Date(s) Skied: June 26, 2011
Resort or Ski Area: Snowbird, UT
Conditions: Spring (Corn, Mashed Potatoes, LG/FG/MG)
Trip Report: In 2009 I skied Tux with Snowmonster on June 13, 2009. This was the latest I had skied, until this season. With lots of snow, Sugarbush was hoping to push into May, but with a rainy spring and a warm spell, they closed on May 1st and I was there. Since then I was pretty much on hiatus due to moving, my wife's graduation, work, and life. With our move to Utah and Snowbird getting slammed with 783 inches of snow so far this season, I figured that I could at least get some more skiing in.
I flew into SLC on Thursday night and was one of two guys on the plane who packed skis. Southwest rocks....skis and boots made it unscathed. As my wife drove me to our new place I could see snow in the Wasatch. Friday morning I was amazed--I sipped coffee while looking at one line on the front range from my front porch. I had to go.
Well, after getting the A-OK from the Mrs., I packed the Subaru Saturday night and planned to get up Sunday and head to Snowbird, which was open Friday-Sunday. It was an easy 22 mile drive, door-to-door with no traffic.
I pulled in at 7:40 and got a nice parking spot. We had driven by Snowbird in December and noticed that it sat down in the river valley from the road. The vibe was nice--modern buildings with wooden trim sitting in the woods and by the river. The Snowbird Center is a modern building that was very easy to navigate and clean. I got my lift ticket--$49. The hours were 8-2 and it was downloading via the tram (one ride only, but unlimited skiing between 8-2 on Little Cloud and Mineral Basin lifts).
At 8:11 I was on the tram and heading up with a few other skiers and riders. The snowcover on the frontside was waning, but one only need get above 8,600 feet or so for nearly full cover.
I stepped off the tram and was blown away by the coverage and amount that was open--the trail map is very deceiving.
First run was down a groomed Lupine Loop that was sweet sugar. My legs needed a good warm up. I surveyed the terrain and spotted lots of nice lines in the Mineral Basin. The Mineral Basin Express was a fast 4 minute ride delivering 1,429 vertical of spring sweetness and hundreds of acres of options. Next spin was down Path to Paradise/Junior's Powder Paradise to scope out the western bowls of the Mineral Basin. As I figured the sun was working it hard and it was getting soft fast.
For the first two hours or so I alternated between the sides of the Mineral Basin, hitting Upper Not Quite Corn, High Stakes, Double Down, Chamonix Chutes, Lone Star (which was a defined sweet line right down the middle of the basin), Bassanova, and Blue By You. Snow on the Lupine Loop side was not as soft as the other side. The terrain variety was amazing--open bowls, narrow chutes with rocks and trees on either side, some fun knolls, and some stunning views and vistas with the real contrast in terrain that only Utah has.
With the temps beginning to warm and the sun moving across the mountain, I decided to try Little Cloud Basin at about 10:00. This area is much, much larger than it appears on the trail map. The double offers 1,304 vertical feet of terrain and at least three different bowls to ski. Like Mineral Basin there were two groomed routes down on either side of the lift.
Road to Provo/Mark Malu Fork was mint. The sun had just started to work its magic and there was nobody on it. It made me smile. I did another run before braving Regulator Johnson, which was FG but did soften later in the day. The off-groomed terrain was not soft quite yet, so back to Mineral Basin.
I hit Silver Dipper and White Diamond before playing around on Lupine Loop and in the Double Down/Chamonix Chutes area. Some amazing terrain and great stuff to play on. My Head Monster 76's were the right ski for the day--soft and quick enough for bumps yet stiff enough for hauling a$$ when needed.
From about 11:30-1:15 or so I went at it in Little Cloud Basin hitting two nice lines on Shireen, playing in the trees below that, and skiing a nice line just to skier's left of Regulator Johnson.
The double was busy with most skiers and riders hitting this area, including snow-tanned locals playing kazoos as they skied and wearing bright colored worker's vests.
With Mineral Basin set to close at 1:30 and the Tram closing for skiers at 2, I did one last run on High Stakes from top-to-bottom slaying some amazing snow. As I got to the base of the lift, I told the liftie that I was beat and out of gas. He smiled and suggested a route to ski to the base of the mountain. I opted to take the tram because of undermined snowbases and the strong advice of the ski patrol discouraging folks from making the trek down the frontside. As we descended I could see many skiers and riders making their way down Chip's Run.
The tram ride was interesting because we had to stop to allow workers who were inspecting the tower to board the top of the Tram at Tower 3 and ride the top of the car to Tower 2 :blink: Talk about James Bond style work!
At the bottom I went to the Wing's Store, snagged a couple stickers and a Snowbird shirt, and headed home.
Pics coming soon. More skiing on Friday! :beer:
Resort or Ski Area: Snowbird, UT
Conditions: Spring (Corn, Mashed Potatoes, LG/FG/MG)
Trip Report: In 2009 I skied Tux with Snowmonster on June 13, 2009. This was the latest I had skied, until this season. With lots of snow, Sugarbush was hoping to push into May, but with a rainy spring and a warm spell, they closed on May 1st and I was there. Since then I was pretty much on hiatus due to moving, my wife's graduation, work, and life. With our move to Utah and Snowbird getting slammed with 783 inches of snow so far this season, I figured that I could at least get some more skiing in.
I flew into SLC on Thursday night and was one of two guys on the plane who packed skis. Southwest rocks....skis and boots made it unscathed. As my wife drove me to our new place I could see snow in the Wasatch. Friday morning I was amazed--I sipped coffee while looking at one line on the front range from my front porch. I had to go.
Well, after getting the A-OK from the Mrs., I packed the Subaru Saturday night and planned to get up Sunday and head to Snowbird, which was open Friday-Sunday. It was an easy 22 mile drive, door-to-door with no traffic.
I pulled in at 7:40 and got a nice parking spot. We had driven by Snowbird in December and noticed that it sat down in the river valley from the road. The vibe was nice--modern buildings with wooden trim sitting in the woods and by the river. The Snowbird Center is a modern building that was very easy to navigate and clean. I got my lift ticket--$49. The hours were 8-2 and it was downloading via the tram (one ride only, but unlimited skiing between 8-2 on Little Cloud and Mineral Basin lifts).
At 8:11 I was on the tram and heading up with a few other skiers and riders. The snowcover on the frontside was waning, but one only need get above 8,600 feet or so for nearly full cover.
I stepped off the tram and was blown away by the coverage and amount that was open--the trail map is very deceiving.
First run was down a groomed Lupine Loop that was sweet sugar. My legs needed a good warm up. I surveyed the terrain and spotted lots of nice lines in the Mineral Basin. The Mineral Basin Express was a fast 4 minute ride delivering 1,429 vertical of spring sweetness and hundreds of acres of options. Next spin was down Path to Paradise/Junior's Powder Paradise to scope out the western bowls of the Mineral Basin. As I figured the sun was working it hard and it was getting soft fast.
For the first two hours or so I alternated between the sides of the Mineral Basin, hitting Upper Not Quite Corn, High Stakes, Double Down, Chamonix Chutes, Lone Star (which was a defined sweet line right down the middle of the basin), Bassanova, and Blue By You. Snow on the Lupine Loop side was not as soft as the other side. The terrain variety was amazing--open bowls, narrow chutes with rocks and trees on either side, some fun knolls, and some stunning views and vistas with the real contrast in terrain that only Utah has.
With the temps beginning to warm and the sun moving across the mountain, I decided to try Little Cloud Basin at about 10:00. This area is much, much larger than it appears on the trail map. The double offers 1,304 vertical feet of terrain and at least three different bowls to ski. Like Mineral Basin there were two groomed routes down on either side of the lift.
Road to Provo/Mark Malu Fork was mint. The sun had just started to work its magic and there was nobody on it. It made me smile. I did another run before braving Regulator Johnson, which was FG but did soften later in the day. The off-groomed terrain was not soft quite yet, so back to Mineral Basin.
I hit Silver Dipper and White Diamond before playing around on Lupine Loop and in the Double Down/Chamonix Chutes area. Some amazing terrain and great stuff to play on. My Head Monster 76's were the right ski for the day--soft and quick enough for bumps yet stiff enough for hauling a$$ when needed.
From about 11:30-1:15 or so I went at it in Little Cloud Basin hitting two nice lines on Shireen, playing in the trees below that, and skiing a nice line just to skier's left of Regulator Johnson.
The double was busy with most skiers and riders hitting this area, including snow-tanned locals playing kazoos as they skied and wearing bright colored worker's vests.
With Mineral Basin set to close at 1:30 and the Tram closing for skiers at 2, I did one last run on High Stakes from top-to-bottom slaying some amazing snow. As I got to the base of the lift, I told the liftie that I was beat and out of gas. He smiled and suggested a route to ski to the base of the mountain. I opted to take the tram because of undermined snowbases and the strong advice of the ski patrol discouraging folks from making the trek down the frontside. As we descended I could see many skiers and riders making their way down Chip's Run.
The tram ride was interesting because we had to stop to allow workers who were inspecting the tower to board the top of the Tram at Tower 3 and ride the top of the car to Tower 2 :blink: Talk about James Bond style work!
At the bottom I went to the Wing's Store, snagged a couple stickers and a Snowbird shirt, and headed home.
Pics coming soon. More skiing on Friday! :beer:
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