ex bumps?

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Yes, they did, but it needs softening too I'd imagine. Jagged piles right now. Much tighter than last time and very symmetrical though. Lots of people skiing them despite the funkiness of them too.

Greg,

Is Gunny south facing. Will the moguls get much sun?

faces more west but the skiers right where the bumps are get sun all day long pretty much.

Creakyknees said:

Greg,

Is Gunny south facing. Will the moguls get much sun?

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It faces exactly Northwest. Gets a ton of sun.

did a quicky night sesh at sundown last night. waited all week and thought last night would be the softest/best snow but was a little surprised it was still pretty firm. mixed it up between canyon, nor easter, toms (shits and giggles), and gunny. found the best snow on nor easter....truly packed pow and even with my dull-ass Foils, i was still able to lay in a rut or 2. toms was nice and soft too. gunny needs some softening, sun and skiers. i think i may stick around CT this weekend and do some spring bumpage tomorrow. the lines are definitely forming. i like um tight, but they need to get bigger, deeper, and softer. itll happen, maybe tomorrow. decent snow skiers left on gunny, huging the treeline. didnt explore area 51, left my head lamp at home....maybe tomorrow?

sLoPeS said:

did a quicky night sesh at sundown last night. waited all week and thought last night would be the softest/best snow but was a little surprised it was still pretty firm. mixed it up between canyon, nor easter, toms (shits and giggles), and gunny. found the best snow on nor easter....truly packed pow and even with my dull-ass Foils, i was still able to lay in a rut or 2. toms was nice and soft too. gunny needs some softening, sun and skiers. i think i may stick around CT this weekend and do some spring bumpage tomorrow. the lines are definitely forming. i like um tight, but they need to get bigger, deeper, and softer. itll happen, maybe tomorrow. decent snow skiers left on gunny, huging the treeline. didnt explore area 51, left my head lamp at home....maybe tomorrow?

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Join us [thread="48489"]Sunday[/thread].

i have to find a way to get out for a few hours on sunday. things should really improve with the warmer weather and i agree, those things really need to grow significantly.

Greg said:

Join us [thread="48489"]Sunday[/thread].

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dont u think tomorrow looks better? sunny mid 50s.....chance of liquid snow saturday night/sunday morning. i know its been planned and all, but i normally let the weather figure it all out and pick the better days (especially if im paying for a ticket, you know). i'll see how tonight goes....those bumps have potential.

2knees said:

i have to find a way to get out for a few hours on sunday. things should really improve with the warmer weather and i agree, those things really need to grow significantly.

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yea man, some are just little clumps of snow/ice. im sure its cus its newly seeded and needs to get skied in, but its really gonna take some warmer temps and lots of skier traffic to get them to a good shape. i tried my best on lower ex last night to break um in...even a couple gunny laps and i was like nope, not happening...

sLoPeS said:

dont u think tomorrow looks better? sunny mid 50s.....chance of liquid snow saturday night/sunday morning. i know its been planned and all, but i normally let the weather figure it all out and pick the better days (especially if im paying for a ticket, you know). i'll see how tonight goes....those bumps have potential.

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The forecast has been flip flopping the past few days, but I agree. Saturday looks to be the better weather day. However, I think Sunday will be the better bump day (lines more skied in, bigger bumps and even softer snow).

sLoPeS said:

yea man, some are just little clumps of snow/ice. im sure its cus its newly seeded and needs to get skied in, but its really gonna take some warmer temps and lots of skier traffic to get them to a good shape. i tried my best on lower ex last night to break um in...even a couple gunny laps and i was like nope, not happening...

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The powder on Monday filled in a lot of spots. We really need a group of rippers up there to attack it this weekend. By the end of the day on Sunday, we should be set up with rad bumps for the rest of the season.

Greg said:

The powder on Monday filled in a lot of spots. We really need a group of rippers up there to attack it this weekend. By the end of the day on Sunday, we should be set up with rad bumps for the rest of the season.

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word....im thinking tomorrow. anyone gonna be up there? id prolly do 1 - 5 or something like that.

hey sundown!.......hook up a ticket and ill help ski in those gunny bumps!

haha, kidding, but not really.

sLoPeS said:

hey sundown!.......hook up a ticket and ill help ski in those gunny bumps!

haha, kidding, but not really.

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If I can get 10 or more people together that need a lift ticket on Sunday, we can get a group rate of $40 for an 8 hour ticket.

Greg said:

If I can get 10 or more people together that need a lift ticket on Sunday, we can get a group rate of $40 for an 8 hour ticket.

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10? theres gotta be 10+ people that would be down for that...

dunno if id ski sundown for 8 hours though.

$20 for 4 hours?

Greg said:

The powder on Monday filled in a lot of spots. We really need a group of rippers up there to attack it this weekend. By the end of the day on Sunday, we should be set up with rad bumps for the rest of the season.

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I just talked to powbmps. he's heading over this afternoon. i was going to join him but i'm kinda jammed up at work and its not sunny so.......

but two hours of that madman could make a difference if they soften up today. If not, you could have Begg-Smith, Mosely, Martin, Desovitch and Weinbrecht on them all day and it wont change them.

sLoPeS said:

10? theres gotta be 10+ people that would be down for that...

dunno if id ski sundown for 8 hours though.

$20 for 4 hours?

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Group rate is only for the 8 hour ticket. 4 hour ticket is $45 so it's still better. You would think we could scrape up 10, but most of us are already pass holders.