Date: December, 2011
Resort: Snowbird, Utah
Conditions: PP/MG/FG. Base depths 28-35 inches, 75 inches for the season so far. (We need snow).
Weather: Cold, with highs in the upper teens, 20's. Nice sunshine.
2012 Trip Report #: 3
Report: Another week, and another trip to the 'bird. I decided to go on Friday so as to enjoy uncrowded slopes, and it worked out great. I got to the mountain at 8:15 and was in the tram line at about 8:45. We had some horrendous winds the day before that closed the tram...as in 100 mph winds. Regulator Johnson showed the damage. The remaining snow on it was pretty much windswept FG, which on the steep pitch was very slick. It was barely edgeable. I skied it down to the tram and did another run to see if it was more cut up. It was more of the same (and on weekdays they don't run the tram as often so I ended up getting to the base and getting on the other tram car instead of racing my tram car down).
Enough of that, so I decided to do laps off of Gadzoom, which was much better. With no crowds, Big Emma held up much better.
After a couple laps, I decided to meander along Bass Highway and then cut back along Ski School Lane, which traverses the Wilbere section of the ski area. What I found were that the trails had been getting some TLC from the snowmaking team and Wilbere was getting ready to be opened. So I decided to ski Wilbere Ridge/Wilbere Cutoff and was pleasantly surprised to find soft snowmaking and some decent natural snow, albeit it thin, but doable.
I headed to the tram base to get a drink, and then up the tram to Regulator Johnson figuring I would use it as a way to get back to Gadzoom rather than walking to Ski School Lane. As I left the traverse and began down the fall line I headed to far skier's left and was pleasantly surprised to find softer chowder that was a delight to ski. I made two other laps before going to Gadzoom for more laps on the Wilbere Ridge, including some fresh grooming on Lower Harper's Ferry East and Miner's Road. It was worth some more laps before calling it quits at 1:00pm.
We did get some more snow over the weekend...on the order of a mere 4-6" or so...and we need more, but the forecasts are meager at best. Time for the snow dances!
Pictures soon.
Resort: Snowbird, Utah
Conditions: PP/MG/FG. Base depths 28-35 inches, 75 inches for the season so far. (We need snow).
Weather: Cold, with highs in the upper teens, 20's. Nice sunshine.
2012 Trip Report #: 3
Report: Another week, and another trip to the 'bird. I decided to go on Friday so as to enjoy uncrowded slopes, and it worked out great. I got to the mountain at 8:15 and was in the tram line at about 8:45. We had some horrendous winds the day before that closed the tram...as in 100 mph winds. Regulator Johnson showed the damage. The remaining snow on it was pretty much windswept FG, which on the steep pitch was very slick. It was barely edgeable. I skied it down to the tram and did another run to see if it was more cut up. It was more of the same (and on weekdays they don't run the tram as often so I ended up getting to the base and getting on the other tram car instead of racing my tram car down).
Enough of that, so I decided to do laps off of Gadzoom, which was much better. With no crowds, Big Emma held up much better.
After a couple laps, I decided to meander along Bass Highway and then cut back along Ski School Lane, which traverses the Wilbere section of the ski area. What I found were that the trails had been getting some TLC from the snowmaking team and Wilbere was getting ready to be opened. So I decided to ski Wilbere Ridge/Wilbere Cutoff and was pleasantly surprised to find soft snowmaking and some decent natural snow, albeit it thin, but doable.
I headed to the tram base to get a drink, and then up the tram to Regulator Johnson figuring I would use it as a way to get back to Gadzoom rather than walking to Ski School Lane. As I left the traverse and began down the fall line I headed to far skier's left and was pleasantly surprised to find softer chowder that was a delight to ski. I made two other laps before going to Gadzoom for more laps on the Wilbere Ridge, including some fresh grooming on Lower Harper's Ferry East and Miner's Road. It was worth some more laps before calling it quits at 1:00pm.
We did get some more snow over the weekend...on the order of a mere 4-6" or so...and we need more, but the forecasts are meager at best. Time for the snow dances!
Pictures soon.
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